Report: Parliamentary Elections 2012

Local observation report

Parliamentary Elections in the Republic of Armenia (May 6th, 2012)

This document has been produced within the framework of the project "Support to Two Electoral Cycles in Armenia", implemented by the OSCE Office in Yerevan with the financial assistance of the European Union. The views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Union or of the OSCE.

Local observation report

Parliamentary Elections in the Republic of Armenia (May 6th, 2012)

CDCS NGO and “Urban” foundation, according to the defined system of RA Code and after being accredited at the CEC, have realized observation during the RA Parliamentary elections on May 6th, 2012. For this mission about 65 young people from Lori and Vayots Dzor regions have received appropriate knowledge. They have been accredited as CDCS NGO observers according to the RA Election Code and have gained the right to carry out observation during elections in RA in the following 3 years.

The election process is evaluated according to the RA Code and the international standards of holding democratic elections.

This report includes the results of the observations and the estimates of the Election Day. The observation was carried out in 27 polling stations of Ajapnyak community of Erevan. Almost in every polling station the constant presence of the observers has kept the committee members vigilant. Some of the infringements pointed out by our observers have been eliminated by the authorized members of the committee, but in some cases the authorized members of the committee have not only ignored and have not registered them, but also they have not taken any proper steps to eliminate them.

CDCS NGO and “Urban” foundation, on the basis of the observation carried out in 27 polling stations in Erevan Ajapnyak community, announce – despite the fact that the latest amendments in the RA Code give appropriate opportunities for organizing and holding elections according to democratic standards, however during the May 6 th, 2012, RA Parliamentary elections there have been a number of infringements and shortcomings which are worth our attention and appropriate assessment.

In the polling stations that we have observed a decisive condition for the outcome of the election from the infringements could have been directed election and different types of its monitoring.

The election Code clearly defines the frames of the individuals, who have the right to be at the polling station during the Election Day and their responsibilities, but during the election on May 6th 2012 at the polling stations that we have observed permanent

presence of some unknown people have been noticed. They have interfered in the election process every once in a while, most of the time they have overtaken the responsibilities of PEC members or accredited individuals, some of the accredited individuals have directly intruded in the activities of PEC. The observers who have carried out this observation find all the registered infringements and shortcomings important and anticipate that the accountable bodies will give the necessary assessment to the registered infringements and will take steps to possibility eliminate them in the future. We are presenting you some suggestions, which can be of help in solving that problem.

Suggestions 

 While Article 53 in the Election Code, defines the cooperation between the police and the electoral commission, in our opinion it is necessary to clarify the elements of that cooperation, in particular, the actions taken by police officers in cases when there are people present at the polling station, who have no right to be there. For efficiently carrying out the requirements of paragraph 4 in the Article 21 of the Election Code, we offer to have police officers from the Police divisions in each polling station starting from the opening of the polling station until making the protocols of the results, who will perform their service outside the polling station. Make additions to the Article 56 in RA Election Code, in particular, to clearly define the standards of voting cabins in all the polling stations, with the logic that by ensuring complete confidentiality of the citizen's vote, the persons entitled to be at the polling station will have the opportunity to observe those actions of the voter, which do not relate to the election, so that to exclude the chances for them to take the ballot out of the polling station and vice versa. To have an indicating space-line for the voting cabins in the polling station rooms in the boundaries of which only those citizens, who are voting at that moment, can be present. Define a certain color of pen in each polling station and consider marks maid by any other color invalid. To check the quality of the seal provided by PEC for the identification document in advance. Increase the level of knowledge of persons involved in the electoral process: in many cases improperly carrying out the requirements of the Code or idleness is because of the lack of relevant knowledge.

Observation of the Election Day

During the election day, on May 6th 2012, 54 observers have carried out observation in 27 polling stations of Ajapnyak community in Erevan. They have been present starting from the opening of the polling stations until the calculation of the votes.

During the election day, the observers substituted each other, so as to ensure

permanent presence of an observer in the selected polling stations. There have also been mobile observers, who have visited the polling stations once in a while.

As a result of conducted observation in RA Parliamentary elections on May 6th 2012 we have recorded the following :

6/01 • The immunity of the packed seal has been violated, damaged.

