Election Implementation Act
Headings of the Election Implementation Act
1. General Provisions and Principles Governing Implementation
2. Electoral Administration Body and Executive Structure
3. Verification of Voter Identity
4. Voter Roll and Constituency Lock
5. Issuance of Voting Authorization and One Time Token
6. Voting Procedure at the Polling Station
7. Voting Machine and Digital Recording
8. Machine Printed Paper Ballot
9. Seal or Authentication of the Ballot Paper
10. Ballot Box and Chain of Custody
11. Public Observers and Candidate Observers
12. Voting Hours and Closing of the Polling Station
13. Counting of Votes at the Polling Station
14. Reconciliation of Digital and Paper Votes
15. Resolution of Disputes and Special Audit
16. Criteria for Invalidation of a Ballot Box or Polling Station
17. Announcement of Results and Public Verification
18. Electoral Complaints and Objections
19. Electoral Offenses and Penalties
20. Emergency Backup and Technical Disruption
21. Archiving, Record Retention, and Recount
22. Final Provisions and Prohibition on Changing the Rules on the Eve of the Election
1. General Provisions and Governing Principles of Implementation
Article 1 – Neutrality
The conduct of elections and referendums shall be carried out in a completely neutral manner. No authority, institution, party, group, or person shall have the right to use any governmental, administrative, financial, military, security, or media position to influence the outcome of an election.
Article 2 – Independence of Administration
The administration of elections shall be independent from the government, political parties, and military, security, and intelligence institutions. None of these authorities shall have the right to interfere in registration, identity verification, voting, counting, aggregation of votes, announcement of results, or administrative review of complaints.
Article 3 – Official Record
All stages of the election shall be officially recorded in a documented, time stamped, and reviewable manner. No electoral act shall be valid without official recordation.
Article 4 – Transparency and Verifiability
All stages of the election, except to the extent that disclosure would violate the secret ballot, shall be subject to public oversight, verifiable, and reviewable.
Article 5 – Secret Ballot
The vote of every citizen is confidential. No person or institution shall have the right to know a citizen’s vote, compel its disclosure, or create any mechanism for identifying the vote.
Article 6 – Equality of the Vote
Every valid vote shall have equal value, and no vote shall carry greater or lesser value by reason of office, occupation, affiliation, place of residence, or any other status.
Article 7 – Prohibition of Undue Influence
Any threat, bribery, deception, administrative pressure, economic pressure, security pressure, or use of public resources to influence the voter, the administrator, the observer, or the outcome of the election is prohibited.
Article 8 – Responsibility and Accountability of Election Administrators
All election officials and administrators shall be responsible within the scope of their duties, and their actions and decisions shall be open to questioning, review, and follow up.
Article 9 – Prompt Adjudication
Any allegation of violation, fraud, or manipulation in the election shall be immediately recorded and adjudicated within a short legal time period. Delay in adjudication that results in the loss of a right constitutes an electoral violation.
Article 10 – Fraud as a Crime
Any fraud, forgery, manipulation, concealment, unauthorized interference, or disruption in the administration of the election is a crime, and the offender, in addition to removal from office, shall be punished according to law.
Article 11 – Validity of the Result
No result shall be final and valid before official recordation, the possibility of verification, and the expiration of the legal objection period. Any result obtained on the basis of a material violation shall be without validity.
Article 12 – Stability of the Rules
The principal rules of the election, including the method of identity verification, voting, counting, reconciliation, and adjudication, shall not be subject to change from six months before election day until the completion of the announcement of the final result, except pursuant to an order of a competent court and under limited emergency conditions.
2. Electoral Administration Body and Executive Structure
Article 13 – National Electoral Authority
The conduct of elections and referendums throughout the country shall be vested exclusively in the National Electoral Authority. No ministry, government organization, political party, or military, security, or intelligence institution shall have the right to perform the functions of this Authority in its place or to interfere in its work.
Article 14 – Functions of the National Electoral Authority
The National Electoral Authority shall be responsible for the following matters:
registration of voters;
registration of candidates;
administration of voting;
recording and maintenance of electoral information;
counting and tabulation of votes;
announcement of preliminary results;
registration of electoral complaints;
and initial administrative review of such complaints.
Article 15 – Structure of the National Electoral Authority
The National Electoral Authority shall operate at four levels:
1) National Central Board
2) Provincial Board
3) County Board
4) Polling Station
Each level shall act only within the limits of its legal duties and shall have no right to interfere in the duties of another level except in cases where the law expressly permits.
Article 16 – Central Electoral Board
The administration of the National Electoral Authority shall be entrusted to the Central Electoral Board.
The Central Board shall consist of 9 members.
The members of the Central Board shall be appointed for a 6 year term.
The reappointment of the same person for the immediately following term is prohibited.
No person may serve as a member of the Central Board for more than two terms in his or her lifetime.
Article 17 – Qualifications of Members of the Central Board
A member of the Central Board must:
be a citizen of Iran;
not, at the time of appointment, be a member of a political party, an electoral campaign staff, or the holder of a governmental office;
not have held an official party or electoral responsibility during the previous 5 years;
not, during the previous 10 years, have been employed by or affiliated with military, security, or intelligence institutions;
and have no effective criminal conviction.
Article 18 – Removal of Members of the Central Board
The removal of a member of the Central Board shall be possible only by judgment of the Special Electoral Court and only in the following cases:
loss of one of the legal qualifications for membership
manifest inability to perform the duty
grave electoral violation
financial or administrative corruption
No authority or institution shall have the right, without a judgment of the Special Electoral Court, to dismiss, suspend, or prevent a member of the Central Board from performing his or her duties.
Article 19 – Executive Secretariat
The National Electoral Authority shall have a permanent Executive Secretariat.
The Secretariat shall be responsible for administrative, technical, training, support, system maintenance, and election preparation tasks throughout the country.
The Secretariat shall have no authority to make political decisions or alter the rules of the election and shall act only as the executor of the lawful and official decisions of the National Electoral Authority.
Article 20 – Provincial and County Boards
In each province and each county, an Electoral Executive Board shall be established.
The members of these boards must be neutral, and the conditions of their membership must be consistent with the requirements prohibiting political and security affiliation.
These boards shall act only under the supervision of the National Electoral Authority and shall not be subject to the instructions of local authorities, the provincial governor, the county governor, or other institutions.
Article 21 – Polling Station
Each polling station is an official voting unit.
Each polling station must include at least the following responsibilities:
presiding officer of the station;
identity verification officer;
vote recording officer;
ballot box and records officer;
and clerk responsible for recording the minutes.
The exact composition and number of personnel of each polling station shall be determined, in light of the population of the constituency, by law and official regulation.
Article 22 – Prohibition of Affiliation and Partiality of Election Administrators
No election administrator, at any level, shall have the right, during the term of duty, to:
act in favor of or against a particular candidate or party;
be a member of an electoral campaign staff;
use electoral facilities for campaigning;
or engage in partial interference in the affairs of voters and observers.
