Elections of People's Deputies in two Constituencies in Cherkasy and Kherson Oblasts: Competitive, but with Misuse of Administrative Resources

The Central Election Commission established the lack of legal grounds to register Vasyl Virastiuk as a people’s deputy for constituency No 87. It was discussed at the CEC session on May, 5, 2021.

The Law of Ukraine “On Elections of People’s Deputies of Ukraine” applicable for the interim elections of the members of Parliament foresaw the establishment of results by April, 12, 2021, inclusive. The terms were successfully followed in constituency No 50 (Pokrovsk, Donetsk Oblast), whereas in constituency No 87 (Nadvirna, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast) the process of establishing voting results has been largely delayed because of court proceedings about the violations and DEC decisions.

OPORA hereby states the failure to ensure the right of voters for lawful and fair establishment of their voting results in a single-member constituency No 87 at elections of a people’s deputy of Ukraine.

The situation with the establishment of voting results at the interim elections of people’s deputies in constituency 87 has stirred much of public interest. In fact, the district commission sent back for the re-count 20 election commissions; the voting results at two polling stations were declared invalid; the incompliance was identified between the protocol data and the re-count outcomes at three polling stations; at one polling station with several dozens of missing ballots the decision has...

On March, 31, 2021, after the two-day break and rotation of some heads and members of DEC No 87, the process of establishing voting results at elections of people’s deputies of Ukraine resumed. DEC operations included multiple breaks, some unlawful commission decisions, conflicts between the commission and a candidate Oleksandr Shevchenko, and the interference of people’s deputies into the lawful course of DEC meeting.

Civil Network OPORA administered a comprehensive independent observation over the course of interim elections of people’s deputies in constituencies No 50 (Pokrovsk, Donetsk Oblast), and No 87 (Nadvirna, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast). We focused on the legality of procedures, competitiveness of the campaign, and its compliance with the international democratic standards. On the election day, March, 28, OPORA ran a short-term observation that included the registration of violations and abuse, and th...

Following the non-partisan observation at the interim elections of people’s deputies of Ukraine in constituencies No 50 and No 87, OPORA hereby states the violation of the political neutrality principle in candidates’ favour on the part of public administration.

The process of establishing precinct election commissions was running under the provisions of the Law of Ukraine “On Elections of People’s Deputies of Ukraine” valid in part of the organization of the preparation and conduct of interim elections of people’s deputies of Ukraine. The total number of precinct election commissions established at the interim elections of the people’s deputies of Ukraine in constituencies No 50 and No 87 is 229, of which 112 account for Donetsk region, and 117 have...

On March, 28, 2021, the interim elections of people’s deputies will be taking place, because the people’s deputy Zynoviy Andriyovych became a mayor of Nadvirna, and Ruslan Trebushkin became the mayor of Pokrovsk. On February, 5, 2021, the Central Election Commission finalized the composition of district election commissions for the organization and conduct of interim elections in a one-member constituency No 50 and No 87. The commissions were set up in the maximum membership – 18 persons in e...