Municipal elections are those elections in whichcitizens cast their votes for candidates for representative bodies and for the head of a municipal formation. They will occupy leading posts during the period established by law. The concept of a municipal formation includes a territory that unites several settlements and is managed by one local government, which has one local budget.
The main regulation of these elections is made by federal legislation, and details are specified by laws on local self-government, as well as other charters of local government.
The municipal elections are subject to the sameprinciples, as in elections that take place at the level of the Federation. All citizens who have reached the age of 18 have the right to vote. Foreigners can also vote, provided that they live on the territory of the municipality constantly and in a timely manner pay taxes. Also, all residents aged 18 to 21 can themselves be elected deputies to the representative bodies of the municipality or to an elected office. Those citizens whom the court has declared insane or those who are in custody can not vote in elections.
Municipal elections in our country are always direct.This means that the citizens themselves, and not the bodies representing their interests, vote for candidacies for the post, for example, the mayor. Voting, as during other elections, is conducted secretly, that is, no one can control who the voter voted for.
Municipal elections are characterized byperiodicity and compulsion. Periodicity is manifested by the prohibition of electing indefinitely, and binding - by prohibiting the appointment of other elected bodies (with the exception of small settlements).
In Russia, municipal elections are alternative, that is, there should be several candidates for one seat. Also, all citizens are free in their decision to participate in elections or not.
After the date has been assigned and announcedupcoming elections, lists, polling stations, commissions and districts are created. All candidates run for certain constituencies. The number of candidates must be more than the required number of deputies, otherwise elections can not be considered alternative.
Each point for voting(polling station) should be designed for no more than 3000 people and is located, for example, in a school or other public place. Naturally, the boundaries of the site can not go beyond the boundaries of the district. All these rules are fixed in the legislation.
Election commissions are formed withthe creation of polling stations and districts. They are responsible for preparing for the elections and for holding them themselves. Commissions are created several: precinct, district and one territorial.
The compilation of voter lists issimultaneously with the creation of commissions. The head of the local administration makes them, but the election commission verifies and approves them. After that, the lists must necessarily be made public.
During congresses or meetings, parties arecandidates and report their decision to the election commission in order to register their representatives. Only from this moment can agitation begin. It can be conducted either by the candidate himself or by the party that nominated him, or even the voter.
Selected candidate or list of candidatesthe voter notes in the bulletin. In Russia, the majority electoral system is used, according to which the one who gained more votes wins.
There are cases when elections are impossiblerecognize as valid. Then the date of the repeated elections is established, during which other candidates can be nominated. This distinguishes them from a repeat vote, in which the composition of candidates does not change.