Violation of this Article constitutes a grave electoral violation.
Article 23 – Validity of Electoral Orders
All executive orders and decisions in electoral matters must be in writing, recorded, and traceable.
An oral order in electoral matters is not valid, and its execution is prohibited.
Article 24 – Budget and Resources
The budget, equipment, systems, and resources necessary for the conduct of elections must be secured and placed at the disposal of the National Electoral Authority before the beginning of the electoral process.
No authority or institution shall have the right to disrupt the conduct of elections by cutting the budget, delaying the delivery of equipment, or restricting resources.
Chapter Three – Verification of Voter Identity
Article 25 – Condition for Voting
Voting shall be permitted only for a citizen of Iran who has been registered in the official voter roll.
Article 26 – Physical Presence
The voter must personally appear at the polling station designated for him or her. Voting by another person, by proxy, or without physical presence is prohibited, except in exceptional cases expressly provided by law.
Article 27 – Three Stage Identity Verification
Verification of the voter’s identity shall be valid only upon the simultaneous fulfillment of these three stages:
1) presentation of a valid identity document and national identification number
2) matching with the official voter roll of that same polling station
3) confirmation of biometric identity pursuant to the official election system
Article 28 – Prohibition of Repeat Voting
After identity verification and the recording of the vote, the status of the voter in the official election system must immediately be recorded as “voted.” No person shall have the right to vote more than once, and no system or executive authority shall have the right to delete or alter this record except pursuant to law and with official recordation.
Article 29 – Rejection of Identity Verification
If any stage of identity verification is deficient, voting shall not take place. The matter must be recorded on the spot and an official receipt shall be given to the voter so that he or she may object through legal channels.
Article 30 – Confidentiality of Identity Information
The identity and biometric information of voters may be used only for identity verification and the prevention of repeat voting. Use of this information for any other purpose is prohibited.
Article 31 – Disruption in the Identity Verification System
In the event of a technical disruption in the identity verification system, voting in that polling station shall continue only within the framework of the backup mechanism provided by law. No disruption shall authorize the removal of identity controls or the disregard of official recordation.
Article 32 – Recording the Time and Stage of Identity Verification
The time of identity verification, final confirmation, and issuance of voting authorization must be recorded in the system for each voter in such a manner that adjudication, review, and detection of violations are possible, without violating the secrecy of the ballot.
Chapter Four – Voter Roll and Constituency Lock
Article 33 – Official Voter Roll
The voter roll shall be prepared and maintained solely on the basis of official citizenship records and the national civil registry. No name outside this roll shall be valid without lawful and official registration.
Article 34 – Registration in One Constituency
Each voter shall be registered in only one electoral constituency and at one designated polling station, and shall have the right to vote only there, except in cases where the law expressly provides otherwise.
Article 35 – Constituency Lock
After the final registration of the voter roll, no person shall have the right to change the voter’s constituency without an official request and lawful registration. Every change must be recorded in the official election system and be subject to review.
Article 36 – Final Deadline for the Roll
The voter roll must be finalized and locked within the prescribed period before the election. After that deadline, no name shall be added to or removed from the roll except pursuant to lawful order and with official recordation.
Article 37 – Right to Review and Object
Every citizen shall have the right, before election day, to be informed of his or her registration, voting constituency, and electoral information relating to himself or herself, and in the event of error, to file an official objection.
Article 38 – Prohibition of Duplicate Registration
The registration of one person in more than one constituency or more than one polling station is prohibited. If duplicate registration is discovered, only the lawful and final valid registration shall remain, and the matter shall be recorded for review.
Article 39 – Transparency of the Roll and Protection of Privacy
The voter roll must be open to examination in such a manner that verification is possible, without violating the privacy, personal information, or security of voters.
Article 40 – Responsibility for Maintenance and Accuracy of the Roll
Responsibility for the preparation, maintenance, correction, and accuracy of the voter roll rests with the National Electoral Authority. Any unlawful removal, addition, alteration, or manipulation in this roll constitutes a grave electoral violation.
Chapter Five – Issuance of Voting Authorization and One Time Token
Article 41 – Condition for the Issuance of Voting Authorization
The issuance of voting authorization shall be permitted only after the full verification of the voter’s identity and confirmation of the voter’s registration in the official roll of that same polling station.
Article 42 – Issuance of a One Time Token
After full identity verification, the official election system must issue to the voter a one time token. Without the issuance of this token, no vote shall be valid.
Article 43 – Limited Validity of the Token
Each token shall be valid only for that voter, that polling station, and that voting instance, and it may be used only once.
Article 44 – Automatic Invalidation of the Token After Use
Upon the recording of a valid vote, the token must automatically be invalidated, and the possibility of its reuse shall be eliminated.
Article 45 – Prohibition of Transfer or Reuse
A one time token is not transferable, assignable, saleable, or reusable. Any unauthorized use of a token constitutes an electoral violation and, in the cases prescribed by law, a crime.
Article 46 – Recording the Time of Issuance and Use of the Token
The time of issuance, the time of use, and the status of each token must be recorded in the official election system in such a way that review, detection of violations, and legal adjudication are possible, without violating the secrecy of the ballot.
Article 47 – Non Use of the Token
If the voter does not vote after the issuance of the token, the status of the token must be recorded in the system as “unused,” and the manner of dealing with it shall be determined by law and official regulation.
Article 48 – Disruption in the Issuance or Recording of the Token
In the event of disruption in the issuance, recording, or invalidation of the token, voting shall continue only within the framework of the backup mechanism prescribed by law. No disruption shall authorize manual issuance, unrecorded issuance, or issuance lacking legal control.
Chapter Six – Voting Procedure at the Polling Station
Article 49 – Presence at the Polling Station
The voter must personally appear at the polling station in which he or she is registered. Voting without personal presence, by another person, or under any substitute designation is prohibited, except in cases expressly provided by law.
Article 50 – Commencement of the Voting Process
After full identity verification and the issuance of a one time token, the voter enters the voting process. Without identity verification and without a valid token, no vote may be recorded.
Article 51 – Recording the Vote on the Device
The voter must personally record his or her vote on the official voting device. No administrator, observer, or other person shall have the right to record a vote in place of the voter, except in exceptional cases provided by law for persons with disabilities, and then only with official recordation and in the presence of an observer.
Article 52 – Printing the Ballot Paper
After the vote is recorded on the device, the ballot paper must be printed automatically by that same device. This ballot paper must bear a unique number, polling station identifier, and official security marking.
Article 53 – Viewing of the Vote by the Voter
The printed ballot paper must emerge from the device on a side visible only to the voter. Before placing the ballot paper in the ballot box, the voter has the right to verify that the printed content corresponds to the vote recorded by him or her.
Article 54 – Prohibition on Viewing the Vote by Election Officials
No administrator, observer, or other person shall have the right to view, demand, or inspect the content of the printed vote. Any arrangement that causes the vote to be disclosed to anyone other than the voter is prohibited.
