official translation

official translation official translation REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA LAW ON PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS (As amended by 6 April 1999, No. VIII-1121) I. General Provisions Article 1. The Basis for Elections of the President of the Republic The President of the Republic shall be elected by the citizens of the Republic of Lithuania for a five-year term on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage and by secret ballot. Article 2. The Right to Candidacy for the Office of President of the Republic Any person who is a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania by birth, who has lived in Lithuania for at least the past three years, provided he has reached the age of 40 prior to the election day, and provided he is eligible for election to Seimas member may be elected President of the Republic. The same individual may be eligible to the office of the President of the Republic for not more than two terms. Article 21. Information about Relations with Foreign Special Services (Structures) After the Central Electoral Committee has adopted a decision to issue an individual who nominates himself or is nominated as a candidate for President of the Republic with forms for the collection of voter signatures, he must, before he is registered as a candidate for President of the Republic, furnish the Central Electoral Committee with information about his work with the NKVD, NKGB, MGB, KGB of the USSR or other Soviet republics as well as with other corresponding services (structures) of other foreign states, studying at schools of said services (structures) or about collaboration with said services (structures). An individual who nominates himself or is nominated as a candidate for President of the Republic shall enter this information into a questionnaire. The following data must be indicated in the questionnaire: name and subordination of the service (structure), individual’s office, title, class, rank and functions, time and place of work or studies, awards. The Central Electoral Committee shall determine the form of a questionnaire. Data contained in the questionnaire shall be accessible to the public. If an individual who nominates himself or is nominated as a candidate for President of the Republic indicates the information specified in this paragraph of the Article in a questionnaire, the Central Electoral Committee must publicise such questionnaire within 24 hours following submitting thereof. If an individual who nominates himself or is nominated as a candidate for President of the Republic has not submitted to the Central Electoral Committee a filled-in questionnaire prior to registration as a candidate for President of the Republic, the Committee shall make this fact public not later than within 24 hours after the individual has been registered as a candidate for President of the Republic. A candidate for President of the Republic must announce about his work, studying or collaboration with the services (structures) specified in paragraph 1 of this Article, in his every video or audio election campaign material. If the Central Electoral Committee receives information in writing that the data provided in a questionnaire are wrongful, concealed or that a filled-in questionnaire has not been submitted, as well as that an individual who nominates himself or is nominated as a candidate for President of the Republic or a candidate for President of the Republic worked, studied in the services (structures) specified in paragraph 1 of this Article, collaborated with them, and establishes that the data related to this fact are not included in a questionnaire, it must within 48 hours notify an individual who nominates himself or is nominated as a candidate for President of the Republic or a candidate for President of the Republic about the received information and offer him to provide explanations. If an individual who nominates himself or is nominated as a candidate for President of the Republic or a candidate for President of the Republic agrees to the information received by the Central Electoral Committee, he shall without delay write down additionally this information in his questionnaire, and in the event a questionnaire has not been filled in, must fill it in - write down the indicated information. The Central Electoral Committee must not later than within 24 hours publicly announce this information. If an individual who nominates himself or is nominated as a candidate for President of the Republic or a candidate for President of the Republic does not agree to the information received by the Central Electoral Committee, does not arrive at the Central Electoral Committee when invited or refuses to provide explanations regarding the received information, the Central Electoral Committee may, if necessary, approach the persons who provided said information, as well as other institutions or organisations, requesting to provide additional data or documents. Upon having considered the received information, the Central Electoral Committee must adopt one of the following decisions: 1) to declare the received information groundless; 2) to apply to the High Administrative Court with a request to establish a fact that an individual who nominates himself or is nominated as a candidate for President of the Republic or a candidate for President of the Republic has included in a questionnaire the wrongful data about his work, studying or collaboration with the services (structures) specified in paragraph 1 of this Article or has concealed these data. In all cases the Central Electoral Committee must, not later than within 5 working days after the receipt of information, adopt a decision and to publicise it within 24 hours following its adoption. The court shall within 72 hours consider a request of the Central Electoral Committee and shall make a ruling which becomes effective from the moment it has been announced. The Central Electoral Committee shall within 24 hours publicly announce the ruling. If the Central Electoral Committee receives the information specified in paragraph 1 of this Article later than 12 days left before the election, a candidate for President of the Republic is not notified about this information, and the Central Electoral Committee shall not consider it. The Central Electoral Committee may publicly announce the fact established by the court not later than 72 hours left before the beginning of voting. The term “collaboration”  used in paragraph 1 of this Article is defined in Article 5 Law of the Republic of Lithuania on Review of Mandates of Deputies who are Suspected of Collaboration with Special Services of other States (Žin., 1992, No.1-1). Article 3. Universal Suffrage Citizens of the Republic of Lithuania who on the day of the election are 18 years of age or over shall have the right to vote for the President of the Republic. Citizens who have been declared incapable by court shall not participate in elections. Any direct or indirect abridgement of a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania's right to vote on the grounds of their sex race nationality language descent, social status, religion, convictions, or views shall be prohibited. Article 4. Equal Suffrage Every citizen of the Republic of Lithuania who has the right to vote for the President of the Republic shall have one vote in the election. Article 5. Direct Election of the President