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In a groundbreaking decision, the Supreme Court clarified that election participants must abide by the timelines set by election legislation, not the Code of Administrative Offenses, when submitting their final financial reports. This ruling came in response to a case involving Maxim Kirienko, a former candidate for the People's Khural of Buryatia's seventh convocation from "New People."

Initially, the local election commission attempted to penalize Kirienko for late submission of his final financial report. However, the judge of the Ulan-Ude Oktyabrsky District Court's judicial unit No. 2 fined him for being one day late. This decision was later overturned, with the district court citing a norm in the Code of Administrative Offenses that states: if the end of a term calculated in days falls on a non-working day, the last day is considered to be the first following working day.

However, a subsequent cassation instance overturned the district court's decision, citing the law on fundamental electoral rights, which does not provide for any adjustments for weekends. The Supreme Court supported this position but also concluded that Kirienko had indeed met the deadline set by law. To determine the deadline, the Supreme Court emphasized that election legislation should be used, not the Code of Administrative Offenses.

Electoral lawyer Garegin Mitin considers this decision logical, pointing out that elections have their own specificities. He notes that electoral actions are not typically taken into account when calculating terms during weekends, as commissions work without them, and candidates cannot rely on weekends either. The Supreme Court's clarification may prove quite relevant for election participants, adds the expert, as attention to financial discipline is clearly increasing in Russia.

While election-related financial reporting deadlines are not detailed for Russia in the provided materials, it's important to note that such timelines can often be set by internal resolutions or sector-specific regulations, as demonstrated by Russia's corporate examples. For instance, Gazprom had a ballot deadline for voting ballots on June 26, 2025. Other jurisdictions, such as the United States and Portugal, have specific reporting schedules tied to election dates.

In the United States, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) mandates monthly reports due by the 20th day after the reporting period ends, and final reports are typically required post-election. Notably, in recent years, advances like real-time FEC Notify alerts have been introduced to emphasize transparency. Portugal requires financial reports within 60 days after elections, with non-compliance leading to fines.

The election-influence spending claims ($300 million according to U.S. claims) against Russia highlight enforcement challenges that may necessitate distinct liability calculations compared to routine administrative processes. As global sanctions frameworks continue to indirectly affect electoral integrity through financial restrictions, maintaining financial reporting transparency will be crucial for strengthening Russia's electoral system.

The Supreme Court's decision to use election legislation over the Code of Administrative Offenses for determining deadline dates could significantly impact future election participants in Russia, as emphasized by electoral lawyer Garegin Mitin.
In the United States, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) requires monthly reports to be submitted by the 20th day following the reporting period and final reports post-election, while Portugal demands financial reports within 60 days after elections.
Election-related financial reporting deadlines can be set by internal resolutions or sector-specific regulations, as showcased by Gazprom's ballot deadline for June 26, 2025.
The election-influence spending claims against Russia have highlighted potential enforcement challenges and the necessity for distinct liability calculations compared to typical administrative processes, due to increasing global scrutiny on electoral integrity.