Article 55 – Authentication of the Ballot Paper
A ballot paper shall be valid only if, after emerging from the device, its authenticity and its issuance from that same polling station are confirmed. This confirmation must be carried out in such a manner that the secrecy of the ballot is not violated.
Article 56 – Seal or Mark of Authenticity
The seal, label, or any mark of authenticity shall be placed only on a part of the ballot paper that does not reveal the content of the vote. No ballot paper shall be valid without an official mark of authenticity.
Article 57 – Placing the Ballot Paper in the Ballot Box
After authenticity is confirmed, the voter must personally place the ballot paper in the official ballot box of that same polling station. No other person shall have the right to place the ballot paper on behalf of the voter, except in exceptional cases provided by law and with official recordation.
Article 58 – One Vote for Each Token
Each one time token permits only the recording of one vote and the printing of one valid ballot paper. After the vote is recorded and the ballot paper is printed, the token must immediately cease to be valid.
Article 59 – Defective or Incorrect Ballot Paper
If the voter, before placing the ballot paper in the ballot box, declares that the printed ballot paper is defective, incomplete, or inconsistent with the vote recorded by him or her, the ballot paper must be invalidated with official recordation, and the voting process shall be repeated for that voter one more time. The invalidated ballot paper must be retained and recorded in the minutes.
Article 60 – Device Malfunction
If the voting device suffers disruption, voting on that device shall be suspended and the matter shall immediately be recorded. Continuation of voting shall be permitted only with a replacement device or a backup mechanism expressly provided by law.
Article 61 – Multiple Devices at the Polling Station
Each polling station must have at least two official voting devices so that voting does not stop in the event of malfunction of one device.
Article 62 – Recording of Time and Operations
The time of vote recording, the time of ballot printing, the time of authenticity confirmation, and the final time of placing the ballot paper in the ballot box must be recorded in the official election system in such a manner that review and detection of violations are possible, without violating the secrecy of the ballot.
Chapter Seven – Voting Machine and Digital Recording
Article 63 – Official Voting Machine
Digital vote recording shall be permitted only through the official voting machine. No device, software, or other tool outside the official election system shall have validity.
Article 64 – Digital Recording of the Vote
Every valid vote must, simultaneously with its recording on the machine, be digitally recorded in the official election system. A vote that does not have official digital recording shall not be valid.
Article 65 – Link Between the Digital Vote and the Ballot Paper
Every digital vote must have a unique recording identifier and must be reconcilable, within one chain of official recordation, with the printed ballot paper of that same vote, without revealing the identity of the voter or the secret ballot.
Article 66 – Recording at the Center
The vote data of each polling station must be recorded and maintained in the central election system. The structure of recordation must be such that no polling station may enter, delete, or replace its figures outside the official system.
Article 67 – Log and Operational History
All operations relating to the voting machine, including the time of activation, vote recording, ballot printing, error, stoppage, restart, and withdrawal from service, must be recorded in the system and be subject to review and adjudication.
Article 68 – Prohibition of Manipulation
Any manipulation of the voting machine, the software, the recorded data, the vote identifiers, or the connection of the machine to the official election system is prohibited and constitutes a crime.
Article 69 – Malfunction and Withdrawal from Service
In the event of a malfunction or a material disruption in the machine, the machine must immediately be withdrawn from service and the matter must formally be recorded. Continuation of voting shall be permitted only through a replacement machine or a lawful backup mechanism.
Article 70 – Lock on Vote Recording
No vote shall be recorded without full identity verification, issuance of a valid token, and official recording in the machine. The machine must be designed in such a way that vote recording outside this chain is not possible.
Article 71 – Prohibition of Manual Recording Outside the System
Manual recording, separate entry of votes, or addition to or alteration of the result of a polling station outside the official election system is prohibited, except in exceptional cases expressly provided by law and only with full recordation, official minutes, and the possibility of judicial review.
Article 72 – Preservation and Backup of Data
All data recorded in the machine and in the central system must be securely preserved, time stamped, and maintained with backup copies so that, in the event of adjudication, recount, or objection, full review is possible.
Article 73 – Prohibition of Identifying the Voter
No part of the digital recordation shall be designed in such a way as to make it possible to identify the content of the vote of a particular person. Any connection between the identity of the voter and the content of the vote is prohibited.
Article 74 – Technical Inspection and Verification
The machines and vote recording systems must be capable of technical inspection, verification, and legal examination before the election, during the election, and after the election.
Chapter Eight – Machine Printed Paper Ballot
Article 75 – Printed Ballot Paper
Every vote that is recorded in the official voting machine must immediately be printed automatically on a ballot paper. This ballot paper forms an official part of the electoral process.
Article 76 – Features of the Ballot Paper
The ballot paper must contain the following elements:
1) an official unique number
2) the identifier of the polling station
3) an official security marking
4) content readable by the voter
5) an identifier capable of reconciliation with the digital record, without disclosing the identity of the voter
Article 77 – Viewing of the Ballot Paper by the Voter
The ballot paper must emerge from a side of the machine in such a way that only the voter can see its content and verify its correctness.
Article 78 – Prohibition on Viewing by Others
No administrator, observer, or other person shall have the right to see, read, demand, or compel the voter to display the content of the ballot paper.
Article 79 – Validity of the Printed Ballot Paper
A printed ballot paper shall be valid only when:
1) it has been issued by the official machine of that same polling station
2) it bears a valid unique number
3) it bears an official mark of authenticity
4) it is placed in the ballot box of that same polling station in accordance with the lawful procedure
Article 80 – Ballot Paper Lacking Authenticity
Any ballot paper that has been printed outside the official machine, lacks a valid number, lacks an official mark of authenticity, or has not entered the ballot box through the lawful procedure is void and shall not be counted among valid votes.
Article 81 – Invalidated Ballot Paper
A ballot paper that is set aside because of error, malfunction, defect, or the voter’s objection must immediately be invalidated, recorded, and kept separately, and shall not be placed in the ballot box.
Article 82 – Prohibition of Additional Printing
No machine shall have the right to print a ballot paper without a valid token and without official recordation. Any additional ballot paper, unrecorded ballot paper, or ballot paper outside the lawful chain is invalid and subject to review.
Article 83 – Retention of Official Ballot Papers
Printed ballot papers, invalidated ballot papers, and unused ballot papers must be retained within the framework of official regulations until the expiration of the legal periods for objection, recount, and adjudication.
Chapter Nine – Seal or Authentication of the Ballot Paper
Article 84 – Requirement of Authentication
No printed ballot paper shall be valid without official authentication, and it shall not be counted among valid votes.
Article 85 – Authority for Authentication
Authentication of the ballot paper shall be carried out only by the official polling station officer and within the framework of legal regulations.
Article 86 – Method of Authentication
Authentication of the ballot paper shall be carried out by means of a seal, security label, or official mark approved by the National Electoral Authority. The type and form of this authentication must be uniform throughout the country, officially recorded, and capable of verification.