of the Republic Voters shall elect the President of the Republic without mediators. Article 6. Secret Ballot Voters shall vote in person and by secret ballot. Controlling the will of the voters in the election shall be prohibited. Article 7. Making Public the Preparation and Execution of Elections State institutions and electoral committees shall prepare and conduct the elections of the President of the Republic publicly. Public notice must be given of all events (meetings, sessions) related to the organisation of elections at least 12 hours prior to the commencement of the event. The electoral committees shall inform the citizens about their work; the formation of electoral districts (apylinkė); the composition of electoral committees, their location and business hours; the lists of voters; the results of candidate registration to the post of the President of the Republic; and the voting and election results. The state mass media shall inform the public about the preparation and execution of the elections of the President of the Republic. Representatives of all mass media shall have the right to unrestricted participation in all events organised by the electoral committees, attendance of all electoral committee sittings, as well as the acquisition of information from the electoral committees concerning the preparation and execution of the elections. Article 8. Expenditures Related to the Preparation and Execution of the Elections The expenses related to the preparation and execution of the elections of the President of the Republic shall be covered by the State and local authorities. The expenditures of electoral committees related to organisation and execution of elections and the work of the members of electoral committees and the service staff shall be paid with public funds. Maintenance of premises of the headquarters of electoral committees of towns, regions and districts, expenditures related to acquisition and keeping of the equipment of polling places shall be paid with local authority funds. If a local authority does not provide adequate premises or equipment for an electoral district headquarters and polling places, public funds shall be used for this at the decision of the Central Electoral Committee. In this event the actual expenses relating to polling places and equipment shall, within 2 months after the election, be exacted by the Central Electoral Committee from the local authority without suit. II. Organisation of Elections Article 9. Formation of Electoral Districts Taking into consideration the convenience for a voter to reach a polling place and the number of voters, territories of towns and regions shall be divided into electoral districts. The division of the territory of a town, region into electoral districts shall be approved and changed by the Central Electoral Committee on the recommendation of the mayor. The Central Electoral Committee shall publish in the Valstybės žinios  a list of approved electoral districts, and changes made therein. No more than 5,000 voters may reside in the territory of an electoral district. The boundaries of an electoral district, the address of a polling place shall be changed when necessary, but no later than 100 days prior to the election. In the recommendation to approve the division of the territory of a local authority into electoral districts, the town, region mayor shall specify the following: a proposed name of an electoral district, addresses falling within an electoral district, number of voters in the formed district, address and telephone number of a polling place. Changes which are proposed to be made shall be specified in the recommendation to change the division of the territory of a local authority into electoral districts. No later than 100 prior to the election the mayor shall also inform the Central Electoral Committee about new addresses, changed addresses or addresses which are no longer existent, as well as approve the addresses and telephone numbers of polling places.   Article 10. Electoral Committees The elections of the President of the Republic shall be organised and conducted by: 1) the Central Electoral Committee; 2) the town, region electoral committees; and 3) the electoral committees of electoral districts. Members of electoral committees may not be candidates to the office of President of the Republic or agents of such candidates. A citizen of the Republic of Lithuania may be proposed to the electoral committee provided he has the right to be elected as Seimas member (without taking into consideration the minimum age limit set for a candidate for Seimas member, but who is not younger than 18 years of age on the election day) and has not been previously removed from an electoral committee due to the violations of laws on elections or referendum. Article 11. Repealed 19 September 1996 Article 12. The Powers of the Central Electoral Committee When organising elections of the President of the Republic, the Central Electoral Committee shall: 1) distribute forms for the collection of voters' signatures; 2) register candidates to the office of the President of the Republic and issue them presidential candidacy certificates; 3) establish the samples and forms of ballot-papers and other documents used during the elections, as well as packages, stamps, and samples for their completion, and the procedure for sealing ballot-papers; 4) manage funds allocated by the State for the elections of the President of the Republic; 5) supervise the implementation of this Law; 6) investigate complaints concerning decisions of town, region electoral committees and electoral committees of electoral districts; 7) establish and publicise the results of the elections of the President of the Republic; 8) issue the certificate of the President of the Republic to the elected candidate; 9) hand over the documents of the elections of the President of the Republic to the State Archive for keeping; and 10) execute other powers provided for in this Law. The Central Electoral Committee may not interpret the provisions of this Law. If it is necessary to do so, the Central Electoral Committee shall appeal to the Seimas for the amendment of this Law. The Seimas shall consider questions submitted by the Central Electoral Committee according to the procedure of particular urgency. Article 13. Formation of Town, Region Electoral Committees The Central Electoral Committee shall for the period of elections form town, region electoral committees no later than 85 days prior to the elections. Town, region electoral committees shall be composed of: 1) two persons who reside or work in that town, region, have higher legal education, and who are nominated by the Minister of Justice; 2) two persons who reside or work in that town, region, have higher legal education,  and who are nominated by the Lithuanian Lawyers' Society; 3) one public servant of “B” level who works in that town, region (one from every town, region), who is nominated by the mayor of that town, region; and 4) persons nominated by parties, political organisations which have received the  mandates of Seimas member in the multi-candidate electoral area. The Minister of Justice, the Lithuanian Lawyers' Society and the town, region mayor may propose more candidates. Parties, political organisations which have received the mandates of  Seimas member in the multi-candidate electoral area pursuant to the list of candidates (joint list) nominated in this