Features of the procedure for the formation and spending of electoral funds: issues of theory and practice

The purpose of the research. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the theoretical and legal aspects of the functioning of a relatively new institution of electoral law - the electoral fund. The task of the study is to reveal the essence of this institution, simultaneously determining the capabilities of these funds, their role in the electoral process, as well as development prospects and problems affecting their activities at various levels of organization of election campaigns. The author draws attention to what normative basis the creators of such funds are guided by, the procedure for the formation and spending of funds of the above-mentioned institution is analyzed, arguments are given for its effectiveness in the current electoral process, since any election campaign is impossible without material support. Conclusions. With the main conclusions, the author confirms the opinion of researchers about the insufficient regulation of issues related to the definition of measures of responsibility for the misuse of funds contained in such funds, as well as the difficulty of defining the very concept of «electoral fund» and the lack of clarity of some regulatory provisions regarding control over their activities by the public and law enforcement agencies. The author believes that the Russian authorities need to adopt amendments to the current legislation with a view to introducing the obligation to provide a plan to the elected in terms of the reasonableness of the use of the requested funds, as well as the boundaries of such expenses, taking into account the division of the election process into certain stages and stages. If these measures are violated due to the weakness of the mechanism and the lack of elaboration of the issue of responsibility, to introduce more stringent measures, from criminal law to deprivation of repeated participation in subsequent elections of a certain level.

Constitution of the Russian Federation, federal laws, elections, referendum, suffrage, electoral funds, targeted use of funds, control and audit service