Article 87 – Preservation of the Secret Ballot in Authentication
Authentication must be carried out in such a manner that the content of the vote is not disclosed to the polling station officer, observers, or any other person. Any arrangement that causes the content of the vote to be seen at the time of authentication is prohibited.
Article 88 – Place of Authentication
The seal or mark of authenticity shall be placed only on a part of the ballot paper that does not reveal the content of the vote. A ballot paper whose authentication results in disclosure of the vote shall, in accordance with law, be invalid and subject to review.
Article 89 – Ballot Paper Without Authentication
Any ballot paper placed in the ballot box without an official seal, label, or mark of authenticity is void and shall be excluded from the count of valid votes.
Article 90 – Prohibition of Multiple or Fraudulent Authentication
Any multiple, fraudulent, out of turn, or otherwise unlawful authentication is prohibited and constitutes a crime.
Article 91 – Recording of Authentication
The number of authenticated ballot papers, the number of ballot papers invalidated before authentication, and the number of ballot papers without authentication must be officially recorded and entered in the polling station minutes at the end of voting.
Article 92 – Responsibility for Authentication
The polling station officer who carries out authentication shall be responsible for any violation, negligence, or unlawful authentication, and shall be subject to proceedings in accordance with law.
Chapter Ten – Ballot Box and Chain of Custody
Article 93 – Official Ballot Box
Each polling station must have an official, standard, registered ballot box assigned exclusively to that polling station. No ballot box outside the official registration of the National Electoral Authority shall be valid.
Article 94 – Features of the Ballot Box
The ballot box must be transparent, visible, sealable, and bear a unique identification number, in such a manner that the insertion of ballot papers can be seen and any manipulation can be detected.
Article 95 – Display of the Empty Ballot Box
Before the commencement of voting, the presiding officer of the polling station is required, in the presence of election administrators and observers, to show that the ballot box is empty and then to seal it.
Article 96 – Sealing of the Ballot Box
Each ballot box must, before the commencement of voting, be closed with an official numbered seal. The seal number must be recorded in the minutes of the commencement of voting.
Article 97 – Prohibition on Opening the Ballot Box During Voting
Opening the ballot box, breaking the seal, unauthorized relocation, or any physical manipulation of the ballot box during voting is prohibited, except in exceptional cases provided by law and with official recordation.
Article 98 – Recording of Events Relating to the Ballot Box
Every event relating to the ballot box, including sealing, replacement, damage, suspension, inspection, or transfer, must immediately be officially recorded and entered in the minutes.
Article 99 – Chain of Custody
From the commencement of voting until the completion of counting, the ballot box must continuously remain within the official chain of custody. Any transfer, handover, or change of location of the ballot box must be carried out with recordation of the time, place, names of responsible persons, and official signatures.
Article 100 – Person Responsible for Custody of the Ballot Box
Direct responsibility for the protection of the ballot box at the polling station rests with the presiding officer of the polling station. After the end of voting, any subsequent transfer or custody must likewise have a designated responsible person and official recordation.
Article 101 – Compromised or Suspect Ballot Box
If the ballot box is subject to a broken seal, damage, lack of recordation, or any condition that casts doubt on its integrity, the matter must immediately be recorded and referred for legal adjudication. A decision regarding the validity or invalidity of the contents of the ballot box shall be taken only in accordance with law and by the competent authority.
Article 102 – Prohibition of Additional or Unofficial Replacement Ballot Boxes
The use of any additional, concealed, substituted, or unofficial ballot box is prohibited and constitutes a crime.
Article 103 – Final Status of the Ballot Box
After the end of voting and official recordation, the ballot box may be opened only at the time of counting or within the framework of legal adjudication and with full recordation.
Chapter Eleven – Public Observers and Candidate Observers
Article 104 – Right of Observation
In each polling station, supervision over the implementation of the election law shall be carried out through public observers and observers designated by candidates or electoral lists. The presence of an observer shall not cause the suspension of voting or interference in the work of election administrators.
Article 105 – Public Observers
In each polling station, public observers shall be selected from among the citizens of that same electoral constituency, by random selection and official drawing of lots. These observers must be neutral and free from electoral affiliation.
Article 106 – Time of Selection of Public Observers
The public observers of each polling station must be selected seven days before election day in a process that is public, recorded, and capable of verification.
Article 107 – Qualifications of Public Observers
A public observer must:
1) be a citizen of Iran;
2) be registered in that same electoral constituency;
3) not, during the previous five years, have been a member of a political party, an electoral campaign staff, or the holder of an official electoral responsibility;
4) not, during the previous ten years, have been employed by or affiliated with military, security, or intelligence institutions;
5) have no effective criminal conviction.
Article 108 – Number of Public Observers
In each polling station, at least three principal public observers and two reserve observers shall be designated. In the event of the absence or withdrawal of a principal observer, a reserve observer shall replace him or her in order.
Article 109 – Observers of Candidates and Lists
Each candidate or electoral list shall have the right, within legal limits and according to legal regulations, to designate an official observer for each polling station. The conditions of registration, the number, and the manner of attendance of these observers shall be determined by law.
Article 110 – Scope of the Observers’ Authority
Observers shall have the right to observe identity verification, issuance of the ballot paper, authentication, placement of the ballot paper in the ballot box, counting of votes, preparation of the minutes, and recording of polling station events. Observers shall have no right to interfere in voting, make contact with the voter’s ballot, or issue orders to election administrators.
Article 111 – Right to Register an Objection
Every observer shall have the right to register any violation, defect, or suspicious event in the official objection form. Such objection must immediately be entered in the system and in the polling station minutes, and a copy of it shall be given to the observer.
Article 112 – Prohibition of Unlawful Expulsion or Obstruction
No official observer may be expelled from the polling station or prevented from performing his or her duty without official recordation of the reason and without lawful authorization. Any unlawful expulsion or obstruction constitutes a grave electoral violation.
Article 113 – Neutrality and Confidentiality of Observers
Public observers are required to observe neutrality and shall have no right to campaign, show partiality, or influence voters. All observers are required to preserve the confidentiality of the secret ballot and of information whose disclosure would violate the secrecy of the ballot.
Article 114 – Legal Protection of Observers
Any threat, bribery, pressure, insult, obstruction, or undue influence directed against observers constitutes a crime. Observers shall enjoy legal protection within the limits of their lawful duties.
Article 115 – Recording the Presence and Absence of Observers
The presence, absence, replacement, and departure of observers must be recorded in the polling station minutes. No important stage of the voting and counting process shall take place without recordation of the status of observers.
Chapter Twelve – Voting Hours and Closing of the Polling Station
Article 116 – Voting Hours
Voting shall commence at the time prescribed by law and shall end at 8:00 p.m.
Article 117 – Prohibition of Extension
The voting period shall not be extended. No authority, institution, or election official shall have the right to change, delay, or extend the closing time of voting under any title.
Article 118 – Closing of the Polling Station
At 8:00 p.m., the entrance to the polling station must be closed, and no new person shall have the right to enter for the purpose of voting.
