The National Election Committee, acting within its competence as laid down in Section 34 (2)a)of Act C of 1997 on Electoral Procedure (hereinafter: Ve.), issues the following

resolution:

According to Section 6 of Ministry of Interior Decree 46/1998. (X. 21.), the ballot paper contains:

a)the name of the election,

b)information on the method of voting,

c)the names of the candidates in Hungarian alphabetical order,

d)the name of the nominating organization supporting the candidate, or the fact of independent candidacy, and

e)the circle for voting.

Among candidates with the same name and supported by the same nominating organization, the one who was recommended later is obliged to distinguish themselves from the other candidate. The verification of the completeness of the ballot paper is the task of the presiding officer and the ballot counting committee. The candidate may request that their name be included on the ballot paper in the minority language as well. The ballot paper must be stamped upon delivery. A new ballot paper can be requested by handing over the spoiled one.

Based on Section 19 (1), the nominating organization that nominated the candidate at the time of the creation of the electoral title, or the fact of independent candidacy, must be indicated on the ballot paper, however, an elector elected as an independent can, according to Section 12 (2), undertake to represent a social organization. Paragraph (2) states that if several social organizations wish to nominate a candidate under a common name, they can announce this intention with a joint statement to the FVB until the 3rd day before the meeting, by simultaneously designating the common name and the representative authorized to make further statements. At the request of the representative authorized to make statements, the ballot paper also contains the common name in addition to the name of the social organization or the fact of independent candidacy.

According to Section 29 (1), Section 19 (1)-(2) must also be applied accordingly to the election of the national minority government.

Based on the above provisions of the law, the OVB establishes that the content of the ballot paper is laid down by the Ministry of Interior decree. In determining the content, Section 19 (2) of the decree must also be taken into account. Based on these, the representative authorized to make statements makes a declaration about the inclusion of the common name (coalition) on the ballot paper, i.e., next to which candidates' names the name of the coalition should be indicated. The name of the coalition cannot be indicated next to the candidate's name if the candidate acquired the electoral right to represent an organization that is not a part of the declared coalition.

Budapest, 1 March 2003

Dr. Lajos Ficzere
President of the National Election Committee
elnöke