Presidential nominees can file to register from Dec 27 to Jan 31 - CEC secretary
MOSCOW. Dec 18 (Interfax) - The Central Elections Commission will know the precise number of would-be presidential candidates by January 31, 2018, Commission Secretary Maya Grishina said.
"The self-nomination process will begin today and end on January 7, 2018. Political parties can also start nominating their candidates today; the law gives them a little more time to do so," Grishina said at the commission's meeting on Monday.
Nominees are welcome to file registration documents starting on December 27, she said.
"Nominees who have duly notified the CEC and complied with every necessary procedure will be able to file their documents for registration. Political parties that do not have to collect signatures must submit a package of documents, while other political parties will have to submit that package plus 100,000 signatures, and self-nominees will submit 300,000 signatures and a package of documents," Grishina said.
The registration period will end at 6 p.m. Moscow time on January 21, 2018, she said.
"At 6 p.m. on that da,y we will know at least how many nominees aspire for registration. As you know, the Central Elections Commission verifies the filed registration documents within ten days," Grishina said.
The election campaign will start "on the day [each candidate] files the statement of consent to run [for president] with the CEC and will end on the same day as for any other contestant," she said.
Media canvassing will begin on February 17 and end at midnight Moscow time on March 17, Grishina said.
The election programs of political parties that are nominating candidates should be published by March 7, 2018, she said.