• The accredited person helped to fill in the ballot in the voting cabin.

• Often there have been more than 15 people in the voting room.

• Police representatives have been present in the voting room of the polling station.

• Several envelopes have been thrown into the ballot box without putting a seal on them. • Some names have been missing from voters' lists.

• There have been cases of presence of more than one person in the voting cabin.

• Near the center of the polling station some promotional materials were present.

• In the area of 50 m radius surrounding the center of the polling station there have been groupings of people and cars, which have been eliminated by the police.

• The process of photographing and videotaping of the whole voting procedure by authorized persons has been hindered.

• There has been a case of harassment at the polling station.

• There has been monitoring of the votes at the polling station.

• A young man got a ballot without registration, and PEC the member had not been allowed to record his assessments in the register.

• Several young people regularly came in and out, bringing with them voters.

• The total number of unused, incorrectly filled and returned ballots was not counted, the unused ballots have not been extinguished in accordance with the CEC order, they have not been packed , have not been put in the bag, the package has not been sealed.

Instead, all of it was put in the safe.

• The stubs of the used ballots have not been wrapped; the package has not been sealed and has not been placed in a bag.

• Although the ink of the pens in the voting cabins was blue, during the calculation of the votes marks in red ink have been observed.

6/02 • Some names were missing from the voters' lists.

• There were often more than 15 people in the voting room.

• The ballots were torn from stubs earlier than the voters approached the committee.

• Frequently ballots were provided without checking passports.

• 2 accredited persons were going in and out and were asking other people to come inside by knocking on the windows or in some other way.

•The arrangement of the voting cabins partially ensured the secrecy of the vote.

• There have been cases of presence of more than one person in the voting cabin.

• In the area of 50 m radius surrounding the center of the polling station there have been groupings of people and cars, which have been eliminated by the police.

• There have been cases of open voting.

• During the calculation of the votes the committee members could often understand from the way the envelope was folded who or which family has voted.

6/04 • There was an attempt to take out the ballot, which has been prevented.

• One person from time to time communicated with his teammates outside, who brought old people to the polling station. This was done on a regular basis; the old people were explained outside what should be done.

• Some names have been missing from voters' lists.

• Voters openly declared about their voting results in the polling station.

• The same person helped to fill in the voting ballot in the voting cabin.

• The information about the person who helped those who couldn't vote themselves was not recorded in PEC Register.

• A member of the Committee helped to fill in the ballot in the voting cabin.

• There were some promotional materials near the center of the polling station.

• In the area of 50 m radius surrounding the center of the polling station there have been groupings of people and cars, which have not been eliminated by the police.

• A PEC member has given a chance to the voter after seeing the seal on the identification document to vote again.

• There have been police officers, unknown persons present at the polling station in the voting room.

6/05 • The PEC made the according entries in the journal with violations.

• Some names were missing from the voters' lists.

• The voting cabins were not installed at least 1 m away from each other.

• There have been cases of presence of more than one person in the voting cabin.

• The voters openly showed their voting ballots.

• The voters were deprived of voting in secret, as the polling station was crowded or controllable.

•The situation was chaotic the voting room.

• Promotional materials were present in the polling station.

• In the area of 50 m radius surrounding the center of the polling station there have been groupings of people and cars, which have been eliminated by the police.

• The PEC partially did not control the voting process.

• Unknown persons were present in the voting room.

• There was an atmosphere of fear in the voting room.

• There has been a violation of voting procedure.

• The same citizen repeatedly entered the polling station, accompanying various people to vote.

• There has been active propaganda near the polling station.

• The Committee member instead of putting the personal stamp in the voters' register has signed, and only after the objections of the observers, when about 25 people have already been registered, ha has started to put his personal stamp.

• The information about the person who helped those who couldn't vote themselves was not recorded in PEC Register for several times.

• The representative of the Republicans, violating the confidentiality, opened an envelope, look at who was it voted in favor, and then dropped it into the ballot box.

• The PA often had 3 representatives in the polling station.

• A member of the Committee sealed about 50 envelopes with the wrong stamp and all of them were considered valid.

• The accredited person of the Republicans led grouped and oriented elections. He appointed special people who brought voters to the polling station in their cars.

• The voter was allowed to vote without making a note in his passport.

