10/7 Tass 29
PYONGYANG, July 10 (Itar-Tass) — North Korea started active preparations for elections of local bodies of self-government to be held on July 24 in compliance with a decree of the presidium of the national parliament.
The composition of provincial legislative assemblies, city and village councils will be determined by direct and secret ballot. According to the KCNA news agency, the country will publish the lists of voters on Saturday in compliance with the law on elections, regarded here “as an important state in consolidating revolutionary power”.
Posters appeared in Pyongyang streets, calling to vote by all means for candidates and to show unity of the nation, reminding residents of the need to perform their civil duty.
Since every constituency nominates only one candidate, there is no election race in the country, while advertising here is aimed mostly at gaining a very high turnout.
In conformity with the republican Constitution, the tern of powers of deputies at local bodies of self-government is four years. Sessions of these bodies of power, called one or two times a year, approve local budgets and a development plan of local economy as well as elect chairmen of provincial legislative assemblies, of city and village councils as well as judges and assessors.
According to official data, a total of 99.82 percent of registered voters participated in the elections of local bodies of self-government in 2007. It was reported that all voters unanimously backed nominated candidates, electing, all in all, 27,390 deputies of local self-government bodies, which is around 1,000 more than at the previous elections, held four years ago.