electoral area shall each have the right to propose two representatives from this single list of candidates (joint list) nominated in the electoral area to town, region electoral committees. If the representatives meet the requirements of this Law, the Central Electoral Committee may  not reject  said candidates. In the event that candidates have not been proposed, the Central Electoral Committee may additionally appoint as members of the Committee candidatures who  are proposed by the Minister of Justice, the Lithuanian Lawyers' Society or town, region mayor. In all  cases, persons who have been appointed to town, region electoral committees from the candidates proposed by the Minister of Justice, the Lithuanian Lawyers' Society and the town, region mayor must make up at least 1/3 of all the Committee members. If these people make up  less than 1/3 of  the Committee, the Committee shall be enlarged from the candidates proposed by the Minister of Justice, the Lithuanian Lawyers' Society or the town, region mayor. If elections to the Seimas or elections of the President of the Republic, or elections to a municipal council, or a referendum are concurrently held on the same day, the same electoral committees of electoral districts or referendum committees shall be formed. The Central Electoral Committee shall form a single - town, region, electoral area or referendum - committee in a separate electoral, referendum territory and shall establish its functions in organising and carrying other elections or a referendum. The Central Electoral Committee shall appoint the chairman of a town, region electoral committee. 8. During its first sitting, the town, region electoral committee shall elect a deputy chairman and a secretary of the committee. Article 14. The Powers of Town, region Electoral Committees The town region electoral committee shall: 1) in the manner prescribed by the Central Electoral Committee, inform  the voters who reside in a town, region about the boundaries of the electoral districts, the headquarters, working hours and polling places; 2) supervise the implementation of this Law in the town, region; 3) form electoral committees of electoral districts; 4) distribute the funds allocated for elections to electoral committees of electoral districts, control utilisation of said funds and account to the Central Electoral Committee for the funds utilised for the elections; 5) register election observers and issue certificates to them; 6) make up a list of health care, social guardianship and care institutions, military units and places of confinement situated in the territory of a town, region, and together with the head of the post office have care of the organisation of voting by post in those places; 7) draw  up the vote calculation records of a town, region, establish election results and transfer them to the Central Electoral Committee for approval; 8) consider  complaints against decisions and actions of the electoral committees  of electoral  districts and adopt decisions concerning them; and 9) exercise other powers provided for in this Law. Article 15. Formation of Electoral Committees of Electoral Districts No later than 75 days prior to the election, a town, region electoral committee shall establish the number of the members of the electoral committees of each electoral district, which must be a multiple of the number of the parties and political organisations which have the right to nominate candidates for electoral committees. If the number of proposed candidates is insufficient or there is a vacancy in the committee, the mayor of a municipality in the territory whereof the electoral district is formed may propose the lacking candidates. The following shall be entitled to propose the same number of candidates for an electoral committee of an electoral district: 1) each party, political organisation or their coalition which received the mandates of Seimas member in a multi-candidate electoral area during the last elections to the Seimas. If the party, political organisation received the mandates of Seimas member when being in the coalition, it may propose candidates together with organisations which participated in the coalition; 2) the party, political organisation or their coalition which received the mandates of councillor from the list of nominated candidates (joint list) in the elections to a municipal council. If the party or political organisation received the mandates of councillor when being in the coalition, it may propose candidates together with the organisations which participated in said coalition. If the party, political organisation may propose candidates according to the results both of the election to the Seimas and of the election to a municipal council, it shall propose candidates according to only one of these election results, by preference. If one of the organisations which took part in the election coalition, does not propose candidates or refuses to propose them, or chooses to propose according to other than the coalition was formed election results, other organisations which took part in said coalition shall have a right to propose candidates without its presence. Parties, political organisations shall submit their lists of candidates for a town, region electoral committee no later than 62 days prior to the elections. Town, region electoral committees shall for the period of elections form electoral committees of electoral districts no later than 60 days prior to the elections. If a candidate meets the requirements set forth in this Law, the town, region electoral  committee may  not  reject the candidate. If no candidates have been proposed or the proposed candidates do not meet the requirements of this Law, or they have been proposed after the set period of time, a town, region electoral committee may alter the earlier established number of the members of the electoral committee of an electoral district or to address the mayor to present the lacking number of candidates for electoral committees of electoral districts. The candidates proposed by the mayor may not be the members of parties, political organisations or to become such members prior to the expiration of the powers of a member of an electoral committee. If during a sitting not less than three members of the town, region electoral committee, while appointing a member of the electoral committee of an electoral district, object to the appointment of the candidate, proposed by the mayor, to be a member of the electoral committee of an electoral district, this candidate may not be appointed a member of the committee.  