General information on the election of deputies to the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis and the local Councils (Kengashes).
The legislative and political system is a living organism that is constantly evolving and renewing itself. In particular, the country's electoral system and legislation are being improved. In accordance with the amendments to the law, elections to the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis are now held using a mixed electoral system.
What electoral systems are there in the world? And what does a mixed electoral system mean?
1. In a plurality voting system, voters cast their vote for one person. The candidates for deputies are listed on the ballot paper. Until 2024, our country had a plurality voting system.
2. In a proportional representation system, voters give their votes to political parties that win seats in Parliament in proportion to the percentage of votes they received in the elections.
3. The mixed electoral system is the result of the harmonization of the plurality voting system and the proportional representation system. This means that one part of Parliament is elected based on plurality voting and the other part on proportional representation.
Under the previous electoral system, the 150 members of the Legislative Chamber were elected in the election districts of the regions according to the plurality voting system. This meant that voters voted for the candidates for deputies listed on the ballot paper.
In this year's elections, 75 deputies of the Legislative Chamber will be elected as before under the plurality voting system, while the remaining 75 will be elected under the new proportional representation system. Under this system, voters vote for the parties identified on the ballot paper.
Who has the right to vote and be elected?
Article 128 of the Constitution states: “Citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan shall have the right to elect and be elected to representative bodies of state power. Every voter shall have one vote. The right to vote, equality and freedom of expression shall be guaranteed by law”.
The election of the President of Uzbekistan, deputies of the Legislative Chamber and deputies of local Councils (Kengashes) is based on universal suffrage, and citizens of Uzbekistan who have reached the age of 18 before or on election day shall have the right to vote.
Citizens have equal voting rights regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity, language, religious affiliation, social origin, faith, social status, education, and the nature and character of their profession.
Every citizen who takes part in the elections shall have one vote.
Citizens who have been recognized by a court as legally incapable and persons who have been deprived of their liberty by a court judgment may not be elected.
Citizens who have been recognized by a court as legally incapable, as well as persons who are imprisoned on the basis of a court conviction for serious and particularly serious crimes, may only be deprived of the right to participate in elections in accordance with the law and on the basis of a court decision. In all other cases, a direct or indirect restriction of electoral rights of citizens shall not be permitted.
What is the procedure for voting on Election Day?
Voting in elections is free and secret. No control over the will of the voters shall be permitted.
Voting takes place from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. The Precinct Election Commission shall inform voters of the time and place of voting at least ten days before the election.
Voting at polling stations established in diplomatic and other missions of the Republic of Uzbekistan abroad shall take place on Election Day from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. local time at the location of these polling stations.
Upon arrival at the polling station, the voter shall present his/ her identity document to a member of the Precinct Election Commission and sign his/her name on the list of voters. They shall then be given a ballot paper. The citizen shall fill in the ballot paper in the booth for the secret voting and drop it into the ballot box.
The names of voters who are not on the list of voters for any reason shall be included in the annex to the list of voters on the basis of the document certifying the voter's identity, nationality and place of residence.
How is the vote cast at the voter's place of residence?
In cases where some voters are unable to come to the polling station for health or other reasons, the relevant precinct election commission shall, at their request, organize voting at the place of residence of these voters.
An appropriate commission of at least two members with a portable ballot box shall be sent to the voter's place of residence to ensure that voting is carried out in compliance with the secrecy of the ballot. Observers and representatives of the mass media may be present.
How can a voter who is on a business trip or away from home for other reasons vote?
A voter who cannot be at his or her place of residence on Election Day shall have the right to vote early.
Early voting shall begın ten days before the elections and end three days before the elections. The date of early voting shall be determined by the Central Election Commission and communicated to voters and observers via the mass media.
For early voting, the voter shall receive a ballot paper from the respective Precinct Election Commission upon request, stating the reason for his/her absence on Election Day (holiday, business trip, stay abroad, etc.). In the presence of at least two members of the relevant Precinct Election Commission, the voter shall sign for the receipt of the ballot paper in the list of voters.
The ballot paper shall be filled in by the voter in a booth or room specially set up for the secret ballot.
The voter shall make a decision and leave the completed ballot paper in a sealed envelope, which is kept in the safe of the respective Precinct Election Commission. The signatures of two members of the Precinct Election Commission shall be affixed to the sticky side of the envelope and confirmed by the seal of the Commission.
What form will the ballot papers take?
The Central Election Commission has approved the form, text and description of the ballot papers for the elections of the deputies of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis and the local Councils (Kengashes).
On Election Day, voters shall be given 4 ballot papers:
the first ballot paper - blue in colour, containing information about the candidates for the Legislative Chamber;
the second ballot paper - light green, containing the names of the political parties participating in the elections to the Legislative Chamber;
the third ballot paper - light yellow and contains information about the candidates for people's deputies of Councils (Kengashes) of the regions and the city of Tashkent;
the fourth ballot paper - light grey and contains information about the candidates for the deputies to district and city Councils (Kengashes) of People's Deputies.
The surname, first name and patronymic of candidates for deputy shall be entered on the ballot paper in the order of the Uzbek alphabet based on the Latin script.
On the ballots on which political parties are entered, in addition to the name, the symbols of the political parties participating in the election of deputies of the Legislative Chamber shall be entered in the order in which they were admitted to participate in the election.
The ballot papers shall be printed and delivered to the polling stations, taking into account the number of voters in the respective area.
