Volgograd CEC rejects signatures in support of two candidates

The Volgograd Regional Central Election Commission (CEC) has completed checking documents of two self-nominated candidates for the Russian State Duma – Evgeny Ischenko and Yuri Kochetov. The CEC has rejected 22% of signatures in support of Ischenko, and 100% of signatures in support of Kochetov.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the elections to the State Duma were scheduled for September 18. They will follow a mixed system: 225 MPs are elected under party lists; and 225 MPs – in single-member constituencies.

According to Lyubov Biryukova, the press-secretary of the CEC, the candidates had to collect 14,014 signatures each, adding that registration of the above candidates would be considered on August 10 at the CEC sitting.

In total, in the Volgograd Region, 169 candidates are running to the State Duma: 129 – on party lists; and 40 – in single-member constituencies, including three self-nominees.

According to Dmitri Kuts, Deputy Chairman of the CEC, many experts were attracted to check signatures.

According to Dmitri Fetisov, Director of the Consulting Agency "NPR Group", Ischenko and Kochetov failed to involve professionals to run their campaigns; therefore, they had problems with the collection of signatures.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.