Town, region electoral committees shall appoint the chairmen of electoral committees of electoral districts. During its  first sitting  the  electoral  committee  of  an electoral  district  shall  elect a deputy chairman and a secretary of the committee. Article 16. The Powers of Electoral Committees of Electoral Districts The electoral committee of the electoral district: 1) shall receive electoral district voter lists from the town, region electoral committee, provide conditions for electors, representatives for elections to familiarise themselves with said lists, hand  voter certificates to voters or distribute them in some other way, inform the town, region electoral committee about inaccuracies noticed in the electoral district voter list; 2) shall investigate complaints  concerning the errors  made  in  electoral district voter lists; 3) shall, in the manner prescribed by the Central Electoral Committee, observe how voting by post is conducted in the territory of an electoral district, and control that conditions for voting by post would be provided in all health care, social guardianship and care institutions, military units and the places of confinement situated in the territory of the electoral district; 4) shall, together with a representative of the municipal council, have care of preparing polling places, voting booths and ballot boxes in due time pursuant to the requirements provided in this Law; 5) shall organise voting in the electoral district on the polling-day; 6) shall calculate votes and draw up the vote calculation records of the electoral district; 7) shall consider the complaints  of the voters and observers of that electoral  district on issues concerning the preparation of the elections,  the organisation of voting, vote calculation, the drawing up of vote calculation records, and adopt decisions related to them; and 8) shall exercise  other powers provided for in this Law. Article 17. Written Pledge of Members of Electoral Committees and Organisation of Electoral Committee Work A member, chairman of an electoral committee shall start holding the position in the electoral committee upon having given a written pledge. The Central Electoral committee shall establish the procedure for giving a written pledge of the members, chairmen of town, region and district electoral committees. The text of a written pledge of the member and the chairman of an electoral committee shall read as follows: “ I, (name, surname), member, chairman of the electoral committee, swear to be faithful to the Republic of Lithuania, observe its Constitution and laws, conscientiously and honestly perform my duties in the electoral committee and refrain from actions violating laws and the rights of citizens. So help me God.” The written pledge may be given omitting the last sentence. Upon having given a written pledge, a person shall subscribe to the text of the pledge. The pledge shall be effective for the whole duration of the appointment to work in the electoral committee. It shall be prohibited to hold the position in the electoral committee without giving a written pledge. Written pledges shall remain in the custody of the electoral committee which has appointed electoral committee members, chairmen. When appointing an electoral committee member, the Central Electoral Committee or the town, region electoral committee shall fix the date by which he must give a written pledge. The person who has not given a written pledge within 15 days after his appointment or who has given a written pledge with a reservation, shall be removed from his position in the electoral committee. Sittings of electoral committees shall be valid provided that at least three-fifths of the members of the committee are in attendance. Decisions made by the committee shall be adopted by open, majority vote. In the event of a tie vote, the committee chairperson's vote shall be casting. Committee members who do not agree with a decision shall have the right to state a different opinion in writing, which shall then be appended to the minutes of the meeting and shall be an integral part thereof. Upon the completion of elections, the powers of the members, chairmen of town, region and district electoral committees shall be terminated. The decision to terminate the powers shall be adopted by the electoral committee which appointed the committee members, when this committee, its chairman have fulfilled all the tasks assigned to him according to the Law. The chairman or member of an electoral committee who has given a written pledge shall be prohibited from any form of election campaigning or attempts to influence the voter’s will in any other way. The individual who has violated this requirement or a written pledge of an electoral committee member, must be dismissed from the committee and may be prosecuted under laws.*[1] Article 18. Appeals Concerning Decisions of Electoral Committees which are Adopted prior to the Completion of Voting All political parties and political organisations which have nominated a presidential candidate, as well as agents of candidates to the office of the President of the Republic may appeal against the decisions of electoral committees according to the following procedure: 1) for decisions of electoral committees of electoral districts - to the town, region electoral committee; 2) for decisions of town, region electoral committees - to the Central Electoral Committee; and 3) for decisions of the Central Electoral Committee - to the Vilnius County Court. Appeals must be considered within 48 hours of the time the appeal is submitted. Non-working days shall also be included in this period. The decision of the Vilnius County Court shall become effective from its pronouncement. Article 19. Appeals Concerning Decisions of Electoral Committees which are Adopted after the Completion of Voting All political parties and political organisations which have nominated presidential candidates, as well as the agents of candidates to the office of the President of the Republic, may appeal to the town, region electoral committees against the decisions of electoral committees of electoral districts concerning the drawing up of records of the calculation of votes not later than within 24 hours of their adoption. Such appeals must be considered not later than within 24 hours. Town, region electoral committees, in considering appeals concerning the drawing up of records of the calculation of votes, may recount the ballot-papers presented by the electoral committee of an electoral district, provided at least three-fifths of the town, region electoral committee members are present. Upon establishing an arithmetic mistake or incorrectly calculated valid or invalid ballot-papers, the committee may amend the records of the calculation of votes. Town, region electoral committees shall not have the right to declare invalid the records of the calculation of votes drawn up by electoral committees of electoral districts. The decisions of the Central Electoral Committee, with the exception of the decisions to declare the results of the elections of the President of the Republic invalid, may be appealed against to the Vilnius County Court not later than within 2 days of their adoption, and must be considered not later than within 48 hours. This term shall also include non-working days. The decision of the Vilnius County Court shall become effective from the moment of its pronouncement and its execution shall be binding upon the Central Electoral Committee. While considering appeals against the decisions of town, region electoral committees concerning the drawing up of records of the calculation of votes in a respective town or region, the Central Electoral Committee may re-count the ballot-papers presented by the town, region electoral committee. Upon establishing an arithmetic mistake or incorrectly calculated ballot-papers, the Committee may amend the entries in the records of the calculation of votes of the respective town, region or electoral district. The Central Electoral Committee shall not have the right to declare invalid town, region records of the calculation of votes. Article 20. Assistance for Electoral Committees State institutions, firms, offices and organisations and their officials must assist electoral committees in exercising