2018 Belarusian municipal elections

On 14 November 2017 President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko signed decree #410 "On appointment of Local Councils of Deputies elections".[1]

Out of 18,111 deputies of 1,309 Local Councils of Deputies most represent Rural Councils (1,152 Councils):

• Rural Councils— 1,152 councils and 13,225 seats;
• Town Councils— 8 councils and 98 seats;
• Local City Councils— 14 councils and 242 seats;
• Regional City Councils – 10 councils and 370 seats;
• District Councils— 118 councils and 3,787 seats;
• Regional Councils and Minsk-city Council of Deputies— 7 councils and 409 seats.[2]

The elections were held under plurality vote. A citizen of Republic of Belarus of 18 years of age are entitled to be elected a deputy to Local Council of Deputies. Citizens living or working on the territory of the respective Local Council of Deputies are entiteled to be nominated as candidates. This right as well implies to citizens working in organizations related to fullmilment of needs of residents or social development of the territory of the respective Local Council of Deputies, though such organization located on the territory of the other Local Council of Deputies. A political party is entitled to nominate only one candidate to deputy amongst its members within single House of Representatives or respective Local Council of Deputies electoral district. A candidate receiving most votes is considered as elected to the Local Council of Deputies. In case of one-candidate election, such candidate is considered elected if one receives more than half of votes given.

Legislation sets a number of requirements towards citizens willing to nominate themselves as a candidate to deputy to Local Councils of Deputies:

• Republic of Belarus or Russian Federation nationality;
• 18 years of age;
• residence or job on the territory of the Local Council of Deputies;
• clean record.

A citizen is entitled to nominate oneself in one of electoral districts of the Local Council of Deputies of each territorial level (Regional, District, and Rural Council of Deputies).

Nationals of Russian Federeation with permanent residence on the territory of Republic of Belarus are entiteled be nominated as candidates to deputies of Local Councils of Deputies.

Citizens, working in organizations related to fullmilment of needs of residents or social development of the territory of the respective Local Council of Deputies, though such organization located on the territory of the other Local Council of Deputies, are entitled to nominate oneself as a candidate to deputy of Local Council of Deputies, even having no residence or job on the territory of such Council. Such legal norm is usually implied to the employees of organizations located in cities that are the centers of several subdivisions. Such rule does not imply towards political parties and NGOs.

Out of 22,278 registered candidates to deputy 21,227 (95.28%) were not political party members, while political parties nominated 1,051 candidates (4.72%), with most of party candidates nominated by the Communist Party (1.84%) and Liberal-Democratic Party (1.02%). Political party members are mostly nominated to deputies of Mnsk-city, Regional and District Councils of Deputies.

Registration of public interest groups on voters signature collection by candidates to deputies of 28 Convocation Local Councils as of 25 December 2017:[3]

In a period of 15 days before elections, voting stations commissions represent the cititens the voters lists. Voters are entitled to seek for liquidation of mistakes in the lists, including seeking for such liquidations in trials. Preliminary voting for voters not able to stay in their residence location in the voting day is organized 5 days before the elections date. Voters, unable to come to voting station in the election day can be provided with voting on their immediate location.

Preliminary election was held on 13–17 February 2018. According to CEC data, 34.95% voters took part in the preliminary election until its final day.[5] In the main voting day, voting stations worked from 8 am till 8 pm, and, according to official CEC data, the turnover reached 5.3 mln voters (77.2%) till the moment of voting stations closure.[6] Out of 18,111 districts, one electoral district of Yelʹsk District of Gomel Region failed to hold elections due to the only candidate's detention for receiving a bribe.[7]

• Центральная избирательная комиссия по проведению выборов и референдумов Республики Беларусь. Выборы в местные Советы депутатов—2018 (In Russian — Central electoral commission on elections and referendums of Republic of Belarus. 2018 Local Councils of Deputies Elections) Archived 1 December 2020 at the Wayback Machine
• Сведения о составе избранных депутатов местных Советов депутатов двадцать восьмого созыва (In Russian — Data on deputies elected to 28th Convocation Local Councils) Archived 21 February 2018 at the Wayback Machine
• Информация о выборах в местные Советы депутатов (In Russian — Information on Local Councils of Deputies elections Archived 5 June 2020 at the Wayback Machine