National Assembly (Armenia)

The NA is elected for five-year terms and the elections are held by proportional and majoritarian systems. 56 deputies are elected by proportional system from among the number of candidates nominated for deputy by lists from one multi-mandate constituency, covering the entire territory of the Republic. 75 deputies are elected by majoritarian system - one deputy from one constituency. Every citizen is entitled to one vote at the multi-mandate constituency, and one vote at the single-mandate constituency. A citizen can be nominated exclusively by one list and exclusively at one majoritarian constituency. Requirements for a Candidate for Deputy are the following: anyone who has attained the age of 25 years, has been a citizen of the Republic of Armenia for the last five years, has been a permanently residing in the Republic of Armenia for the last five years and has the right to vote, can be elected a Deputy. However, Members of the Constitutional Court, judges, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, the Mayor of Yerevan, Deputy Mayor, Governors, Deputy Governors, employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and National Security, employees of tax inspection and customs department, employees of the prosecutor's office, the military, and the insurance agents (employees of the social security) cannot be nominated as candidates for deputy to the National Assembly by majoritarian system. The above-mentioned persons can be registered as candidates for the deputy of the National Assembly after they resign from the positions they are holding. Also, Members of the Constitutional Court, judges, employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and National Security, employees of tax inspection and customs department, employees of the prosecutor's office, and the military cannot be nominated as candidates for deputy to the National Assembly by proportional system. The above-mentioned persons can be registered as candidates for the deputy of the National Assembly by proportional system after they resign from the position they are holding. For conducting the National Assembly majoritarian elections 75 constituencies are formed on the territory of the Republic of Armenia, which shall meet the following requirements: Equal number of voters shall be included in the constituencies; up to 15 per cent difference of the number of voters is allowed; constituencies form a unified territory; it is not allowed to include precincts without common borders in one constituency. constituencies are formed and numbered by the Central Electoral Commission, on the basis of the number of voters registered in their regions, which is provided by the Governors. The data is submitted according to the communities, at least 95 days prior to the day of elections. Also, The Central Electoral Commission establishes and publishes the numbered list of the single-mandate constituencies and their scheme, at least 90 days prior to the day of elections. During the extraordinary elections constituencies do not undergo changes.

Nomination and Registration of Candidates for Deputies

The Right to Nominate a Candidate for Deputy

Parties and party alliances have the right to nominate candidates for deputies to the National Assembly by proportional system. Party alliances can be set up in the event if at least two parties form a pre-electoral union. In the period of elections, parties, within a party alliance, cannot join other party alliances. The decision on joining a party alliance is made by the permanently functioning body of the party. The party alliance is registered in the Central Electoral Commission not later than within three days after the submission of the decision of the permanently functioning body of the parties. Lists of the party alliances are compiled from the separate lists presented by the each of the parties within the alliance. The order of the candidates in the party lists of the alliance is decided during the joint consultations of the parties within the alliance. In the event of withdrawal of a party from the party alliance the names of candidates submitted by those parties is withdrawn from the party alliance list. Parties registered in the Republic of Armenia, in accordance with the procedure in Article 104, and the citizens, in accordance with Article 105 of the Electoral Code have the right to nominate candidates for deputies of the National Assembly by majoritarian system.

Nomination for Candidates for Deputies by Proportional and Majoritarian Systems

Parties present application to the Central Electoral Commission on running in elections of the National Assembly by proportional system, upon the decision of their permanently functioning body. Each party has the right to nominate only one list of candidates for deputies. The party within a party alliance has no right to nominate a separate candidates' list on its own behalf. Women shall make at least five per cent of the candidates in the electoral lists presented by a party for the elections to the National Assembly by proportional system. Non-partisan representatives can also be included in the electoral lists presented by a party, by proportional system.

The application of a party on running in the elections of the National Assembly shall include: 

