HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN OF ELECTORAL COMMISSIONS
The article focuses on the specifics of the origin and stages of development of the institution of electoral commissions as the most common bodies of electoral management.The author critically analyzes the range of the meanings of the term “elec-toral commission” and formulates his own definition - independent collegial bodies responsible for holding elections. Such a definition allows him to capture the essential characteristics of an institution, as well as to clarify the spatial and chronological boundaries of its origin. On the basis of the set of historical sources published in recent years, he shows that the first central electoral commissions appeared in the last quarter of the 19th century (in Colombia and Peru), which is more than half a century earlier of what the conventional wisdom holds.Electoral commissions have long been associated primarily with the developing countries. However, since the end of the 20th century they began to spread rapidly in the developed democracies. Today, this institution is in high demand in the countries with very different political regimes and levels of centralization of the electoral management. According to the author's conclusion, the potential of electoral commissions is far from exhausted. It is highly plausible that the institution of independent collegial bodies of electoral management, while retaining its basic features, will continue to evolve, and its certain modifications will play an important role in the electoral management system.