The period for designating candidates for elective posts in electoral districts of the second level begins on September 6. It goes to candidates for members of district and municipal councils and for mayors of the municipality of Chisinau and the municipality of Balti, the Central Election Commission (CEC) has said.

Under the Election Code, the candidates are designated after the district electoral councils are constituted, but not earlier than 60 days before election day. Candidates for elections can be designated by independent candidates and political parties registered before the CEC’s decision on the setting of the date of local general elections took effect, and also by electoral blocs formed and registered in accordance with the conditions stipulated in the Election Code.

In the case of political parties and electoral blocs, the procedure for designating candidates is based on the approval of the candidates in meetings of the responsible bodies of the parties and blocs. In the case of independent candidates, an initiative group needs to be constituted for collecting signatures in support of these.

The procedure for designating candidates includes the collection of signatures by persons who put themselves forward and/or by initiative groups in support of candidates for mayor and local councilor. Subscription lists could be asked from the district electoral council of the second level as from September 19 this year.

Information about the local general elections is available on the official website of the Central Election Commission, in the section “Local General Elections 2023”.