• During the calculation the sequence of the actions has not been retained.

6/06 • Some names were missing from the voters' lists.

• In the area of 50 m radius surrounding the center of the polling station there have been groupings of people and cars, which have not been eliminated by the police.

6/07 • There have been cases of presence of more than one person in the voting cabin.

• There were often more than 15 people in the voting room.

• The situation was chaotic the voting room.

• The vote room was a crowded, monitoring was almost impossible.

• Unknown persons were present at the polling station.

• The tension between the Committee members turned into a big dispute as a result of which at 15:00 p.m. the voting process was interrupted. And at 16:00, p.m. the committee chairman had lost consciousness.

6/08 • Some names were missing from the voters' lists.

• The same person helped to fill in the voting ballot in the voting cabin.

• The information about the person who helped those who couldn't vote themselves was not recorded in PEC Register for several times.

• In the area of 50 m radius surrounding the center of the polling station there have been groupings of people and cars, which have been eliminated by the police.

• Unknown persons were present at the polling station.

6/09 • People were brought to the polling station in mini buses.

• Some names were missing from the voters' lists.

• There were several representatives from the same party at the polling station, and after getting remarks they "become" a journalist, an observer or some other party member.

• The personal seals of the Committee members have not been wrapped and stamped, they did not fit in the package of the electoral documents and were left with the Committee members.

6/10 • There were often more than 15 people in the voting room.

• In the area of 50 m radius surrounding the center of the polling station there have been groupings of people and cars, which have been eliminated by the police.

• Police representatives were present in the voting room.

• Some names were missing from the voters' lists.

• The situation was chaotic the voting room.

• The arrangement of the voting cabins partially ensured the secrecy of the vote.

• There have been cases of presence of more than one person in the voting cabin.

• Voters openly showed their voting ballots.

• Voters announced about their voting results i the voting room.

• Voters have been deprived of the chance to vote in secret. Polling station was crowded or controllable.

• A person who didn't have the right to be inside the voting room helped the voters who could not sign the voter list independently.

• The same person helped to fill in the ballot in the voting cabin.

• There were some promotional materials in the center of the polling station.

• PEC did not control the voting process.

• Unknown persons were present at the polling station.

• After 20:00 p.m. A voter was permitted to enter the polling station and this fact has caused a great dispute.

• PEC has not started the calculation of vote’s right after the polling station was closed.

6/11 • Some names were missing from the voters' lists.

• There have been cases of presence of more than one person in the voting cabin.

• An accredited person has helped to fill in the ballot in the voting cabin.

• There was propaganda in the polling station.

• One of the voters has drawn the ballots and after dropping them in the ballot box has quickly left.

• One of the voters tried to draw the ballot, but it has been prevented by the observers.

6/12 • There were often more than 15 people in the voting room.

• The servicemen entered the voting room in a line.

• There were some promotional materials near the center of the polling station.

6/13 • Some names were missing from the voters' lists.

• There were police officers and unknown persons present in the voting room.

6/14 • Some names were missing from the voters' lists.

• PEC members were not allowed to record their evaluations in the register.

• The process of photographing and videotaping of the whole voting procedure by authorized persons has been hindered.

• PEC started to count the votes after a short interval.

• Observers did not have the opportunity to clearly observe the counting process.

• During the calculation of the votes the PEC slightly deviated from the procedures.

• The observers were not allowed to examine the ballots.

• During the calculation of the votes the secretary of the Committee recognized the votes of some people. The votes noted in red ink were for the same party. In the end the President has violated the rules of procedure.

6/15 • Some names were missing from the voters' lists.

• There have been cases of presence of more than one person in the voting cabin.

• There were often more than 15 people in the voting room.

• The information about the person who helped those who couldn't vote independently was not recorded in PEC Register for several times.

• The ballots were torn from the stubs beforehand.

• There have been cases of open voting.

• Unknown persons were present at the polling station.

6/16 • The voting room was not large enough and did not ensure the regular organization. It has almost been impossible for the observers to move around.

• Some names were missing from the voters' lists.

• The installation of the voting cabins partially ensured the secrecy of the vote.

• There have been cases of presence of more than one person in the voting cabin.

• There were often more than 15 people in the voting room.