Article 119 – Voters Present Before Closing
Voters who were present داخل the official premises of the polling station before 8:00 p.m. shall have the right to complete their voting process.
Article 120 – Recording the Closing Time
The time of closing the entrance to the polling station and the end of voter admission must immediately be recorded in the official polling station minutes.
Article 121 – Prohibition of Admission After the Deadline
The admission of a voter, the issuance of a token, or the issuance of a ballot paper to any person who entered the polling station after 8:00 p.m. is prohibited and constitutes a grave electoral violation.
Article 122 – Commencement of Counting After the End of Voting
After the end of voting and the official recording of the closing of the polling station, no new vote shall be accepted, and the polling station must enter the stage of counting the votes.
Chapter Thirteen – Counting of Votes at the Polling Station
Article 123 – Commencement of Counting
Counting of votes must begin immediately after the end of voting and the official recording of the closing of the polling station. Unjustified delay in the commencement of counting is prohibited.
Article 124 – Presence at the Time of Counting
Counting of votes shall take place in the presence of the official members of the polling station and the observers present. The status of the presence or absence of observers must be recorded in the minutes before the commencement of counting.
Article 125 – Complete Cessation of Voting
Before the commencement of counting, it must be ensured that no active token, no ballot paper in the course of issuance, and no incomplete voting process remains in the polling station.
Article 126 – Recording the Final Statistics of the Polling Station Before Counting
Before opening the ballot box, the presiding officer of the polling station is required to record the following figures:
1) the number of voters whose identity has been verified
2) the number of tokens issued
3) the number of tokens used
4) the number of ballot papers printed
5) the number of invalidated ballot papers
6) the number of ballot papers authenticated
Article 127 – Extraction of the Digital Result of the Polling Station
The digitally recorded result of the polling station must be extracted from the official system, printed, and recorded as the initial official report. This report alone shall not constitute the final result of the polling station and must be examined in light of the requirements of legal reconciliation.
Article 128 – Opening the Ballot Box
The ballot box shall be opened only after the official recording of the preliminary statistics and in the presence of authorized persons. The seal number, the condition of the seal, and the time of opening of the ballot box must be recorded in the minutes.
Article 129 – Counting Valid and Invalid Ballot Papers
After the ballot box is opened, the ballot papers must be separated into the following categories:
1) ballot papers bearing official authenticity and capable of being counted
2) ballot papers lacking official authenticity
3) ballot papers that are defective or lack legal conditions
4) suspicious ballot papers requiring recordation and review
Article 130 – Official Counting of Ballot Papers
Only ballot papers bearing official authenticity and satisfying the legal conditions shall be included in the counting of votes. Ballot papers lacking authenticity or invalid ballot papers shall not be included among valid votes, and their number shall be recorded separately.
Article 131 – Preparation of the Counting Minutes
The result of the count must immediately be recorded in the official polling station minutes. The minutes must include at least the following:
1) the statistics recorded before counting
2) the initial digital result
3) the number of valid ballot papers
4) the number of invalid ballot papers
5) the number of ballot papers lacking authenticity
6) the result of the counting of valid ballot papers
7) a description of every discrepancy, defect, or unusual event
Article 132 – Signature of the Minutes
The official counting minutes must bear the signatures of the presiding officer of the polling station, the responsible members, and the observers present. If an observer refuses to sign, the reason for such refusal must be recorded in the minutes.
Article 133 – Copies of the Minutes
Official copies of the final minutes must be prepared. One copy shall be archived in the official file of the polling station, one copy shall be sent to the higher authority, and the copies prescribed by law shall be delivered to the official observers.
Article 134 – Announcement of the Polling Station Result
The result of each polling station shall be valid only after completion of the minutes, official recordation, and completion of the lawful stages of reconciliation. Announcement of a result without official minutes is without validity.
Article 135 – Prohibition on Leaving the Polling Station Before Completion of Counting
No responsible member of the polling station shall have the right to leave the polling station before the end of counting, the completion of the minutes, and the official handover of the records, except in emergency cases that must be recorded and documented.
Chapter Fourteen – Reconciliation of Digital and Paper Votes
Article 136 – Requirement of Reconciliation
After the completion of counting in each polling station, the digitally recorded result and the result of the count of valid ballot papers must be reconciled with one another. No result shall be final and valid without this reconciliation.
Article 137 – Basis of Reconciliation
Reconciliation shall be made only between these two figures:
1) the number of valid votes recorded in the official election system for that same polling station
2) the number of valid ballot papers bearing official authenticity in that same polling station
Article 138 – Permissible Margin of Difference
If the difference between the number of valid digital votes and the number of valid ballot papers does not exceed two percent, the result of the polling station shall be acceptable, and the difference must be recorded in the minutes.
Article 139 – Difference Exceeding Two Percent
If the difference between the number of valid digital votes and the number of valid ballot papers exceeds two percent, the result of the polling station shall not be final and must immediately be referred to special review and official audit.
Article 140 – Recording the Source of the Difference
Where a difference exists, the presiding officer of the polling station is required to record in the minutes all information relating to the probable source of the difference, including:
1) the number of ballot papers lacking authenticity
2) the number of defective ballot papers
3) the number of used tokens
4) the number of printed ballot papers
5) any machine error, stoppage, or unusual event
Article 141 – Ballot Papers Lacking Authenticity
Ballot papers lacking an official seal, label, or mark of authenticity shall not be counted among valid votes, even if they are found inside the ballot box. The number of such ballot papers must be recorded separately and reported as a suspicious matter.
Article 142 – Inconsistency in Digital Data
If the digital data of the polling station is inconsistent with the number of used tokens, the recorded times, or the official log of the machine, such inconsistency must immediately be recorded and referred for special review.
Article 143 – Suspension of the Validity of the Polling Station Result
In the event of a difference exceeding two percent or the existence of a material indication of manipulation, the result of that polling station shall be suspended until the completion of special review and shall not be included in the final result.
Article 144 – Preservation of Documents and Evidence
If the result of a polling station is suspended, all ballot papers, digital logs, minutes, recorded data, and related documents must immediately be sealed and preserved for review. Any access to, transfer of, or alteration in these documents outside the official process is prohibited.
Article 145 – Prohibition of Discretionary Decision Making
No executive or administrative authority shall have the right, without following the procedures prescribed in this law, to disregard the difference between the digital vote and the paper vote, declare the result final, or arbitrarily give one precedence over the other.
Article 146 – Referral to the Chapter on Special Review
The procedure for review of the difference, determination of its source, and decision regarding the validity of the polling station result shall be carried out only in accordance with the provisions of the chapter on review of differences and special audit.
Chapter Fifteen – Review of Differences and Special Audit
Article 147 – Commencement of Special Review
As soon as a difference exceeding two percent is recorded, or there exists a material indication of manipulation, fraud, or disruption, special review must begin immediately. The commencement of special review must be officially recorded and reported to the higher authority.
Article 148 – Authority for Special Review
Special review at the first stage shall be conducted by the Electoral Review Board of the higher authority and, in the event of objection, shall proceed under the supervision and review of the Special Electoral Court.