their powers, and must furnish them with necessary information. State institutions, firms, offices and organisations and their officials must consider requests submitted by electoral committees and give the electoral committees a justified response not later than within 3 days. Electoral committees may employ the required number of personnel for assistance work. Local governments and State institutions and organisations must provide electoral committees with premises and equipment for the preparation and execution of elections. Article 21. Remuneration for Electoral Committee Members Chairpersons and members of electoral committees shall be paid salaries for their work in electoral committees in accordance with rates submitted by the Central Electoral Committee and approved by the Government. Chairpersons and members of electoral committees who are employed in firms, offices and organisations, and who are not receiving wages due to their involvement in electoral committee activities shall be paid by the State an amount not exceeding their average monthly salary. Article 22. Changing the Members of Electoral Committees Chairpersons and members of town, region, district electoral committees may be dismissed from their posts in the committee by the electoral committee which approved the composition of this committee, or by the Central Electoral Committee. The electoral committee may consider only the justified proposal of a party or political organisation to recall the member of the electoral committee whom it has nominated. As necessary, a new chairman or member of the electoral committee may be appointed in accordance with the procedure established by this Law and on the expiry of the period provided for in paragraph 1 of Article 13 and paragraph 5 of Article 15. iii. Voter Lists Article 23. Voter Lists 1. For  the organisation and execution of elections, the following voter lists shall be  compiled: 1) voter list of the Republic of Lithuania; 2) voter lists of towns, regions; and 3) voter lists of electoral districts. Voter lists shall be drawn up twice - provisional and final. These lists may be used only for organisation and execution of elections. The procedure of compiling voter lists must be such that every citizen of the Republic of Lithuania who is entitled to vote shall be registered in voter lists. No one may be registered in a voter list more than once. For the organisation of election campaign, at the request of parties and political organisations which have nominated a candidate or candidates, generalised voter lists (without surnames of voters, dates of birth, exact address of residence) may be drawn up. The actual expenditures related to drawing up of said lists shall be paid by the party, political organisation or the candidate who orders them. The voter list of the Republic of Lithuania and the voter lists of town, regions which are drawn up and kept by the registrar of the population register, shall be compiled in magnetic media. The procedure and form of  compiling of lists, method of compiling and the procedure for the use thereof shall be established by the Central Electoral Committee. Article 231. General Procedure for Registering Citizens in the Voter List of the Republic of Lithuania All citizens of the Republic of Lithuania who have the right to vote shall be registered in the voter list of the Republic of Lithuania according to the data of issuance of the document (passport) confirming the citizenship, and according to the population register of the Republic of Lithuania. Lists compiled according to these data shall be provisional. Compiling, checking and keeping of voter lists shall be organised by the Central Electoral Committee on the basis of the information furnished by public authorities and electoral committees. The following persons shall be struck from the voter list of the Republic of Lithuania: 1) a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania who has died; 2) a person who has lost the citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania; and 3) a citizen who has been declared legally incompetent by the court. Provisional voter lists with changes done therein and acknowledged in the procedure established by the Central Electoral Committee shall be, not more than 7 days prior to the election, approved as final voter lists. Changes in final voter lists may be done only with a consent of the Central Electoral Committee. Article 232. Town, Region Voter Lists The town, region voter list shall be made in magnetic media by  the Central Electoral Committee according  to the voter list of the Republic of Lithuania and the place of residence of a voter indicated therein, and shall be delivered to the town, region electoral committee at least 65 days prior to the election. Lists of voters residing abroad shall be drawn up concurrently and shall be delivered to diplomatic missions of the Republic of Lithuania. A list of citizens whose place of residence is unknown shall be also drawn up. Article 233. Voter Lists of Electoral Districts The voter list of an electoral district shall be drawn up by the town, region electoral committee according to the town, region voter list and the place of residence indicated therein, and shall be delivered to the electoral committee of an electoral district at least 55 days prior to the election. A list of citizens whose place of residence is unknown shall be also compiled. Voters, ship’s crew members and passengers who will be unable to return to Lithuania during the period of voting by post or to be present on the election day, shall, according to the procedure established by the Central Electoral Committee, be registered in a voter list of the electoral district on the territory whereof a ship’s registration harbour or the administration of a ship’s owner is located. Article 234. Public Announcement of  Voter Lists and  Access to Voter Lists The electoral  committee of an electoral district, diplomatic mission shall, at least 55 days prior to the election, shall provide conditions for the voters to have access to voter lists. The time and place for the voters to implement this right shall be indicated at the entrance to the premises of an electoral committee, situated in the diplomatic mission. Article 235. Voter Certificate A voter certificate shall be a document issued by an electoral committee specifying in the voter list of which electoral district a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania is registered. One cannot vote by post without this certificate. A voter certificate shall contain: 1) the name and surname of the voter; 2) the birth date of the voter (year, month, day); 3) the address of the voter; 4) the town, region in which the voter shall cast his vote; 5) the name, number of  the electoral  district in whose list of voters the name of the voter has been included, as well as the address of the polling place; and 6) the consecutive number of a voter in the voter list of an electoral district.. Article 236. Delivery of Voter Certificates The delivery of voter certificates to voters shall be organised by the electoral committee of an electoral district. The diplomatic mission shall deliver or send by post a voter certificate to the voter who are abroad, provided that he has informed the diplomatic mission of his address. A voter certificate shall not be delivered to the voter who shall vote in a ship. The delivery of voter certificates shall be noted in the provisional voter list of an electoral district. A voter certificate shall be either delivered to the voter personally or to the other person who lives together with the voter, or to a neighbour of the voter, who knows the voter and undertakes to deliver the voter certificate to the voter. The delivery of voter certificates to voters must be finished at least 40 days before the election. The voter who has not received a voter certificate in due time or who has received a voter certificate with inaccuracies, must without delay inform the electoral committee of an electoral district in whose service territory  he is residing, about this and to produce his passport or other document confirming his identity to the electoral committee. If the voter is registered in the voter list of this electoral district, the electoral committee of the electoral district must write out a new voter certificate to the voter and issue it to him immediately.  