Report: Local government elections, Gyumri

Local Observation report LSG Elections in the Republic of Armenia (September 9, 2012, Gyumri) “Capacity and Development for Civil Society” NGO after registering at CEC in accordance with the legislation, realized LSG observation during the elections on September 9 2012.

The election process is evaluated based on the RA legislation and international standards for democratic elections. The following report is results and evaluation of the observation during the election-day.

The observation was carried out by full time and mobile observers of “Capacity and Development for Civil Society” NGO and “URBAN” foundation, which included number 31 precinct of Gyumri.

The observers evaluated their work with the people who had the right to be at the polling station on the election-day and they considered it to be mainly cooperative and effective. But there were polling stations where violations and shortcomings indicated by the observers were not given importance, appropriate decisions were not made regarding the elimination of those problems, as well as the observers’ work was hampered, i.e. observers were deprived of their freedom of movement and the opportunity to observe all the processes. (polling stations 34/36,37,41,43).

The work of the authorised persons were also hammered (polling stations 34/16,36,37).

Cases of spreading fear were also observed (polling stations 34/36).

Despite the fact that the Election Code clearly states that it is prohibited during the election-day to gather in groups in the precinct of 50 meters near the centre of the polling stations, the accumulation of cars near the entrance of the district centre and that RA police is to ensure the implementation of the provisions independently from the requirement of the electoral commission, however, during the visits of mobile observers almost at all polling stations they observed crowds of people and cars in 50 m radius area surrounding the precinct centre (polling stations 34/01,03,04,16,22,24,33,34,41,45,48,54).

Instead of carrying out their duties, the police representatives were present in the polling room starting at 7:00a.m. Until 8:00p.m. (polling stations 34/16,23,43,44,46), during the election process (polling stations 34/14,15,16, 33, 34,43,46,61), after the end of voting process until the end of the compilation of the results of the voting protocol (polling stations 34/16,46).

It is also alarming that despite the fact that in almost all observed polling precincts after opening (between 7:00-8:00) the Committee Chairmen checked the availability of the certificates on the outerwear of observers, media representatives, members of the Electoral Commission in accordance with passports, later unknown persons appeared in the polling room who have not 1

left the polling stations, and were interfering in the electoral processes (polling stations 34/03,14, 22,24,34,36,41,46,48,70).

Special attention needs to be paid on the fact that the polling stations in Gyumri were not accessible for people on wheelchairs. In observed 23 polling stations out of 31 polling this problem existed (polling stations 34/01,03,04,05,14,16,21,22,23,24,32,33,34,37,38,43,44,45,46,47,48,61,70).

Other violations recorded by observers at the polling stations observed are listed below:  The appropriate certificates on the outerwear of the observers, media representatives, members of the electoral commission present at the session were not checked: 34/43  For deciding the responsibilities and shift of the commission members, the drawing of lots was carried out with violations. 34/01,03,36  The election room was not wide enough and did not insure the implementation of the election process in a regular way. 34/15,17,33,36,41  There was a chaotic situation at the polling station. 34/41,43  The placement of the polling booths partially insured the secrecy of the election.

34/23,24,33  There were cases of presence of more than one person in the voting booth.

34/05,14,33,34,47,49  The authorized person helped to voted in the voting booth. 34/45  There were often more than 15 persons present at the voting room. 34/16,36,38  There were some promotional materials near the center of polling stations.34/24  Promotion outside the polling station. 34/ 24,45  Controlling the voting process. 34/22  Directed voting. 34/03,14,41,44,45,47  The names of some of the voters were missing in the lists.

34/03,14,15,16,22,23,34,36,38,41,45,46,47,48,49,68,70  The work of persons authorized to take photos and videotape the voting process was hindered. 34/43  PEC interrupted the summary of voting results for a short period. 34/03,43,45 

The envelope containing the personal seals of the PEC members has not been packed in a separate envelope, nothing has been mentioned on the content, and it has not been glued, has not been sealed on the closing part and has not been signed by the Chairman on time.

34/46,48

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The number of the voters on the primary and additional lists have not been counted separately, have not been announced publicly and have not been registered in the entry register in the right time. 34/46

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The number of all voters has not been added up, the sum has not been announced and has not been registered as the total number of the voters in the register. 34/46

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The number of people participated (people how got the ballots) in the election was not counted according to the signatures in the voter’s lists (including the additional lists) on time and it has not been announcened publicly and registered in the entry register. 34/46

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The voter’s lists were not packed in a separate envelope, nothing was noted about the content and the closing part was not glues, sealed by the council’s stamp and was not signed by the PEC Chairman , as well as it was not placed in the bag intended for the mayor’s election on time. 34/45

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The envelopes of the unused ballots were not gathered and packed in the bag. 34/45,46

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During the whole period of sorting out the ballots, the committee members had subjects with which they could make notes. 34/16,37,43

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During the period of sorting out the envelopes and ballots PEC got distracted from the procedure. 34/37

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The PEC chairman did not count one by one the sample ballots for the LSG election in front of the committee members: The number was not announced publicly and was not registered. 34/01,33,46 The envelopes were being stamped without checking the passports. 34/36

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Violations in completing of the register and its maintenance. 34/14,15,46

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Violation connected with the counting of the votes. 34/33,46

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Violations related to the procedure of summarizing the elections. 34/16, 46

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At least one working space was not provided for the authorized members between the persons who were registering the voters and giving them the envelopes for the ballots.

34/02,03,15,22,24,32,34,36,37,38,41,44,46,47

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The copies of the results of voting record were not given to the authorized members even upon their request. 34/30,45

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The protocols on voting results given to the observers by PEC were half completed. This made it impossible to determine the number of inaccuracies in the polling stations.

34/04,05,16,23,33,37,43,46,48,49

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We believe the recent amendments to the Electoral Code provides enough opportunities for carrying out democratic elections, however, the election observation for Gyumri LSG on September 9, 2012 showed that they still can not be considered as such.

At the same time, it should be noted that there were some territorial electoral commissions who tried to work in accordance with the requirements of the Election Code.

Local observers expect the observation that the relevant authorities make the necessary to assessments for the violations and will take steps for preventing them in the future.

Suggestions  It would be effective if the decisions, instructions, explanations related to the order of carrying out this or that elections accepted by the CEC's were posted at the polling station as a guide. This would help to avoid unnecessary disput. In 14 polling stations, out of the 31 that were observed, the authorized persons were not allocated spaces between the members who were registering the voters and giving out the envelops and ballots.

This requirement is included in the training manual for RA LSG elections for the PEC members (page 18), but the committees claimed that they were given instruction by the election commission.  Increase the level of knowledge of those involved in the electoral process. Most of the time not meeting the requirements of the Electoral Code or inactivity is due to the lack of adequate knowledge. Our observations indicate that it is mostly the authorised persons who are not aware of the Election Code and usually the lack of knowledge causes dispute.  Although Article 53 of the Election Code determines a partnership between the Electoral Commissions and the police, in our opinion it is necessary to clarify the elements of the actions taken by police officers in the cases where there are persons in the polling station who have no right to be present there.  For productively implementing the requirements of Article 21 of the Election Code, paragraph 4, we offer to assign respective policemen to carry out their responsibilities in each polling station starting from the opening up until the registration of voting results protocols on the Election Day.  To check in advance the liveability of the material given to the PEC for the stamps, for stamping the identification documents.

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