Moscow, January 22 – The headquarters of presidential candidate Vladimir Putin has submitted signatures from his supporters to the Central Election Commission for registration in the elections. This significant development marks a crucial step in Putin’s campaign for re-election. The signatures, totaling an impressive 315,000, were collected from all regions of the country, demonstrating the widespread support for Putin’s candidacy.
Among the candidates vying for the position of head of state, Putin is the first self-nominated candidate to have his supporters submit signatures to the Central Election Commission. This accomplishment highlights the immense backing Putin enjoys from his loyal followers.
The Central Election Commission has already registered three candidates: Leonid Slutsky, Nikolay Haritonov, and Vladislav Davankov, who were nominated by parliamentary parties and thus exempt from the signature collection process. However, self-nominated candidates like Putin, Rada Russkikh, and Anatoly Batashev are required to gather between 300,000 and 315,000 signatures to qualify for registration.
The Central Election Commission has outlined a meticulous verification process for the submitted signatures. The first stage involves checking the number of signed sheets and the declared number of signatures. Subsequently, a random sample of 60,000 signatures will be selected for further scrutiny. The Central Election Commission will then assess the compliance with signature collection procedures, the formatting of the signed sheets, and the accuracy of the information provided. If the sample contains more than five percent invalid or unreliable signatures, an additional 30,000 signatures will be examined.
The registration of candidates is contingent upon the outcome of this rigorous verification process, which is expected to conclude within ten days. The Central Election Commission aims to make a final decision regarding the registration of all candidates no later than February 10.
The presidential elections, scheduled for March 15, 16, and 17, will be a crucial moment for Russia as the nation chooses its leader for the next term. With the submission of an overwhelming number of signatures in support of Putin, his candidacy appears to have a strong foundation as the campaign gains momentum.