If the voter is not registered in the voter list of this electoral district, the electoral committee of the electoral district shall immediately inform the town, region electoral committee about this, which must have care of registering the voter in the voter list of this electoral district. The voter certificate shall be written out and delivered to the voter following upon checking the accuracy of voter lists. The town, region electoral committee may, in the manner prescribed by the Central Electoral Committee, write out a voter certificate for the voter who is on the voter list of another town, region, provided he is unable to return to his permanent place of residence to receive or otherwise get a voter certificate. The voter must request this in writing and produce the passport of the citizen of the Republic of Lithuania with his place of residence indicated therein. Article 237. Checking the Accuracy of Voter Lists before Drawing up Final Lists The accuracy of provisional voter lists shall be checked when transferring a voter from one town, region, district voter list into another, striking from or registering a voter in the voter list of the Republic of Lithuania. The voter shall be transferred from one voter list into another if it becomes clear that the address of his place of residence in the provisional list is incorrect or it has changed after said list was drawn up. Transferring of the voter from the voter list of one electoral district into another in the same town, region shall be executed by the town, region electoral committee and it shall inform the Central Electoral Committee about the changes made in voter lists of electoral districts. Transferring of the voter from one town, region voter list into another shall be executed by the Central Electoral Committee on the recommendation of the electoral committee of the electoral district and shall inform the town, region electoral committees about the changes done. Only the Central Electoral Committee may register a voter in or strike him from the voter list of the Republic of Lithuania in the cases provided in Article 231 of this Law. Article 238. Registration of Citizens of the Republic of Lithuania, Staying Abroad, in Voter Lists Citizens of  the Republic  of  Lithuania staying in other states shall be registered in the voter list of the city of Vilnius. A diplomatic mission of the Republic of Lithuania shall, at least 15 days before the elections, submit to the Central Electoral Committee the voter list compiled in the diplomatic mission, as well as the data concerning checking the accuracy of said list. This list may be supplemented with the voters who will be unable to return to Lithuania during the period of voting by post or to be present on the polling day, and who shall vote in diplomatic missions. Article 239. Registration of National Defence Servicemen, Voters who are Aboard a Ship and in Places of Confinement in Voter Lists Voters performing the active or alternative service shall be included in the voter lists of the electoral district on whose territory they permanently resided before they have been summoned for the active or alternative service. Officers, non-commissioned officers and re-enlistees of  the national  defence system and the internal affairs service shall be included in the voter lists of  the electoral district on whose territory they permanently reside. The voters who are aboard a ship and who will be unable to return to Lithuania during the period of voting by post or to be present on the polling day, shall be registered in the additional voter list of the electoral district in whose voter list the ship’s crew is registered. Voters who are in places of confinement shall be registered in the voter list of the electoral district on whose territory they have permanently resided before they were placed in confinement. If a person who is in a place of confinement requests in writing, he shall be registered in the voter list of the electoral district on whose territory the place of confinement is situated. Article 2310. Checking the Accuracy of Voter Lists upon Compiling Final Voter Lists, as well as on the Election Day If following the approval of the final voter lists, but no later than until six o’clock p.m. on the election day, a voter  addresses the electoral committee of an electoral district and submits the passport of the citizen of the Republic of Lithuania with the address of the place of residence recorded therein, which is attached to the territory of this electoral district, but the voter is not registered in the voter list of this electoral district, the electoral committee of the electoral district shall register the voter in the additional voter list of the electoral district and shall allow him to vote according to the procedure established by the Central Electoral Committee. The Central Electoral Committee shall immediately inform the town, region electoral committee about the voter’s surname, name, personal code, his passport number and the address recorded in the passport. The town, region electoral committee shall check if the voter is registered in the town, region voter list and take actions to guarantee that the voter would not be able to vote twice or the ballot papers filled by him will be counted only once. If the voter has voted twice, only that vote shall be counted which was put in the ballot box of the electoral district. The other vote of the voter, received by post or when cast according to the additional voter list of the electoral district shall not be counted. Article 2311. Complaints Concerning Voter Lists A voter or a representative of the party, political organisation may lodge complaints about the errors made in voter lists due to which the voter is not registered in the voter list  in the manner prescribed by this Law or is registered in several voter lists with the electoral committee of the electoral district no later than 7 days before the election. The electoral committee of the electoral district must investigate the complaint and adopt a decision thereon either immediately or within 2 days of the receipt thereof, if  more than 10 days are left until the election day. The decision of the electoral committee of an electoral district may be within 3 days appealed against in the administrative court of an appropriate county, which shall investigate the complaint within 3 days. The decision of the court shall be final. Complaints and comments shall not be investigated after the expiration