Armenia proposes new voting residency rule

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia's National Assembly has held a first-reading debate on amendments to the Electoral Code and the Law on Referendums that would grant voting rights to Armenian citizens who have spent at least one of the past two years physically residing in Armenia.

The legislative package was presented by Alkhas Ghazaryan, an MP from the ruling Civil Contract faction, according to Armenpress.

Ghazaryan said the package had been revised based on proposals submitted by the government.

"The proposed amendments stipulate that, in National Assembly elections, the right to vote will belong to Armenian citizens who are at least 18 years old on election day and who, as of the 48th day before the vote—or the 28th day in the case of snap parliamentary elections—have been physically present in Armenia for at least 366 days during the preceding 730-day period.

For local self-government elections, it is proposed that voting rights be granted to Armenian citizens who are at least 18 years old on election day, have been registered in the population register of the relevant community for at least six months before the vote, and who, as of the 48th day before the election—or the 28th day in the case of snap elections—have been physically present in Armenia for at least 366 days during the preceding 730-day period," she said.

The bill also proposes to specify which periods will not be counted as time spent outside Armenia. These include official travel by public servants, residence abroad with a family member serving in a diplomatic or consular mission, and studies at higher education institutions outside the country.

The legislative package also introduces other amendments related to the compilation and maintenance of voter registers.

The bill was authored by Civil Contract MPs Alkhas Ghazaryan, Arusyak Manavazyan, Hasmik Hakobyan and Arusyak Julhakyan.