Article 149 – Immediate Measures in Special Review
In special review, the following measures must immediately be taken:
1) suspension of the announcement of the final result of the polling station
2) sealing of all documents and evidence
3) recording and preservation of digital logs
4) review of the minutes
5) examination of the condition of the seal, the ballot box, and the ballot papers
Article 150 – Official Recount
Where necessary, an official recount of authenticated ballot papers shall be conducted in the presence of lawful representatives and authorized observers, and with full recordation. The result of the recount must be entered in a separate set of minutes.
Article 151 – Technical Review of Digital Recordation
In special review, the digitally recorded data, the tokens used, the recorded times, the device logs, and the connection to the official election system must be technically examined and documented.
Article 152 – Determination of the Source of the Difference
The authority conducting the special review is required, to the extent possible, to determine the source of the difference within one of the following categories:
1) technical or administrative error
2) ballot papers lacking authenticity or additional ballot papers
3) manipulation or disruption in digital recordation
4) material violation or fraud
5) intentional sabotage aimed at invalidating the polling station
Article 153 – Validity of the Result in the Event of a Non Material Error
If the difference arises from a non intentional and non material error, and the final result of the polling station is determined to be reliable, the authority conducting the special review may, with statement of reasons and official recordation, declare the result valid.
Article 154 – Invalidity of Ballot Papers Lacking Authenticity
If the difference arises from the existence of ballot papers lacking authenticity, additional ballot papers, or ballot papers outside the lawful chain, such ballot papers are void and shall not be counted among the valid result. This shall not preclude criminal prosecution of the offenders.
Article 155 – Invalidity of Defective Digital Recordation
If the difference arises from manipulation, disruption, or a material defect affecting digital recordation, the defective portion of the digital recordation shall be without validity, and the decision regarding the result of the polling station shall be made only in accordance with the procedures of this law.
Article 156 – Standard for Invalidating the Polling Station Result
If the authority conducting the special review determines that the violation, fraud, or disruption was such that the accuracy of the result of the polling station can no longer be relied upon, the result of that polling station shall be invalidated.
Article 157 – Prohibition of Automatic Invalidation
The existence of a difference alone shall not cause the automatic invalidation of the polling station. Invalidation shall be permitted only by a reasoned decision, official recordation, and on the basis of material and reviewable grounds.
Article 158 – Referral to the Special Electoral Court
Every important decision concerning the validity, invalidity, or annulment of the result of the polling station must be open to objection before the Special Electoral Court. The Special Electoral Court is required to adjudicate within a short legal period and by a reasoned decision.
Article 159 – Recording and Publication of the Review Result
The result of the special review, including the cause of the difference, the measures taken, and the final decision, must be officially recorded and, to the extent that the secret ballot and the security of persons are not violated, be accessible and capable of verification.
Article 160 – Responsibility of the Offenders
Whenever, in the course of special review, a violation, fraud, sabotage, or manipulation is established, the reviewing authority is required to refer the matter to the appropriate authority for legal prosecution of the offenders.
Chapter Sixteen – Criteria for Invalidation of a Ballot Box or Polling Station
Article 161 – Principle of Limited Invalidation
Invalidation of a vote, ballot box, or polling station shall be permitted only to the extent that a material violation, fraud, or disruption has been established. Broad, general, or unsupported invalidation is prohibited.
Article 162 – Invalidation of Individual Ballot Papers
If the invalidity relates only to specific ballot papers, only those ballot papers shall be invalidated, and such invalidation shall not extend to the ballot box or the polling station.
Article 163 – Cases of Ballot Invalidation
A ballot paper shall be invalid in the following cases:
1) it lacks official authenticity;
2) it has entered the ballot box outside the lawful chain;
3) it is defective or lacks the legal conditions for counting;
4) it is determined, by official review, to be forged or manipulated.
Article 164 – Invalidation of a Ballot Box
Invalidation of a ballot box shall be permitted only where the violation or disruption is limited to the contents of that same ballot box and it is possible to separate it and preserve the validity of the other ballot boxes or of the polling station.
Article 165 – Cases of Ballot Box Invalidation
A ballot box may be invalidated in the following cases:
1) a broken seal without recordation and lawful justification;
2) absence of an official chain of custody;
3) the existence of a material number of invalid or additional ballot papers such as to render the result of the ballot box unreliable;
4) absence of valid minutes or a material conflict among the official records of the ballot box;
5) established physical or administrative manipulation in that same ballot box.
Article 166 – Invalidation of a Polling Station
Invalidation of a polling station shall be permitted only where the violation, fraud, or disruption is such that the accuracy of the result of the entire polling station can no longer be relied upon and cannot be remedied by invalidating individual ballot papers or one ballot box.
Article 167 – Cases of Polling Station Invalidation
A polling station may be invalidated in the following cases:
1) establishment of organized fraud in that same polling station;
2) establishment of material manipulation in both digital recordation and ballot papers simultaneously;
3) absence of primary records such that reconstruction of the result is not possible;
4) material unlawful interference by election administrators or third persons in the result of the polling station;
5) any situation that, by official review, renders the accuracy of the result of the polling station unreliable.
Article 168 – Prohibition of Discretionary Invalidation
No executive or administrative authority shall have the right, without specific, documented, and material reasons, to declare a ballot paper, ballot box, or polling station invalid. Discretionary, political, or legally unsupported invalidation is prohibited.
Article 169 – Requirement of Proportionality in Invalidation
The reviewing authority is required to adopt the narrowest effective decision. So long as the integrity of the result can be preserved by invalidating individual ballot papers or a ballot box, invalidation of the polling station shall not be permitted.
Article 170 – Authority to Decide on Invalidation
A decision concerning the invalidation of a ballot paper, ballot box, or polling station shall be taken only within the framework of this law and with official recordation. Important decisions concerning invalidation of a ballot box or polling station must be open to objection before the Special Electoral Court.
Article 171 – Effect of Invalidation on the Final Result
Every invalidation must be reflected in the final result in such a way that its extent and effect are clear, recorded, and capable of verification. Removal or alteration of the effect of invalidation without official recordation is prohibited.
Article 172 – Prosecution of Offenders
Invalidation of a ballot paper, ballot box, or polling station shall not preclude criminal and administrative proceedings against those responsible for the violation, fraud, or disruption. If a violation is established, the reviewing authority is required to refer the matter for legal prosecution.
Chapter Seventeen – Announcement of Results and Public Verification
Article 173 – Announcement of Preliminary Results
The preliminary results of each polling station and each constituency must be announced after the official recording of the minutes and the completion of the initial legal stages. These results shall not be deemed final until the expiration of the objection period and the completion of review.
Article 174 – Polling Station by Polling Station Announcement
The results must be published on a polling station by polling station basis, in recorded form, and capable of reconciliation with the official minutes, in such a manner that public verification is possible.