of  the term  established for filing comments or complaints. Electoral committees of electoral districts shall  report to  the town, region electoral committee about  the received complaints and changes made in the voter lists by the court’s decision, and the town, region electoral committee shall report to the Central Electoral Committee as soon as possible but no later than within 12 hours. Article 24. Repealed 19 September 1996. Article 25. Repealed 19 September 1996. Article 26. Repealed 19 September 1996. Article 27. Repealed 19 September 1996. Article 28. Repealed 19 September 1996 Article 29. Repealed 19 September 1996. Article 30. Repealed 19 September 1996. IV. Nomination of Candidates to the Office of President of the Republic Article 31. Nomination of Candidates to the Office of the President of the Republic Individual persons may nominate themselves to the office of President of the Republic. Political parties and political organisations may nominate and support candidates to the office of President of the Republic. The nomination of candidates to the office of the President of the Republic shall begin not more than 80 nor less than 65 days prior to the day of elections. Article 32. Statement about Individual’s Participation in the Elections as a Candidate to the Office of President of the Republic An individual who has been nominated or who has nominated himself to the office of President of the Republic must, at least 65 days prior to the election, make a written statement about this to the Central Electoral Committee. If an individual is nominated by a political party or political organisation to the office of President of the Republic, this decision of theirs shall also be presented in writing. Documents confirming the citizenship and identity of the candidate shall also be submitted and a deposit amounting to five average monthly salaries shall be paid. Having collected twenty thousand voter signatures as provided in Article 79 of the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania, the total deposit shall be refunded to the individual who has paid it. The Central Electoral Committee shall, not later than within 3 days (including non-working days) after the receipt of the statement, ascertain whether there any reasons specified in Article 78 of the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania preventing the individual’s nomination as a candidate to the office of President of the Republic are present, and shall adopt a grounded decision on whether or not to issue forms for the collection of voter signatures to the individual, with the name and surname of the candidate for the office of President of the Republic indicated thereon. Refusal to issue the forms for the collection of voter signatures may be appealed against to the High Administrative Court not later than within 3 days, and the said Court must investigate the appeal not later than within 72 hours of its submission. This term shall include non-working days. The decision of the High Administrative Court shall become effective from its pronouncement. Article 33. The Collection of Voter Signatures At least twenty thousand voter signatures as prescribed in Article 79 of the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania must be collected on the form for the collection of voter signatures, which shall contain the following text: I, as a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania, confirm my support for the application of ............................................................................................................................................................(the person's name, surname) to participate in the ..... ............... .......... (day, month and year) elections as a candidate to the office of President of the Republic of Lithuania. Serial No. Individual’s Surname, Name Series and No. of the Document Confirming Citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania Date of Birth Permanent Place of Residence Signature and Date The name and surname of the individual who has collected the signatures shall be indicated at the bottom of the page, as well as the series and number of the document confirming his citizenship of the Republic of Lithuania, his permanent place of residence, and signature. All information on forms for the collection of signatures shall be filled out by the voters themselves. Voters may sign for each candidate to the office of President of the Republic, but may only sign for each candidate once. Forms for the collection of voter signatures shall be issued by the Central Electoral Committee directly to individuals who have announced in writing their participation as candidates in the elections of the President of  the Republic and, upon the request of these persons - to persons indicated by them. Article 34. Registration of Candidates to the Office of the President of the Republic At least 45 days prior to the elections, individuals who have been nominated or who have nominated themselves as candidates to the office of the President of the Republic must submit voter signature collection forms containing at least twenty thousand voter signatures to the Central Electoral Committee which issued the said forms. Said individuals must also submit the extract containing the basic data from the income and property declaration approved by the State Tax Inspectorate. Individuals who have been nominated or who have nominated themselves as candidates to the office of President of the Republic may submit a certificate of their health condition to the Central Electoral Committee. The Central Electoral Committee shall announce such certificates through mass media. The Central Electoral Committee shall check whether the forms for the collection of voter signatures have been completed correctly not later than within 10 days of the receipt thereof. In the event that it is discovered that a citizen has signed for the same candidate more than once, none of his signatures shall be counted. Signatures of the citizens who did not record all of the necessary information or who recorded incorrect information shall also be annulled. If, after all invalid votes are cast off, the candidate to the office of President of the Republic has the signatures of at least twenty thousand of voters, the Central Electoral Committee must register the individual as a candidate to the office of President of the Republic not later than within 24 hours. Refusal of the Central Electoral Committee to register an individual as a candidate to the office of President of the Republic may be appealed against to the High Administrative Court not later than within 3 days (including non-working days), and the said Court must investigate the appeal within 72 hours. This term shall include non-working days as well. The decision of the High Administrative Court shall become effective from its pronouncement. Individuals who have been nominated or who have nominated themselves as candidates to the office of President of the Republic shall acquire the status of candidate to the office of President of  the Republic upon their registration as candidates to the office of President of the Republic with the Central Electoral Committee. The Central Electoral Committee shall officially announce the list of all individuals who have been registered as candidates to the office of President of the Republic no later than 30 days prior to the day of the elections, and