Civil Contract Pushes Bill Requiring Voters to Spend 183 Days in Armenia Before Elections
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
Armenia’s ruling Civil Contract party has introduced legislation that would require citizens to have lived in the country for at least six months during the year preceding a national election or referendum in order to vote.
The proposed amendments, authored by lawmakers Arusyak Manavazyan and Alkhas Ghazaryan, would require voters to have been physically present in Armenia for at least 183 days within the 365 days before an election or referendum. The residency period would be calculated as of 48 days before a scheduled vote, or 28 days before snap elections and repeat voting.
The lawmakers argue that the measure is intended to strengthen the connection between citizens and the state by ensuring that electoral outcomes reflect the will of those who are directly affected by government policies and who bear the consequences of political decisions made in the country.
The initiative follows controversy surrounding Armenia’s June 7 parliamentary elections. Media reports alleged that Russia attempted to influence the vote by facilitating the travel of Armenian citizens living abroad to participate in the election, with the aim of supporting opposition forces, including the Strong Armenia alliance, the Armenia Alliance, and the Prosperous Armenia Party.
Following the election, representatives of the ruling party signaled that legislative changes would be introduced to address concerns over the role of non-resident voters in Armenia’s electoral process.
If adopted, the reform could significantly reshape the participation of Armenia’s large diaspora in future national elections and referendums, raising broader questions about the balance between residency, citizenship, and democratic representation.
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