§ Article 37(untitled)

ollection of Signatures in Support of Nomination of Candidates, Lists of
Candidates, Referendum Initiative

 1. In accordance with the procedure established by law, signatures of voters,
referendum participants may be collected in support of nomination of candidates, lists of
candidates, a referendum initiative. The number of signatures required for registration of
candidates, lists of candidates shall be established by law and shall not exceed 2 percent of the
number of voters registered in the territory of the electoral district in accordance with Clause 10,
Article 16 of this Federal Law. The number of signatures required to be collected in support of
an initiative to conduct a referendum of the subject of the Russian Federation shall be
established by law and shall not exceed 2 percent of the number of referendum participants
registered in the territory of the referendum in accordance with Clause 10, Article 16 of this
Federal Law, and in support of an initiative to conduct a local referendum, 5 percent of the
number of referendum participants registered in the territory of the referendum in accordance
with Clause 10, Article 16 of this Federal Law but not less than 25 signatures.
(as amended by the Federal Law of July 21, 2005, No.93-FZ)

 2. The number of signatures required by law for registration of candidates in a multi-seat
electoral district shall not exceed 2 percent of the number of voters registered in the territory of
the corresponding electoral district divided by the number of deputy seats but not less than 10
signatures.
(as amended by the Federal Law of July 21, 2005, No.93-FZ)

 3. The quotas for collection of voters’ signatures in the territory of one subject of the
Russian Federation at elections of federal bodies of state power may be established by the
federal laws.

 4. No quotas shall be established for the collection of signatures of voters, referendum
participants at elections of bodies of state power of the subjects of the Russian Federation,
bodies of local self-government, a referendum of the subject of the Russian Federation, a local
referendum for a part of the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation, a part of the
territory of the municipal formation.

 5. Signature lists shall be prepared at the expense of corresponding electoral fund,
referendum fun. At elections to federal bodies of state power, bodies of state power of the
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subjects of the Russian Federation, at proposal of initiative to conduct a referendum of the
subject of the Russian Federation signatures may be collected starting from the day of payment
for production of signature lists. At elections to bodies of local self-government, at proposal of
initiative to conduct a local referendum, signatures may be collected from the day following the
day when the commission received a notice about nomination of a candidate, certification of list
of candidates, registration of referendum initiative group. The period established by the law of
the subject of the Russian Federation for collection of signatures of referendum participants in
support of an initiative to conduct a referendum of the subject of the Russian Federation shall
be at least 30 days, in support of an initiative to conduct a local referendum, at least 20 days.
(Clause 5 as amended by the Federal Law of December 5, 2006, No.225-FZ)

 6. Signatures may be collected only among voters who are entitled to an active electoral
right in the electoral district that nominated a candidate, list of candidates or among referendum
participants who are entitled to participate in a relevant referendum. Participation of bodies of
state power, bodies of local self-government, governing bodies of organizations of any form of
ownership, institutions, voting members of election commissions in signature collection, as well
as coercion of voters, referendum participants in the process of signature collection and their
remuneration for signing is not allowed. Collection of signatures at places of work, study, places
where and when salaries, pensions, allowances, grants, other social benefits are paid, and
during provision of charity is prohibited. Signatures collected with violation of provisions of this
Clause are invalid.
(as amended by the Federal Laws of July 21, 2005, No.93-FZ), of December 5, 2006, No.225-
FZ)

 7. A legally capable citizen of the Russian Federation who has attained to the age of 18
years by the time of signature collection shall be entitled to collect signatures of voters,
referendum participants. A candidate, an election association, an authorized representative of
the referendum initiative group may conclude a contract for signature collection with a person
collecting signatures of voters, referendum participants. Remuneration for such work shall be
paid only through the electoral funds of the candidate, election association out of referendum
funds established by the referendum initiative group.
(as amended by the Federal Laws of July 21m 2005, No.93-FZ, of July 23, 2011, No.259-FZ)

 8. The form of a signature sheet in support of nomination of federal lists of candidates
for deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, nomination
(self-nomination) of candidates for the President of the Russian Federation, the procedure of its
filling in and certification, verification of signatures of voters and grounds for recognizing voters’
signatures as unauthentic and (or) invalid shall be established by federal law. Signature lists for
collection of signatures of voters in support of nomination of lists of candidates, nomination
(self-nomination) of candidates for deputies of legislative (representative) body of state power of
the subject of the Russian Federation are prepared in accordance with forms in Annexes 4 and
5 to this Federal Law, in support of nomination (self-nomination) of candidate for head of
municipal formation – in accordance with Annex 6 to this Federal Law, in support of nomination
of lists of candidates, nomination (self-nomination) of candidates for deputies of representative
bodies of municipal formation – in accordance with Annexes 7 and 8 to this Federal Law.
Signature lists for collection of signatures of referendum participants in support of an initiative to
conduct a referendum of the subject of the Russian Federation, local referendum are prepared
in accordance with forms in Annex 9 to this Federal Law. Form of signature lists with signatures
of voters in support of nomination of members of elective body of local self-government, the
procedure of its filling in and certification, verification of signatures of voters and grounds for
recognizing voters’ signatures unauthentic and (or) invalid is established by the law of the
subject of the Russian Federation.
(Clause 8 as amended by the Federal Law of July 23, 2011, No.259-FZ)
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 9. If a candidate for deputies of legislative (representative) body of state power of the
subject of the Russian Federation, candidate for head of municipal formation, candidate for
deputies of representative body of municipal formation, whose data are indicated in signature
list has a conviction that is not withdrawn or spent, data on candidate’s conviction shall be
indicated in a signature list. If a candidate for deputies of legislative (representative) body of
state power of the subject of the Russian Federation, candidate for head of municipal formation,
candidate for deputies of representative body of municipal formation, whose data are indicated
in signature list, in application on his consent to stand for body of state power of the subject of
the Russian Federation, body of local self-government in accordance with Clause 2, Article 33
of this Federal Law stated his membership in political party of this election association, this data
shall be indicated in signature list.
(Clause 9 as amended by the Federal Law of July 23, 2011, No.259-FZ)