1.party charter (in the event of the party alliance - the charters of al the parties in the alliance), the document on naming the alliance; 2. decision of the permanently functioning body of the party on the nomination of candidates for deputies to the National Assembly by the proportional system, the list of the candidates, which includes - by consecutive numbers - the family name, first name, date of birth, passport number, place of registered residence, place of work and position (occupation) of nominated candidates; 3.receipt on the payment of the electoral deposit in the amount of 2,500 times the minimum salary; 4.references, that the candidates nominated by party lists have been a citizen of the Republic of Armenia within the last five years; 5.references, that the candidates nominated by party lists have been permanently residing in the Republic of Armenia for the last five years; 6. written statement of the candidates nominated by party lists of their consent for being declaration about his/her private property and his/her and his/her family members' income for the last one year; 7. separate party lists presented by the parties within the alliance. For the registration with the Central Electoral Commission the permanently functioning body of a party submits the data of up to three plenipotentiary representatives (family name, first name, date of birth, place of work and position (occupation). The Central Electoral Commission makes sure of the validity of the submitted documents decides to issue official papers for the support of nomination (in the amount requested) to the party, in the person of its plenipotentiary representatives registered in the Central Electoral Commission. The Central Electoral Commission establishes the procedure for the allocation of the official papers of support. If a party within an alliance has refused to be registered, its representatives shall be withdrawn from the general list. The sum of the electoral deposit of the party that has received mandates in the National Assembly by proportional system is returned; the electoral deposit of the parties that have not received mandates - is transferred to the state budget. A party list is considered as nominated, if at least 30,000 citizens have supported its nomination and expressed their will by signing the official papers for the support of nomination. The procedure for collecting signatures in the official papers for the support of nomination of parties, which have submitted application on participation in the elections of the National Assembly by proportional system, and the verification of validity is carried out according to the procedure set forth in Articles 69-70 of the Electoral Code of RA. In the event of recognizing the elections as invalid, the sum of the electoral deposit is returned. Then, in the process of Registration of Party Lists, running in the Elections of the National Assembly by Proportional System a party list is considered as registered, if the party submits all required documents within the determined dates and in compliance with the procedure determined by the Electoral Code of RA. and if at least 30,000 valid signatures are available in the official papers for the support of its nomination. In case of objections around the registration of party list, a voting will be set. If there are no objections, the list is considered registered. The registration of the party list may be rejected following the decision, taken by two thirds of the total number of the members of the commission. The session of the commission discussing the issue of registration of the party list, can be attended by the plenipotentiary representative of the party. However, the Central Electoral commission can make Denial in Registration or Recognition as Invalid of a Party List and the Candidate on it if, However, the Central Electoral commission can make Denial in Registration or Recognition as Invalid of a Party List and the Candidate on it if, 1.The number of valid signatures for the support of the nomination of the party is less than 30,000. 2.Documents submitted for registration are falsified. The Central Electoral Commission denies the registration of a citizen in the party list, if

1.Restrictions set forth by the Code extend onto him/her; 2.Documents submitted for his/her registration are falsified Central Electoral Commission denies the registration of a citizen in the party list by at least two/third vote of the total number of its members. In case of denial of registration of a party list, the sum of electoral deposit is paid back.

Central Electoral Commission declares the registration of the party list invalid, if the following facts are disclosed after the registration: 

1) restrictions set forth by the Code extend onto the party list; 2) documents submitted for registration are falsified. Central Electoral Commission declares the registration of a candidate in the party list invalid, if the following facts are disclosed after the registration: 1) restrictions set forth by the Code extend onto the candidate; 2) documents submitted for the registration of the candidate are falsified. In the above-mentioned cases, candidate is taken out of the party list.

If registration of party list is declared invalid, electoral deposit as well as all means of pre-electoral fund are transferred to the state budget. Central Electoral Commission may declare the registration of the party list or a candidate in the party list invalid by at least two/third vote of the total number of its members. The decision of Central Electoral Commission on the denial or recognition as invalid of the registration of party list or a person in it may be appealed to Court within three days after it has been taken.  Based on the verdict of Court on recognizing unlawful the decision on the denial or recognition as invalid of registration of the party list and a citizen in it, the party list or the citizen in it shall be recognized registered or re-registered. 

If an application on self-withdrawal has been submitted, the requirement under point eight of Article 18 of the Electoral Code has been violated or the requirement under point 7 of Article 25 of this Code has been violated the registration of a party list shall be recognized as out of force. A party can submit an application on self-withdrawal to the Central Electoral Commission not later than ten days prior to voting. Based on the application on self-withdrawal the registration of the party list is recognized out of force and its electoral deposit, as well as the means left in the pre-election fund are transferred to the state budget. In the event of recognizing the registration of a party list as out of force under point eight of Article 18 and point seven of Article 25, party's electoral deposit and the means left in the pre-election fund are transferred to the state budget. Also if the candidate has submitted an application on self-withdrawal, has died, the requirement under point eight of Article 18 of the Electoral Code has been violated or the requirement under point seven of Article 25 of this Code has been violated, the registration of the candidate on a party list is recognized as out of force. Parties registered in the Republic of Armenia have the right to nominate candidates for the National Assembly Deputies by majoritarian system. They have the right to nominate one candidate at each constituency. The nomination of candidates by majoritarian system is carried out by the decision of permanently functioning body of the party by secret vote. A party can nominate as a candidate also a person, who is not a party member. However, candidates can also be nominated by citizens by majoritarian system. At least fifty citizens of the Republic of Armenia who have the right to vote can form an initiative group for the nomination of candidates for the National Assembly deputy by majoritarian system. The initiative group applies in writing to the Regional Electoral Commission with a request for registration, for which, apart from the application, submits the decision of the meeting of the initiative group for the nomination of the candidate for the deputy of the National Assembly, as well as data, in accordance with Article 67 of the Electoral Code, on the two plenipotentiary representatives of the initiative group, in the manner prescribed by the law. The decision of the meeting of the initiative group shall contain the family names, first names, dates of birth, identification documents numbers, place of residence, address and signatures of the members of the initiative group. After submitting the necessary documents to the Regional Electoral Commission, authorized proxies of candidates will be given 2 official papers for support of the nomination of candidate, in compliance with the procedure determined by the Code. The decision of the permanently functioning body of the party and the application (decision) of the initiative group on the nomination of the candidate for the deputy of the National Assembly by majoritarian system shall include the constituency number and the following data on the nominated candidate. Firstly, it must include, family name and first name of the candidate, then year, month and date of birth, place of work and position (occupation), party affiliation, declaration about his/her private property and his/her and his/her family members' income for the last one year as well as passport number. Together with the submission to the Regional Electoral Commission of the decisions of the permanently functioning body of the party and of the initiative group on the nomination of the candidate for the deputy of the National Assembly by the majority system, the written statement of the nominated candidate on his/her willingness to be registered in the given constituency shall be submitted.

