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The Electoral Law in Russia
The right to vote is a legal concept which has two basic meanings:
· impartial suffrage as a branch of the sub-constitutional law made up of law and established rules of customary practice governing the right to vote and the electoral method for forming a government;
· subjective suffrage as the right of citizens to elect and be elected.
The principles of suffrage in Russian Federation are the following: universal suffrage, direct right to vote, equal suffrage by a secret ballot, voluntary participation in the election, publicity in the electoral process.
The principle of universal suffrage means that the voting rights are recognized for all adults and mentally healthy people. The universality means that there is no discrimination on any grounds (gender, ethnicity, etc.), that is the impossibility of removal from the election of any individuals.
The principle of direct right means the voter’s right to elect and be elected directly to the elected body or elected office. The indirect right of voters means that they choose only the members of the council which then elect the elected body.
The principle of equal suffrage by a secret ballot gives equal opportunity for each voter to influence the election results. This principle means that a citizen can use his vote only one time during the election. Voting by secret ballot excludes the external monitor and control the will of voters. This guarantees complete freedom of expression.
Voluntary participation in electoral process means that it is up to the voter to take part in the election or not.
We can participate in the election at the age of 18, be elected to the State Duma at 21, be elected as the President at 35. Disabled people and those in the places of imprisonment do not have the right to elect and be elected.
New words:
- impartial suffrage — объективное избирательное право;
- sub-constitutional law — подотрасль конституционного права;
- customary practice — обычная практика;
- the right to vote — право голосовать;
- subjective suffrage — субъективное избирательное право;
- electoral law — избирательное право;
- essence — сущность;
- universal suffrage — всеобщее избирательное право;
- direct right to vote — право прямого голосования;
- equal suffrage — равное избирательное право;
- voting by a secret ballot — тайное голосование;
- voluntary participation — добровольное участие;
- publicity — публичность;
- mentally healthy — умственно здоровый;
- elected body — выборный орган;
- elected office — выборная должность;
- to exclude — исключать;
- external monitor — внешнее наблюдение;
- disabled people — недееспособные люди.
Questions to the text:
1. What are the two basic meanings of the right to vote?
2. What do the principles of the electoral law in Russia express?
3. How are they guaranteed?
4. Can you call the principles of suffrage in Russian Federation?
5. What does the principle of universal suffrage mean?
6. The direct right means the voter’s right to elect and be elected, doesn’t it?
7. What does the indirect right of voting mean?
8. Does the principle of equal suffrage give the opportunity for each voter to influence the election results?
9. What does the principle of secret ballot mean?
10. Who can participate in the election in Russia?
Exercise 2. Translate the following sentences into Russian:
1. The right to vote is a legal concept.
2. Russian people can participate in the election at the age of 18, can be elected to the Duma at 21, and be elected as the President at 35.
3. Anyone who is an American citizen, at least 18 years of age and is registered to vote may vote.
4. There are 50 different registration laws in the USA – one for each state.
5. In November of the election year American voters take part in the election of the President.
6. In Great Britain the Prime Minister chooses the date of the General Election.
7. About a month before the election the Prime Minister of Great Britain meets a small group of close advisers to discuss the date which would best suit the party.
8. In Great Britain voting takes place on Polling Day (usually a Thursday).
9. In Russia the election of the President usually takes place in March.
10. Now in Russia the President is elected for a 6-year term.
Exercise 3. Fill in the gaps with the words given below, translate the text into Russian: constitution, structure, voter, national, to name, federal, government, to vote, responsibility, violation, law, to govern, to be elected (2), to be appointed, to be removed from office