The election commissions in St. Petersburg unsatisfactorily organized the September 8 municipal elections. This was stated by the chairman of the Central Election Commission Ella Pamfilova. She noted that the local electoral system needs reorganization.

“A fundamental reform is required, the purification and improvement of the entire, primarily the personnel, system, institutional and electoral system of St. Petersburg. Because municipal elections are of great importance, they simply flood other elections with their scandals, with their mud, ”she said during the CEC meeting.

Pamfilova emphasized that the St. Petersburg election commission “to a large extent simply lost” control over the city election commissions. “This situation calls into question the professionalism of the St. Petersburg Commission,” she added.

“Based on our preliminary analysis, it should be noted that the existing electoral system of St. Petersburg, which includes the election commissions of municipalities, is not effective and is not able to fully ensure the electoral rights of citizens without constant monitoring by the CEC,” she said.

According to her, in 15 municipalities of St. Petersburg, the election results are disputed. The CEC is ready to present its position in court and hopes that it will attract the Central Election Commission to the case, if any.

Despite this, Pamfilova opposed expressing distrust to the head of the St. Petersburg election commission Viktor Minenko and thus removing him from his post. In her opinion, it is precisely systemic transformations and the updating of personnel that are needed.

“It would be nice if half of the commission’s members, who have been sitting for many years, are super professionals, ... they would leave on their own, if they would, give the governor and the legislative assembly an opportunity to form a new one (electoral commission. - RT ). There you have wonderful members of the commission who understand the relevance, can work, are efficient, understand new tasks, ”she added.

  • Chairman of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation Ella Pamfilova
  • RIA News
  • © Kirill Kallinikov

Resolution to the Prosecutor General

Earlier it became known that the CEC prepared a resolution declaring the municipal elections in St. Petersburg unsatisfactory.

“To recognize the unsatisfactory work of the St. Petersburg Electoral Commission to monitor the observance of the electoral rights of citizens during the election of deputies of representative bodies of intracity municipalities of St. Petersburg due to the fact that the specified commission did not take sufficient response measures aimed at counteracting detected violations of the legislation on elections, ”the document says.

This document will be sent to the Prosecutor General. The CEC intends to appeal to Prosecutor General Yuri Chaika to take personal control of complaints of violations of the law.

Also, the city election commission will have to analyze the work of the remaining commissions and, based on its results, consider the issue of bringing to justice those who violated the law. Separate commissions may be disbanded as punishment. The analysis should be carried out by October 25th.

12 criminal cases

All in all, the results of the September 8 elections in Russia were canceled at 15 polling stations in six regions, Pamfilova said earlier.

“To date, the results of voting in 15 polling stations in six constituent entities of the Russian Federation have been declared invalid. These are the Republics of Crimea and Tyva, Primorsky Krai, Moscow and Oryol Oblasts and the city of St. Petersburg, ”she said during a CEC meeting.

Note that in Crimea, residents elected the regional parliament and deputies of the city council of Simferopol. Tuva also held elections of the republican legislative body. In the Primorsky Territory on September 8, additional elections to the Legislative Assembly took place.

Residents of the Moscow Region elected deputies to the Councils of urban districts. In the Oryol region, a deputy was elected to the State Duma, and in St. Petersburg they elected the city governor and parliamentarians to the municipal councils of city formations.

Pamfilova also reported that more than 12 criminal cases were instituted for election violations.

“Law enforcement authorities have opened and are currently investigating 12 criminal cases. But as far as I know, there are more of them ... By the next meeting we will have complete information, maybe some things will be completed, ”she admitted.