 10. At elections to body of state power of the subjects of the Russian Federation, at
putting forward of an initiative to conduct a referendum of the subject of the Russian Federation,
the signature list shall contain the number of special electoral account, special account of
referendum fund used for payment for production of signature lists.
(Clause 10 introduced by the Federal Law of July 23, 2011, No.259-FZ)

 11. Voter, referendum participant shall enter his signature and date in signature lists, as
well as his surname, name, patronymic, date of birth (if 18 on the voting day – additionally day
and month of birth), residential address, series, number of passport or document equivalent to
a citizen’s passport. Data in voter, referendum participant who enter their signatures and dates
in signature lists, may be entered into signature list at request of voter, referendum participant
by the person collecting signatures in support of candidate, list of candidates, initiative to
conduct a referendum. This data is entered only by hand, and use of pencils shall not be
allowed. Voter, referendum participant shall personally enter signature and date. Voter is
entitled to sign in support of nomination of various candidates, lists of candidates, but only once
in support one and the same candidate, list of candidates. Referendum participant is entitled to
sign in support of one and the same initiative to conduct referendum only once.
(Clause 11 as amended by the Federal Law of July 23, 2011, No.259-FZ)

 12. Each signature list shall be certified by signature of a person collecting signatures of
voters, referendum participants. At certification of signature list a person collecting signatures of
voters, referendum participants shall personally enter his surname, name and patronymic, date
of birth, residential address, series, number and date of issue of passport or a document
equivalent to a citizen’s passport, name or code of the issuing body, and also his signature and
the date of signature.
(Clause 12 introduced by the Federal Law of July 23, 2011, No.259-FZ)

 13. Each signature list with voters’ signatures in support of nomination of lists of
candidates shall be certified by authorized representative of election association. Each
signature list with voters’ signatures in support of nomination (self-nomination) of candidate
shall be certified by a candidate. Each signature list with voters’ signatures in support of
nomination of an initiative to conduct a referendum shall be certified by authorized
representative of referendum initiative group. When certifying a signature list an authorized
representative of election association, candidate, authorized representative of referendum
initiative group shall enter their signature and the date of signature opposite their surnames,
names and patronymics.
(Clause 13 introduced by the Federal Law of July 23, 2011, No.259-FZ)

 14. When collecting signatures in support of nomination of candidate, list of candidates,
initiative to conduct a referendum, a signature list can be filled on front and back of the page.
The back shall be a continuation of front with single numeration of signatures, and certifying
notes shall be made on the back of signature list directly after the last voter’s signature.
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(Clause 14 introduced by the Federal Law of July 23, 2011, No.259-FZ)

 15. Upon completion of voters’ collection candidate, authorized representatives of
election association, authorized representatives of referendum initiative group shall count the
total number of collected signatures of voters, referendum participants and compile a protocol
in two copies of the results of signature collection in the form established by commission
organizing elections, referendum. Each copy of protocol shall be signed respectively by
candidate, authorized representative of election association, authorized representative of
referendum initiative group.
(Clause 15 introduced by the Federal Law of July 23, 2011, No.259-FZ)

 16. Signature lists to be submitted to commission shall be sewn and numbered.
Together with signature lists commission shall be provided with a protocol of results of
signatures collection on paper in two counterparts and in machine-readable format. The law
may establish that during the election of deputies of legislative (representative) body of the
state power of the subject of the Russian Federation, at putting forward of initiative to conduct a
referendum, a candidate, election association, referendum initiative group shall prepare and
submit to commission a list of person collecting signatures of voters, referendum participants,
notarize data on persons collecting signatures and their signatures, and also submit to
commission a list of such persons in machine-readable format in the form established by
commission organizing elections, referendum. The lay shall not require submission of list of
persons collecting signatures of voters if all signatures were collected by a candidate
nominated directly in support of his own candidacy.
(Clause 16 introduced by the Federal Law of July 23, 2011, No.259-FZ)