• There have been cases of open voting.

• Chairman of the Committee did not properly perform his duties. After each rotation round the work of the PEC has been interrupted for 10-15 minutes.

• The same person helped to fill in the ballot in the voting cabin for several times.

• In the area of 50 m radius surrounding the center of the polling station there have been groupings of people and cars, which have been eliminated by the police.

• At 16:45, a citizen who entered the voting room tried to vote with someone else's identification document, however, the fraud was prevented.

6/17 • There have been some violations in the process of drawing the lots.

• The fact of having drawn the lots was never paid any attention to. Everything was done the way it was convenient to everyone.

• PEC made the opening of the polling station with violations and it was nontransparent.

• The voting cabins were placed in a way that the voters were standing with their backs to the Committee, facing the wall, and the secrecy of voting was not ensured.

• An accredited person has helped to fill in the ballot in the voting cabin • The information about the person who helped those who couldn't vote independently was not recorded in PEC Register.

• There were often more than 15 people in the voting room.

• An envelope without a ballot was found in the voting cabin after the voter had left.

• There have been substantial and justified complaints. Gayane, a voter, registered in Bashinjaghyan 171/15, came to the elections and found out that somebody has already voted instead of her.

• Unknown persons were present at the polling station.

6/18 • Some names were missing from the voters' lists.

• There were often more than 15 people in the voting room.

• There have been cases of presence of more than one person in the voting cabin.

• The same person helped to fill in the ballot in the voting cabin for several times.

• There were some promotional materials near the center of the polling station..

• In the area of 50 m radius surrounding the center of the polling station there have been groupings of people and cars, which have not been eliminated by the police.

• Unknown persons were present at the polling station.

• PEC did not start the calculation of the vote’s right after the polling station was closed.

6/19 • There have been cases of presence of more than one person in the voting cabin.

• The duties of the Committee were not carried out according to drawing the lots.

• Unknown persons were present at the polling station.

• Some committee members expressed a negative attitude towards the ANC representative up to personal insults.

• The calculation has not moved in an organized way.

• PEC slightly deviated from the procedures.

6/20 • Some names were missing from the voters' lists.

• There have been persons present at the polling station, who agreed with difficulties to present their certificate of accredited representative.

• The President of the Committee has shown partiality towards certain accredited persons.

• The ink for stamping the passports, which volatilized quickly, was not replaced with another one.

6/20 • Police representatives were present at the polling station.

• The information about the person who helped those who couldn't vote independently was not recorded in PEC Register.

• At the moment of closing the polling station the voters were not allowed to vote.

6/22 • In the area of 50 m radius surrounding the center of the polling station there have been groupings of people and cars, which have not been eliminated by the police.

6/26 • There have been cases of presence of more than one person in the voting cabin.

6/26 • There was an attempt to limit the rights of an observer.

• There were often more than 15 people in the voting room.

• The polling station has been closed for 10-15 minutes.

6/27 • There have been cases of presence of more than one person in the voting cabin.

• The PA representative sat next to the Committee member and copied the names of those people who have already voted from the Register.

6/28 • There have been cases of presence of more than one person in the voting cabin.

• There were often more than 15 people in the voting room.

• PEC did not control the voting process.

• PEC member permitted a voter to vote while he already had a stamp in his identification document.

6/29 • The voting room was not large enough and did not ensure the regular organization. It has almost been impossible for the observers to move around.

• There have been cases of presence of more than one person in the voting cabin.

• There were often more than 15 people in the voting room.

• In the area of 50 m radius surrounding the center of the polling station there have been groupings of people and cars, which have not been eliminated by the police.

• The same person helped to fill in the ballot in the voting room for several times.

6/35 • Some names were missing from the voters' lists.

• The information about the person who helped those who couldn't vote independently was not recorded in PEC Register.

• Unknown persons were present at the polling station.

• There was an atmosphere of fear in the polling station the Republican representative threatened clear things up after the elections. This took place in the presence of the members of the Committee, but the latter did not interfere.

• PEC started the calculation of the votes after a long interval.

• The observers were deprived of their freedom of movement and the opportunity to observe the all the processes. During the calculation of the votes the President of the Committee tried to invite the observers out of the polling station.