CENTRAL COMMISSION FOR HOLDING ELECTIONS AND REFERENDUMS IN TURKMENISTAN
Our prosperous homeland, Turkmenistan, is becoming more and more famous by the day. Deep transformations are taking place in all areas of life. These transformations make it possible to improve the spiritual state of the citizens, and it affects the coherence between the various strata of society. At the same time, the successes achieved in the economy, science and education, the humanitarian and cultural sphere, great importance is attached to the improvement of the legislative framework of our state. For example, the improvement of the legislative framework allows for an orderly conduct of elections in our country. The holding of elections complies with the requirements of the international level.
Election districts and polling stations are formed on the territory of the country for the organized holding of this most important social and political event - elections. How is their education carried out?
In the elections of the President of Turkmenistan, the territory as a whole in Turkmenistan is one electoral district, 125 elections are formed in elections of deputies to the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, that is, equal numbers of elected deputies in accordance with the number of voters, and in elections to members of the velayat halk maslahaty are formed in the relevant territory 40 constituencies, and in the election of members of etrap, town halk maslahaty, 20 electoral districts are formed.
For the election of members of the Gengesh formed 5−15 constituencies in the relevant territory with approximately equal number of voters. At the same time, on the territory with up to 1000 voters 5–6 electoral districts are formed, from 1001 to 2000 voters - 7–8, from 2001 to 4000 voters - 9−11, over 4000 voters - 12−15 electoral districts. The number of constituencies is determined by the corresponding Gengesh within the established limits.
The number of voters in each constituency should not exceed 10 percent, and in remote and hard-to-reach areas - 15 percent of the average number of voters in the districts for the respective elections.
Election districts are formed by the relevant election commissions no later than seventy days before Election Day. The elections of deputies of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan also determine the names of the districts. Lists of constituencies with indication of their boundaries are communicated to the public.
For voting in elections, a referendum, the territory of the city, town, and village is divided into polling stations.
The polling stations are formed by the election commission of the corresponding etrap, the city in a sequential order. Polling stations are formed in a manner convenient for voters to participate in voting.
In military units, remote and inaccessible areas, sanatoriums and rest homes, inpatient medical institutions, places of detention of persons to whom administrative sanctions or criminal procedural restraints are applied, polling stations may be formed upon the presentation of the heads of these institutions.
At the suggestion of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, the Central Election Commission at the diplomatic missions of Turkmenistan may establish polling stations that are assigned to the polling stations of the etrap or city designated by the Central Election Commission.
In general, in what order are polling stations formed?
Polling stations are formed no later than forty-five days before Election Day, the referendum. In military units, remote and inaccessible areas, sanatoriums and rest houses, inpatient medical institutions, places of detention of persons to whom administrative sanctions or criminal procedural restraints have been applied, polling stations of Turkmenistan may form polling stations no later than five days before Election Day, referendum.
The polling stations are formed with the number from twenty to two thousand voters; in some cases the formation of polling stations with the number less than twenty voters is allowed.
The election commission of the etrap, city, city in the etrap, village, gengeshlik brings to the public information about the boundaries of each polling station, indicating the location of the precinct election commission and the premises for voting.
All the organizational measures being held on the eve of the elections allows for a high-level social and political event.
Support by the Turkmen Leader of the nation, improving the work of this system allows us to ensure the holding of various elections at a high organizational level.
Bezirgen GARAYEV,
Chief specialist of the Organizational Department of the Central Commission for holding Elections and Referendums in Turkmenistan.