shall issue said individuals with certificates of candidacy to the office of President of the Republic within 24 hours of the announcement thereof. The campaign for elections of the President of the Republic shall commence on the day of the official announcement of the list of candidates to the office of President of the Republic. Article 35. Agents of Candidates to the Office of President of the Republic Individuals who have been registered as candidates to the office of President of the Republic shall have the right to have their own agents. Candidates to the office of President of the Republic shall submit their list of agents to the Central Electoral Committee, which shall, not later than within 24 hours, issue agent certificates (indicating the name and surname of the candidate) to the agents of the candidates to the office of President of the Republic. On the instruction of the candidate to the office of President of the Republic, an agent of the candidate to the office of President of the Republic shall have the right to represent the candidate in meetings with voters and in the mass media, to raise funds for financing the elections, and to carry out other instructions of the candidate to the office of President of the Republic which do not contradict laws. Candidates to the office of President of the Republic may at any time recall their agents. Upon receiving such a request from a candidate to the office of the President of the Republic, the Central Electoral Committee shall adopt a decision concerning the recall of an agent and shall announce it publicly. Article 36. Observers of the Elections of the President of the Republic All political parties and political organisations which have nominated an individual as a candidate to the office of President of the Republic as well as candidates to the office of President of the Republic shall have the right to appoint in writing observers to each electoral committee. Observer of the Elections of President of the Republic certificates shall be issued immediately. The certificates shall be issued by: 1) the Central Electoral Committee - to observers who have been appointed to observe the activities of the Central Electoral Committee, as well as the activities of town, region electoral committees; and 2) town, region electoral committees - to observers who have been appointed to observe the activities of the electoral committees of electoral districts. Election observers shall have the right to be present at the sittings of electoral committees whose activities they have been appointed to observe and to demand that the chairperson and members of the electoral committee observe this Law. Protests presented by observers in writing shall be attached to the records and decisions of the electoral committee. In cases provided for in this Law and according to the procedure established therein, observers shall have the right to appeal against the decisions of electoral committees. Organisations or candidates to the office of President of the Republic who have appointed observers shall have the right to recall the observer in writing at any time. The observer shall be deemed recalled from the moment the declaration of recall is submitted to the electoral committee which issued the observer's certificate to the individual. V. Guarantees of the Activities of Candidates to the Office of President of the Republic Article 37. The Right of Candidates to the Office of President of the Republic to Speak at Meetings or through Mass Media After the official publication of the list of candidates, the candidates to the office of President of the Republic shall have equal right to speak at voter meetings or at any other meetings, gatherings, or conferences, and to utilise state mass media and publicise their election programme. Heads of state institutions of power and government must assist the candidates to the office of President of the Republic to organise meetings with voters and to obtain necessary information, with the exception of confidential information. Article 38. The Right of Candidates to the Office of President of the Republic to be Relieved from Work or Service Duties During the Election Campaign Upon his or her request, a candidate to the office of President of the Republic may be relieved from work or service duties for the period of the election campaign but for no longer than 2 months. During this period, the candidate shall be paid two average monthly wages from State resources. Article 39. The Immunity of the Person of a Candidate to the Office of President of the Republic During the election campaign and directly following the elections, candidates to the office of President of the Republic may not be found criminally responsible or arrested, and may not be imposed with administrative penalties by court for their actions during the election campaign of the President of the Republic without the consent of the Central Electoral Committee. The Central Electoral Committee together with the Ministry of the Interior must arrange for the security of candidates to the office of President of the Republic, paid from the State funds. A candidate may refuse from such security, and he may also hire security at his own expense. Article 40. Amenability for the Violation of the Republic of Lithuania Law on Presidential Elections Individuals who obstruct, by means of violence, fraud, threats, or any other way, the implementation the right of voters to elect the President of the Republic, and the organisation of campaigning, as well as the members of electoral committees and other officials who have falsified documents of the election, intentionally counted the votes incorrectly, or violated voting secrecy, or this Law in any other way shall be responsible according to the laws of the Republic of Lithuania. Legal actions shall be also brought against individuals who have announced or publicised in any other way false information concerning a candidate to the office of President of the Republic, or who have interfered with a candidate's meeting with voters. VI. CAMPAIGNING Article 41. The Basic Principles of Campaigning Political parties and political organisations, as well as citizens and candidates to the office of President of the Republic may begin campaigning from the day the campaign of the elections of the President of the Republic starts to which the provisions of this Chapter shall be applicable. Campaigning may be conducted in any form or manner provided that they do not contradict the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Lithuania. The commencement of campaigning shall be declared by the Central Electoral Committee. Article 42. Conditions and Procedure for the Use of Mass Media Candidates to the office of President of the Republic shall all have equal opportunity to use State mass media free of charge for the purpose of campaigning. The actual duration and time of broadcasts of the National Radio and Television of Lithuania used for each candidate's campaign for the elections of the President of the Republic shall be established by the Central Electoral Committee in co-ordination with the heads of the National Radio and Television of Lithuania and set in a manner which ensures that principals of equality are maintained among the candidates to the office of President of the Republic. Candidates to the office of President of the Republic may use the time allotted to them in the National Radio an …