The Chair of the CEC of Russia Ella Pamfilova, the Vice-Chair of the Commission Nikolay Bulaev and the Secretary of the CEC Maia Grishina with senior officials of political parties launched the countdown timer before the single voting day of September, 18 2016. The Chair of the fraction «United Russia» in the State Duma, Vice- Chair of the State Duma Vladimir Vasil’ev; Chair of the Liberal-democtratic Party of Russia, Chair of the fraction LDPR in the State Duma Vladimir Zhirinovskii; Chair of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, Secretary of the General Council of the Party «United Russia» Gennady Zuganov, Vice-Chair of the State Duma Sergey Neverov; Secretary of the Presidium of the Central Council of the Party « Fair Russia», Vice- Chair of the State Duma Alexander Romanovich assisted the solemn event.
Members of the CEC of Russia, deputies of the State Duma, representatives of political parties took part in the ceremony.
The Chair of the Commission Ella Pamfilova made a welcoming speech. She noted that with considering the Decree of the President that was signed on the 17th of June 89 days are left before the voting day. She said that there is no much time and election commissions of all levels (900 000 people) have to work a lot: «With a seriously changed legislation (return to the mixed system of elections, grow of the number of political parties) we have to provide an open, transparent and competitive election process».
The Chair of the CEC of Russia reminded that during the single voting day 38000 mandates will be distributed including elections of 450 deputies of the State Duma, 9 heads of legal entities, deputies of 39 regional legislative organs.
E. Pamfilova highlighted that there will be about 5000 election campaigns of different levels.
The CEC of Russia has conducted training courses for members and officials of low election commissions for some months. This work will be continued for the period of election campaign. E. Pamfilova also noted that the Central election commission quickly reacts on violations and will continue to do this.
She announced that «voters are interested in honest people that work in the interest of the country in legislative institutions at all levels. That is why our goal is to hinder all who want to gain power unfairly». That is why all participants of election process including media, observers, representatives of political participants of political parties are friends of election commissions.
After the speech of the Chair of the CEC of Russia Gennady Zuganov, Vladimir Zhirinovskii, Sergey Neverov and Alexander Romanovich expressed their will to cooperate with the CEC of Russia and wished successful election campaign to all participants within the principles of openness, competitiveness and legitimacy formed by the President of Russia.
