I. SELECTED RULES OF LAW

Act XX of 1949
THE CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF HUNGARY
(abstract issue)

§ 30/A
(1)The President of the Republic shall
d) call for the general parliamentary elections and local elections as well as national referendums;

§ 41 
(1) The territory of the Republic of Hungary shall be divided into the capital, counties, towns and villages. 
(2) The capital shall be divided into districts. In towns districts may be established.

§ 42 
The community of villages, towns, the capital and its districts shall be entitled to the right of local self-government. Local self-government shall be an independent, democratic administration of local public affairs related to the community of voters, exercising local public authority on behalf of the population.

§ 44 
(1) Voters shall exercise local self-government through the body of representatives elected by them, and by local referendums.
(2) The election of the members and mayors of local governments shall, except for by-elections, be held in October of the fourth year following the previous general elections.
(3) The mandate of the body of representatives shall last until the day of the general election of local governments. In the event of elections not held for lack of candidates, the mandate of the body of the representatives shall be extended until the day of by-elections. The mayor’s mandate shall last until the new mayor is elected.
(4) Prior to the expiry of its mandate, the body of representatives may, pursuant to the conditions set forth under the law on local self-governments, pronounce its dissolution. Such dissolution and winding-up [clause l) paragraph (3) Article 19] shall also terminate the mayor’s mandate.

§ 68 
(4) National and ethnic minorities shall establish local and national self-governments.

§ 70 
(1) Each citizen of legal age who live in the territory of the Republic of Hungary shall have the right to become electable and, if he/she stays on the territory of the country on the day of the election or referendum, a voter at the parliamentary elections and local elections as well as the election of local governments for minorities, and participate in national or local referendums and popular initiatives.
(2) At the election of the members and mayors of local governments, the right of vote, and at local referendums and local popular initiatives, the right of participation, pursuant to a special law, shall be the legal due also of any non-Hungarian citizen living as an immigrant on the territory of the Republic of Hungary if he/she stays on the territory of the country on the day of the election or referendum.

(3) Anyone who shall be under guardianship limiting or excluding his/her ability to act, or, who is subject to any judgement at law barring him/her from exercising public affairs, furthermore, who is serving his/her final sentence of imprisonment, or, who is spending his/her finally ruled compulsory therapy at an institute shall have no right of vote.

CHAPTER XIII

The basic principles of the elections

§ 71 
(1) Members of parliament, and members of the body of representatives of local governments, as well as mayors and the Mayor of the capital shall be elected by voters on the grounds of general and equal suffrage, by direct and secret ballot.

(2) The chairman of the county convention shall be elected by the members of the county convention by secret ballot.

(3) The election of members of parliament, and members of the body of representatives of local governments and mayors shall be provided for under special laws, the adoption of which requires two thirds of the votes of the members of parliament present.