Politics

Russian senate sets stage for presidential election in March 2024

Moscow, Dec 7 (EFE).- The upper house of the Russian parliament has set the date for the next presidential election for March 17, 2024.

“With this decision, we are effectively launching the start of the election campaign,” said senate head Valentina Matviyenko.

By law, the upper house schedules the presidential election no earlier than 100 days and no later than 90 days before the voting date.

The day of the Russian presidential election is the second Sunday of the month in which the previous presidential election was held.

If the Sunday designated for the voting coincides with the day preceding a non-working day, or if that Sunday falls within a week that includes a non-working day, or if that Sunday is s declared working day, the election shall be scheduled for the following Sunday.

The second Sunday of March 2024 is the 10th. But since the 8th is a holiday on account of International Women’s Day, the elections will be held on the 17th.

Russian Central Elections Commission (CEC) chairperson Ella Pamfilova said she favored multi-day voting at Russia’s presidential election to widen opportunities for voters.

Pamfilova said the poll body would consider a draft decree on Friday on holding voting at Russia’s upcoming presidential election over three days – on March 15, 16 and 17.

“Surely, yes. We know how much people liked exactly this form of voting. There are more opportunities for people to plan their time […], it broadens the electoral capabilities of our citizens,” Pamfilova told reporters on Thursday.

Voting in almost all elections in the country took place over several days after the COVID-19 pandemic broke out.

The prolonged voting was done for health reasons, but opposition leaders have alleged that it has facilitated fraud.

Notably, voters in Russia-annexed parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson regions will be participating in a Russian presidential race for the first time.

While Russian President Vladimir Putin has not officially announced his candidacy for re-election to a new six-year term, it is widely anticipated. EFE

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