 In the time frame established by Article 117, parties and citizens receive official papers for the support of the nomination of the National Assembly candidates from the relevant Regional Electoral Commission. For the support of the nomination signatures of at least 500 voters of the given constituency shall be collected for the nomination of the given candidate; the signatures are collected and their validity is verified in accordance with the procedure established by Articles 69-70 of the Electoral Code.

Candidates for the deputy of the National Assembly nominated by majoritarian system are registered by the decision of the Regional Electoral Commission. At least 45 days prior to the elections to the National Assembly, parties and initiative groups submit to the Regional Electoral Commission for registration of candidates by majoritarian system the following documentation. First of all there must be at least 500 signatures of voters residing in the given constituency, confirming the nomination. Then there must be receipt on payment of the electoral deposit in the amount of 100 times the amount of the minimum salary, reference on citizenship of the Republic of Armenia for the last five years and reference on permanent residence in the Republic of Armenia during the last five years.

 The candidate submits the above-mentioned documentation to the Regional Electoral Commission by himself/herself or through a plenipotentiary representative. In the event of being elected to the National Assembly, as well as receiving more than five per cent of the votes cast, the electoral deposit is paid back. The candidate or his/her plenipotentiary representative or the plenipotentiary representative of the party, which has nominated him/her, has the right to be present at the session of the commission during the consideration of the registration of the nomination of the candidate.

The Regional Electoral Commission denies the registration of the nominated candidate, if: If the number of valid votes in the official papers for the support of the candidacy after the verification is less than 500, restrictions set forth by the Electoral Code extend onto the citizens nominated for the candidate or the documentation submitted for registration are falsified, the Regional Electoral Commission denies the registration of the nominated candidate.

In the event of an objection about the registration of the citizen nominated for the candidate, the issue is put to vote. The registration is denied with at least two-thirds vote of the total number of the members of the Central Electoral Commission. In the event of no objection - the candidate is considered as registered. In the event of the denial of the registration of the citizen nominated for the candidate, his/her electoral deposit is paid back.
 The Regional Electoral Commission recognizes the registration of the citizen nominated for the candidate as invalid, if after the registration the facts like falsification of submitted documents or restrictions under the extension onto the candidate have been revealed. Central Electoral Commission declares the registration of a candidate invalid by at least two/third vote of the total number of its members. In the event of recognizing the registration of the candidate as invalid, his/her electoral deposit and the means left in the pre-election fund are transferred to the state budget. The decision of the Regional Electoral Commission on the denial or recognizing as invalid the registration of the candidate for the deputy can be appealed to court within three days after it has been taken. Based on the judgement of the court on recognizing the decision on the denial or recognition invalid of the registration of the candidate for the deputy unlawful, he/she is recognized as registered or re-registered.

If the National Assembly candidate nominated by majoritarian system has not any more the right to vote, has submitted an application on self-withdrawal, has died, has violated the requirement under point eight of Article 18 of this Code or has violated the requirement under point seven of Article 25 of this Code the registration of the National Assembly candidate by majoritarian system is recognized as out of force. In the event of recognizing the registration of the candidate nominated for the deputy of the National Assembly by majoritarian system as out of force in the result of his/her death, the electoral deposit is transferred to his/her heirs, and the means left in the pre-election fund are transferred to the state budget. In the event of recognizing the registration of the candidate nominated for the deputy of the National Assembly by majoritarian system out of force under point eight of Article 18 and point seven of Article 25 of the Electoral Code the electoral deposit and the means left in the pre-election fund are transferred to the state budget. As well as in the cases of recognizing the registration of the candidate nominated for the deputy of the National Assembly by majoritarian system as out of force in the result of losing the voting right, the sum of the electoral deposit is paid back and the means left in the pre-election fund are transferred to the state budget.