Article 175 – Prohibition of Announcing Results Without Supporting Records
No result shall be valid without official minutes, registration in the official election system, and the possibility of reconciliation with lawful records. Announcement of a result without supporting records is without validity.
Article 176 – Distinction Between Preliminary Result and Final Result
A preliminary result is only the administrative announcement of the recorded count. A final result shall be valid only after the expiration of the legal objection period, review of complaints, and final official recordation.
Article 177 – Public Verification
The National Electoral Authority is required to publish the records and data necessary for public verification of the results, to the extent that the secret ballot and privacy are not violated.
Article 178 – Prohibition of Premature Announcement of the Final Result
No authority or institution shall have the right, before the expiration of the legal period for objection and review, to declare the result final, conclusive, or unchangeable.
Article 179 – Recording Changes in the Results
Any change, correction, deletion, or substitution in the preliminary results must be recorded with a statement of the reason, the deciding authority, the time, and the legal basis, and must be traceable.
Article 180 – Result Lacking Verification
Any result announced without the possibility of review, reconciliation, or access to lawful supporting records lacks final validity and may not serve as the basis of the final result.
Article 181 – Order of Final Announcement
The final result of each election shall be announced only after consolidation of all valid results, deduction of invalidated results, completion of legal review, and official recordation in the final election system.
Article 182 – Responsibility for Announcing the Result
Announcement of results shall be valid only through the official authority of the National Electoral Authority. Any parallel, false, distorted, or misleading announcement concerning the official results shall, where it has the legal character required, constitute a violation or a crime.
Chapter Eighteen – Electoral Complaints and Objections
Article 183 – Right to Complaint and Objection
Every voter, candidate, electoral list, official observer, or election administrator shall have the right to file an official complaint or objection concerning a violation, fraud, disruption, or a material decision in the electoral process.
Article 184 – Official Registration of Complaints
All complaints and objections must be official, recorded, and include the time of registration, the particulars of the matter, and the initial supporting records. An oral complaint without official registration is not valid.
Article 185 – Time Limit for Filing a Complaint
A complaint or objection must be filed within the legal period prescribed. A complaint concerning events within the polling station must be filed within the shortest possible period and, where possible, on the same day. The exact periods shall be determined by law and official regulation.
Article 186 – Administrative Authority for Initial Review
Initial administrative review of electoral complaints and objections shall lie with the National Electoral Authority and the official authorities subordinate to it. Such review must be prompt, documented, and recorded.
Article 187 – Right of Referral to the Special Electoral Court
Any person harmed by a decision, or by a failure to decide, on the part of the administrative authority in electoral matters shall have the right to object before the Special Electoral Court within the legal period.
Article 188 – Prompt Review
All electoral complaints and objections must be reviewed within a short and effective period. A review carried out only after the right has become ineffective is contrary to this law.
Article 189 – Effect of the Complaint on the Result
The filing of a complaint does not by itself suspend the entire election or the entire result, unless the subject of the complaint, under this law, has a material effect on the result of that same ballot box, that same polling station, or that same constituency.
Article 190 – Suspension of the Contested Result
If the complaint concerns the result of a ballot box, polling station, or constituency where there is a possibility of a material effect on that result, the reviewing authority may, within the limits of the law, suspend the result of that same part until the completion of review.
Article 191 – Recording of Reasons and Decisions
Every decision concerning the acceptance, rejection, suspension, or termination of review of a complaint must be reasoned, recorded, and traceable. A decision lacking reasons or official registration is not valid.
Article 192 – Right of Access to the Result of Review
The complainant shall have the right to be informed of the registration of the complaint, the reviewing authority, the course of the review, and its final result, except to the extent that the law imposes limitations in order to preserve the secret ballot or the security of persons.
Article 193 – Prohibition of Intimidation of Complainants
Any threat, bribery, pressure, or unlawful prosecution directed against a complainant, witness, observer, or person who has reported an electoral violation is prohibited and constitutes a crime.
Article 194 – Duty to Refer Where a Crime Is Observed
If, in the course of review of a complaint, an indication of an electoral crime is established, the reviewing authority is required to refer the matter to the appropriate authority for legal prosecution.
Article 195 – Consolidation of Reviews Before the Final Result
So long as complaints and objections that materially affect the result have not been reviewed within the legal period, the relevant result shall not be deemed final.
Chapter Nineteen – Electoral Offenses and Penalties
Article 196 – Principle that a Material Violation Constitutes an Offense
Any fraud, manipulation, disruption, threat, bribery, or unlawful interference in the electoral process, where it satisfies the conditions prescribed by law, shall constitute an electoral offense, and the offender shall be punished according to law.
Article 197 – Fraud in Voting
Casting a vote on behalf of another, voting more than once, using another person’s identity, or enabling repeat voting constitutes an electoral offense.
Article 198 – Fraud in the Ballot Paper
Printing, forging, distributing, adding, substituting, or introducing a ballot paper outside the lawful electoral chain constitutes an electoral offense.
Article 199 – Manipulation of Digital Recordation
Any manipulation of the voting machine, the official election system, the recorded data, the official logs, or the digital result of a polling station or constituency constitutes an electoral offense.
Article 200 – Vote Buying and Bribery
The payment of money, property, services, privileges, promises of benefit, or any form of bribery for the purpose of influencing a vote or abstention from voting constitutes an electoral offense.
Article 201 – Threat and Intimidation
Any threat, pressure, intimidation, coercion, or exertion of influence upon a voter, candidate, observer, administrator, witness, or complainant constitutes an electoral offense.
Article 202 – Interference by Officials and Public Institutions
Any interference by state, local, military, security, or intelligence officials, or any use of public resources for the purpose of influencing the election, constitutes an electoral offense.
Article 203 – Obstruction of Observers and Administrators
Unlawfully preventing the presence of an observer, unlawfully expelling an observer, preventing the registration of an objection, or obstructing the lawful duties of administrators or observers constitutes an electoral offense.
Article 204 – Forgery and Destruction of Records
Forgery, deletion, destruction, concealment, or alteration of minutes, the voter roll, recorded data, logs, or any official electoral record constitutes an electoral offense.
Article 205 – False or Misleading Announcement of Results
The intentional announcement of a false result, distortion of the official result, or knowingly publishing false information in a manner that affects the outcome of the election constitutes an electoral offense.
Article 206 – Responsibility of Administrators and Officials
If an electoral offense is committed by an administrator, a public official, or a person holding electoral responsibility, this shall constitute a ground for aggravation of responsibility and punishment.
Article 207 – Penalties
The penalties for electoral offenses shall, as the case may require, include one or more of the following:
1) removal from office
2) temporary or permanent disqualification from public responsibility
3) deprivation of electoral rights for a specified period
4) monetary fine
5) imprisonment
6) compensation for damage
The type and extent of the penalty shall be determined by law.
Article 208 – Criminal Prosecution Independent of Invalidation
Invalidation of a ballot paper, ballot box, or polling station shall not prevent criminal prosecution of the offenders. Review of an electoral offense shall be conducted independently of administrative review of the result.
