The State Duma adopted amendments to the law on elections in the event of martial law

The State Duma of Russia adopted amendments to the law on presidential elections in the second and third, final readings. In particular, the amendments stipulate the procedure for conducting elections in the event of martial law.

The new version of article 5 of the law on presidential elections will state that if martial law is introduced in parts of the territory of Russia, the elections in these regions may be postponed by decision of the Central Election Commission, if it considers that conducting voting under the current conditions threatens the lives and health of citizens.

The heads of regions in which martial law has been imposed must send their proposals for holding elections to the CEC no earlier than 130 days and no later than 90 days before the day of voting.

Also, the new version of the law allows changing the terms of voting at polling stations outside of Russia – also in the event of a threat to the life and health of citizens.

At the moment, martial law has been imposed in Russia in four “new regions” – that’s how the Russian authorities call the occupied territories of Ukraine: parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions. The press secretary of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Peskov, confirmed that the amendments are designed specifically for these regions, a “special situation” in which, according to him, “requires additional legislative decisions.”

• The next presidential election in Russia should be held in 2024. Their date has not yet been set. The current president, Vladimir Putin, has not yet confirmed whether he will run for the next term; Other candidates have not announced their intentions either.