MOSCOW, June 10. /TASS/. Some 108.5 mln ballot papers will be issued for holding the July 1 nationwide vote on the constitutional amendments in all regions, Chairperson of the Russian Central Election Commission Ella Pamfilova said on Wednesday.

"In accordance with the plan of events on preparing and holding the vote by June 20, 2020 ballot papers for the nationwide vote in Russia should be issued. In total, 108.5 mln voting papers should be printed in all 85 Russian regions," Pamfilova told the commission’s meeting, noting that 52 Russian regions had fully issued the ballot papers.

Polling stations

Some 96,500 polling stations will be operational across the country to conduct the vote, according to the Central Election Commission chair. "A total of 96,500 polling stations will be in place for the nationwide vote in the Russian Federation, including almost 94,000 polling stations organized according to the standard procedure," Pamfilova addressed the commission’s meeting on Wednesday.

According to Pamfilova, additionally, "about 2,500 polling stations will be set up in places of voters’ temporary stay and other similar places." "This is what we traditionally do during all election campaigns. Today, there are 1,131 polling stations in hospitals, sanatoriums and other places of temporary residence, 20 polling stations in hard-to-reach or remote areas, 908 polling stations on ships, 127 polling stations in detention facilities and 8 polling stations at polar stations," she noted.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on holding the nationwide vote on amendments to the Constitution on July 1.

In January 2020, in his message to the Federal Assembly Putin suggested introducing a number of amendments to the key law that would better meet the modern realities and consolidate the achieved results. After a special group discussed the proposed amendments the State Duma (lower house) adopted the presidential bill in the final reading on March 11. Later in the day the bill was approved by the Federation Council and supported by the legislative assemblies of all of Russia’s regions. The Federation Council considered the results on March 14 and sent its resolution to the president.

Originally, Putin signed a decree to hold the nationwide vote on the amendments on April 22. However, amid the novel coronavirus pandemic Putin addressed the nation on television on March 25 to say that the voting had to be postponed. The amendments will take effect only if they are approved in a plebiscite.