Article 209 – Duty to Report an Offense
Whenever an executive authority or electoral reviewing authority is confronted with sufficient indications of an offense, it is required to refer the matter to the competent judicial authority for legal prosecution.
Article 210 – Prompt Review of Electoral Offenses
Review of electoral offenses must be prompt, documented, and conducted within an effective period, in such a manner that the result of the review, in material cases, may be applied before the final certification of the election result.
Chapter Twenty – Emergency Backup and Technical Disruption
Article 211 – Principle of Continuity with Preservation of Law
In the event of technical disruption, power outage, loss of connection, or device malfunction, voting shall continue only within the framework of the backup mechanism provided in this law. No disruption shall authorize the removal of legal controls or the omission of official recordation.
Article 212 – Power Outage
In the event of a power outage, the polling station must use a backup power source. If a backup source is not available, voting shall continue only to the extent that identity verification, vote recording, and official recordation can be carried out without violating the law.
Article 213 – Malfunction of the Voting Machine
In the event of malfunction of the voting machine, the machine must immediately be taken out of service and the matter must be recorded. Continuation of voting shall be permitted only through the official replacement machine of that same polling station or through the backup mechanism provided in this law.
Article 214 – Multiple Machines and Replacement
Each polling station must have at least two official voting machines. Use of a replacement machine shall be permitted only after the official recording of the withdrawal of the previous machine from service.
Article 215 – Loss of Connection with the Central System
In the event of loss of connection with the central system, voting shall continue only if the local backup system is able to carry out identity verification, time recording, token issuance, and official recording of the vote without violating the law. All information recorded during the period of lost connection must, upon restoration of the connection, immediately be transferred to the central system without alteration.
Article 216 – Prohibition of Recording Outside the System
In no emergency situation shall manual recording of votes, separate entry of results, or unofficial substitution of data be permitted, except in exceptional cases expressly provided by law, and then only with full recordation and the possibility of judicial review.
Article 217 – Official Recording of Disruption
Every technical disruption, power outage, loss of connection, machine malfunction, or temporary suspension of voting must immediately be recorded in the system and in the polling station minutes, stating the time, cause, duration, and measures taken.
Article 218 – Effect of Disruption on the Validity of Voting
If the disruption is such that it compromises the integrity of identity verification, vote recording, or the lawful chain of recording and preservation of data, the matter must be recorded and referred for special review. A decision regarding the validity of the result in such cases shall be taken only in accordance with law.
Article 219 – Prohibition of Expanding Emergency Powers
No authority, administrator, or executive institution shall have the right, on the pretext of technical disruption, to alter the rules of the election, extend the voting time, or suspend legal controls.
Article 220 – Retention and Protection of Emergency Data
All data, logs, and records created in an emergency situation must remain, like ordinary data, official, preserved, and subject to review. Deletion, alteration, or overwriting of emergency data is prohibited.
Chapter Twenty One – Archiving, Record Retention, and Recount
Article 221 – Preservation of Electoral Records
All electoral records and data, including ballot papers, invalidated ballot papers, minutes, voter rolls, recorded tokens, digital logs, data of the official election system, and records relating to complaints and proceedings, must be fully preserved and maintained.
Article 222 – Authority Responsible for Retention
The retention of electoral records and data shall rest with the National Electoral Authority and must be carried out in official, secure, recorded, and reviewable locations and systems.
Article 223 – Retention Period
Electoral records and data must be retained at least until the expiration of all legal periods for objection, review, recount, and final certification of the result. The long term retention period and the manner of destruction or final archiving shall be determined by law.
Article 224 – Prohibition of Early Deletion or Destruction
Deletion, destruction, disposal, or elimination of any electoral record or data before the expiration of the legal periods is prohibited and constitutes a crime.
Article 225 – Conditions of Access to Records
Access to electoral records and data shall be permitted only within the limits of the law, for official authorities, observers having legal entitlement, and within the framework of review, recount, or verification. Such access must not violate the secret ballot or the privacy of persons.
Article 226 – Recount
Recount of votes shall be carried out only in the cases provided in this law and with official recordation. No recount outside the lawful process shall be valid.
Article 227 – Authority to Order a Recount
An order for recount shall be issued only by the official electoral authority within the framework of law or pursuant to a decision of the Special Electoral Court.
Article 228 – Method of Recount
A recount must be conducted in the presence of authorized persons, with full recordation, separate minutes, and observance of the chain of custody. The result of the recount must be documented, traceable, and reviewable.
Article 229 – Preservation of the Chain of Custody in Recount
During recount, the ballot boxes, ballot papers, digital data, and related records must remain within the official chain of custody. Any break, manipulation, or unauthorized access must immediately be recorded and reviewed.
Article 230 – Effect of Recount
The effect of a recount on the result shall be valid only if the recount has been conducted according to law, officially recorded, and reflected in the final result. Alteration of the result without official recordation of the recount is prohibited.
Article 231 – Final Archiving
After the completion of all proceedings and the final certification of the result, electoral records and data must be archived or destroyed in accordance with legal regulations, in such a manner that the records necessary for legal and historical reference are preserved.
Chapter Twenty Two – Final Provisions and Prohibition on Changing the Rules on the Eve of the Election
Article 232 – Stability of Electoral Rules
The principal rules of elections, including identity verification, token issuance, voting, digital recordation, ballot paper, authentication, ballot box, counting, reconciliation, review, and announcement of results, shall not be subject to change from six months before election day until the completion of the announcement of the final result.
Article 233 – Limited Exception
Any change in the principal rules of elections within the said period shall be possible only under very limited emergency conditions and only by judgment of the Special Electoral Court, provided that such change does not weaken the freedom, integrity, equality, and verifiability of the election.
Article 234 – Prohibition of Change by Executive Authority
No executive, administrative, political, military, or security authority shall have the right, whether acting alone or by direct order, to alter the electoral rules, the method of implementation, the closing time of voting, the method of counting, or the announcement of results.
Article 235 – Exclusive Authority of the Official Text
The only basis for action in all electoral matters shall be the law, the officially recorded regulations, and lawful written orders. Any oral, unofficial, or unrecorded order in electoral matters is without validity.
Article 236 – Duty to Comply with the Law
All administrators, observers, candidates, parties, and authorities related to elections are bound to comply with this law. Any agreement, order, or custom contrary to this law is without effect.
Article 237 – Conflict of Laws
In the event of conflict between this law and any other regulation, in matters relating to the conduct of elections and referendums, the provisions of this law shall prevail.
Article 238 – Responsibility in the Event of an Implementation Gap
If a situation arises that is not expressly provided for in this law, no authority or body shall have the right to decide outside the principles of this law in a manner that weakens freedom, equality, integrity, the secret ballot, or verifiability. A temporary decision in such cases shall be permitted only within the limits of the law, with official recordation, and with the possibility of judicial review.
Article 239 – Entry into Force
This law shall enter into force on the date of its adoption, and all regulations inconsistent with it in electoral and referendum matters shall, from the date of its entry into force, be without validity.