Diplomatic Mission Observer

In elections where voting takes place at diplomatic missions, including the election of Members of the National Assembly, Act XXXVI of 2013 on Electoral Procedure ensures that nominating organizations that field candidates, as well as independent candidates, can appoint a maximum of two observers per diplomatic mission to monitor the work of the diplomatic mission election office and the conduct of voting at the diplomatic mission. Nominating organizations fielding a joint candidate are jointly entitled to appoint a maximum of two observers.

Only a voter registered in the central voter registry can be a diplomatic mission observer.

Diplomatic mission observers must be:

• notified to the National Election Committee,
• by 4:00 PM on the 10th day before the Hungarian election day.

The notification must contain the following information:

The original document containing the notification can be submitted by anyone to the National Election Office operating alongside the National Election Committee at 1054 Budapest, Alkotmány utca 3., or it can be sent by post to 1397 Budapest, Pf. 547, provided it arrives by the aforementioned deadline. In addition, the notification can be submitted with an electronic signature via email or e-paper. In the case of electronic submission, the signature of the appointing independent candidate's/nominating organization(s)' representative on the appointment must be authenticated with a qualified electronic signature, an advanced electronic signature, or a document authentication service with identity verification. In the case of submission via e-paper, the attached notification also needs to be authenticated.

Following the notification, the National Election Committee will register the diplomatic mission observer.

A registered diplomatic mission observer:

• can monitor the work of the diplomatic mission election office,
• cannot influence or disrupt the voting or the work of the diplomatic mission election office by any active or suggestive behavior,
• can record their observations in the minutes drawn up on the completion of voting,
• can lodge an objection,
• can sign the sealed ballot box after the closing of the vote,
• is obliged to wear a registration card in the polling station.

The costs associated with the appointment and activities of the diplomatic mission observer are borne by their appointer (nominating organization/independent candidate).

Observers Appointed to Supervise Voting Documents

A nominating organization that is entitled to appoint a member to the National Election Committee and that fields a party list can appoint a maximum of five observers to the National Election Office to supervise the legality of the verification of voting documents and the counting of votes.

An observer:

• can be a voter registered in the central voter registry, and
• cannot be a member of the NEC or the NEO.

The observers must be:

• notified to the National Election Committee,
• by 4:00 PM on the 10th day before the Hungarian election day.

The notification must contain the following information:

The original document containing the notification can be submitted by anyone to the National Election Office operating alongside the National Election Committee at 1054 Budapest, Alkotmány utca 3., or it can be sent by post to 1397 Budapest, Pf. 547, provided it arrives by the aforementioned deadline. In addition, the notification can be submitted with an electronic signature via email or e-paper. In the case of electronic submission, the signature of the appointing independent candidate's/nominating organization(s)' representative on the appointment must be authenticated with a qualified electronic signature, an advanced electronic signature, or a document authentication service with identity verification.

Following the notification, the National Election Committee will register the observer(s). After the registration becomes legally binding, the observer will take an oath or make a pledge before the President of the National Election Committee, according to the text of the law on the oath and pledge of certain public officials.

A registered observer who has taken the oath/pledge:

• can monitor the work of the National Election Office,
• cannot disrupt the verification of voting documents and the counting of votes by any active or suggestive behavior,
• can lodge an objection.

The costs associated with the appointment and activities of the observer are borne by the appointing nominating organization.

Observers Appointed to Supervise Ballot Boxes

Nominating organizations that field a national list, i.e., both organizations fielding a party list and organizations fielding a national minority list, can each appoint a maximum of two observers per seat of the National Assembly's individual electoral districts, who can be present at the supervision of the ballot box used for the submission of voting documents.

Only a voter registered in the central voter registry can be an observer.

The observer must be:

• notified to the National Election Committee,
• by 4:00 PM on the 10th day before the Hungarian election day.

The notification must contain the following information:

The original document containing the notification can be submitted by anyone to the National Election Office operating alongside the National Election Committee at 1054 Budapest, Alkotmány utca 3., or it can be sent by post to 1397 Budapest, Pf. 547, provided it arrives by the aforementioned deadline. In addition, the notification can be submitted with an electronic signature via email or e-paper. In the case of electronic submission, the signature of the appointing independent candidate's/nominating organization(s)' representative on the appointment must be authenticated with a qualified electronic signature, an advanced electronic signature, or a document authentication service with identity verification.

Following the notification, the National Election Committee will register the observer(s). The costs associated with the appointment and activities of the observer are borne by the appointing nominating organization.

Joint Procedure

Rules applicable in the case of a national referendum held on the same day as the general election of Members of the National Assembly (joint procedure):

Considering that the initiator of national referendums is the Government, pursuant to Section 65 (2) of Act CCXXXVIII of 2013 on the Initiation of National Referendums, the European Citizens' Initiative, and Referendum Procedure, Section 68 of the same Act does not apply. Therefore, the sole legal basis for appointments to election committees is as stipulated in Sections 27-29 of the Electoral Procedure Act (Ve.).