Legal bases of multi-day voting in elections in the Russian Federation

in 2020, significant changes were made to the electoral legislation in Russia, allowing elections to be held within three days. The amendments, adopted by the State Duma on July 21 and approved by the Federation Council on July 24, were signed by the President of the Russian Federation on July 31 and entered into force. They affected federal laws No. 67-FZ and No. 20-FZ, adding Articles 63.1 and 80.1, which grant election commissions the right to hold voting over several days (no more than three). The decision on the number of days is made no later than 10 days before the elections are scheduled. The new rules also provide for the possibility of voting outside the premises for voters in hard-to-reach places and introduce remote electronic voting, which has become especially relevant in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Central Election Commission (CEC) of the Russian Federation used the new rules to hold a single voting day on September 11-13, 2020, in 83 regions. The three-day voting was aimed at reducing the risks of the spread of coronavirus and increasing voter turnout. However, the initiative caused a mixed reaction: polls showed that 84% of citizens supported the new format, but opposition parties (the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, Yabloko, A Just Russia) and some experts criticized it, citing possible violations and reduced control over the electoral process. The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation rejected claims challenging the legality of the three-day voting. The advantages of three-day voting include increased turnout, convenience for voters, and safety during the pandemic. However, the disadvantages include reduced control over the process, the need for technical modernization, and additional organizational difficulties. The authorities and experts consider the new format promising, but its further use will depend on the epidemiological situation and the improvement of public control mechanisms.

multi-day voting, elections, electoral law, three-day voting, coronavirus infection