Today is the day when candidates and campaigners at the October 20 presidential election and simultaneous constitutional referendum may start filing for formal registration with the Central Electoral Commission.

A designated presidential candidate must incorporate an endorsement group, officially known as initiative group. Groups must also seek registration with the CEC, which issues a decision within three days. The deadline for seeking registration in the case of initiative groups is August 31.

The initiative groups are to collect signatures to support their candidates. The endorsement lists must contain at least 15,000 and at most 25,000 signatures collected from at least half of second-level administrative units, with at least 600 signatures collected from each unit. The endorsement lists with the collected signatures should be submitted to the CEC for examination no later than September 20.

Also starting today, political parties and electoral blocs may register as campaigners at the referendum. The deadline for submissions is September 20.

For nominating presidential candidates, electoral blocs may register until August 25, and for campaigning at the referendum until September 14.