Strasbourg, 13 March 2009 CDL(2009)005 Engl. only Opinion No. 513 / 2009 EUROPEAN COMMISSION FOR DEMOCRACY THROUGH LAW (VENICE COMMISSION) ELECTORAL CODE OF THE REPUBLIC OF ALBANIA as of December 2008 (Approved by Law No. 10019 dated 29 December 2008) __________ Translation © OSCE Presence in Albania 2009 This document will not be distributed at the meeting. Please bring this copy. www.venice.coe.int CDL(2009)005 - 2 - TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I - GENERAL PROVISIONS......................................................................................... 7 CHAPTER I - PURPOSE, DEFINITIONS AND PRINCIPLES ............................................ 7 Article 1 - Aim and purpose............................................................................................. 7 Article 2 - Definitions ....................................................................................................... 7 Article 3 - General principles........................................................................................... 8 Article 4 - Appointment and duties of the liaison officer .................................................. 9 Article 5 - Prohibition on the use of special forces and structures .................................. 9 CHAPTER II - OBSERVERS .............................................................................................. 9 Article 6 - The right to appoint observers ........................................................................ 9 Article 7 - The rights and duties of observers................................................................ 10 CHAPTER III - THE ELECTORAL PERIOD AND ELECTION DATE ............................... 10 Article 8 - The electoral period ...................................................................................... 10 Article 9 - Setting the election date for the Assembly.................................................... 11 Article 10 - Setting the election date for local government organs................................ 11 Article 11 - Voting hours................................................................................................ 12 PART II - INSTITUTIONS FOR THE PREPARATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF ELECTIONS.......................................................................................................................... 12 CHAPTER I - CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION (CEC) ............................................ 12 Article 12 - The composition of the CEC ....................................................................... 12 Article 13 - Mandate and time of work of the CEC members ........................................ 12 Article 14 - The election of CEC members.................................................................... 13 Article 15 - The election of the CEC Chairman ............................................................. 13 Article 16 - The Deputy Chairman of the CEC .............................................................. 13 Article 17 - Rights and duties of a CEC member .......................................................... 14 Article 18 - The early termination of the mandate of a CEC member ........................... 14 Article 19 - Replacement of CEC members .................................................................. 14 Article 20 - Competencies of the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the CEC............ 15 Article 21 - Competencies of the CEC .......................................................................... 15 Article 22 - CEC meetings............................................................................................. 16 Article 23 - CEC acts and their entry into force ............................................................. 17 Article 24 - CEC decision-making ................................................................................. 17 Article 25 - The Secretary General and administration of the CEC............................... 18 Article 26 - Electoral subjects representatives to the CEC............................................ 19 CHAPTER II - ELECTORAL ADMINISTRATION ZONES (EAZ) AND COMMISSIONS OF ELECTORAL ADMINISTRATION ZONES (CEAZ)........................................................... 19 Article 27 - Electoral Administration Zones ................................................................... 19 Article 28 - Establishment of the Commissions of Electoral Administration Zones ....... 20 Article 29 - Composition of the CEAZ ........................................................................... 20 Article 30 - Incompatibilities with the office of a member and of a secretary of the CEAZ ...................................................................................................................................... 21 Article 31 - Requirements for being appointed a member and a secretary of a CEAZ . 21 Article 32 - Dismissal and discharge from duty of members and of a secretary of a CEAZ............................................................................................................................. 21 Article 33 - Duties of the CEAZ ..................................................................................... 22 Article 34 - Duties of the CEAZ secretary ..................................................................... 22 Article 35 - Meetings and decisions of the CEAZ.......................................................... 23 CHAPTER III - THE VOTING CENTRE COMMISSION (VCC) ........................................ 23 Article 36 - Composition of the VCC ............................................................................. 23 Article 37 - Incompatibilities with the office of a member and of a secretary of the VCC ...................................................................................................................................... 23 Article 38 - Requirements for being appointed a member and a secretary of the VCC 24 - 3 - CDL(2009)005 Article 39 - Dismissal and discharge from duty of members and of a secretary of the VCC............................................................................................................................... 24 Article 40 - Duties of the VCC ....................................................................................... 24 Article 41 - The duties of the secretary of the VCC....................................................... 24 Article 42 - Meetings and decisions of the VCC............................................................ 25 Article 43 - The composition and responsibilities of special VCCs ............................... 25 PART III - VOTERS AND THE COMPILATION OF VOTER LISTS...................................... 25 CHAPTER I - CONTENT, COMPILATION AND APPROVAL OF VOTER LISTS ............ 25 Article 44 - Conditions for being a voter ........................................................................ 25 Article 45 - Place where voters vote.............................................................................. 25 Article 46 - Registration of voters on voter lists............................................................. 26 Article 47 - Content of the voter list ............................................................................... 26 Article 48 - The organ that compiles and approves the lists ......................................... 26 CHAPTER II - THE PROCESS OF COMPILING VOTER LISTS ..................................... 26 Article 49 - The compilation of preliminary voter lists.................................................... 26 Article 50 - Written notification of voters........................................................................ 27 Article 51 - Causes for changes in the preliminary lists ................................................ 27 Article 52 - The procedure for the revision of and changes to the preliminary lists....... 28 Article 53 - Changes to the preliminary list on the request of the General Directorate of Civil Status ....................................................................................................................28 Article 54 - Preparation and posting of the final voter list............................................. 29 Article 55 - Changes to the list after the posting of the final list .................................... 29 Article 56 - The list for partial or early elections ............................................................ 29 Article 57 - Making voter lists available to electoral subjects and the public................ 30 CHAPTER III - SPECIAL VOTERS................................................................................... 30 Article 58 - Special voters ............................................................................................. 30 Article 59 - Special institutions ...................................................................................... 30 Article 60 - Voters in the Armed Forces and in the State Police Forces ....................... 31 Article 61 - Voter list in re-elections............................................................................... 31 CHAPTER IV - POLLING UNIT ........................................................................................ 31 Article 62 - Establishment of polling units ..................................................................... 31 PART IV - REGISTRATION OF ELECTORAL SUBJECTS.............................................. 32 Article 63 - Electoral subjects and candidates .............................................................. 32 Article 64