OPORA Finds Falsification of Protocols at Polling Stations in the Novobavarsky City District of Kharkiv

In September, the most intensive election campaign in constituency No. 184 (Nova Kakhovka, Kherson Oblast) was conducted by 5 registered candidates. 4 of them were active at the unofficial stage of the elections. The first month of the election process was characterized by cases of pre-election charity by potential and registered candidates and by abuse of administrative resources.

Restrictions on political competition, the use of administrative resources, and financial incentives for voters are the key risks that may affect the fairness of the early elections of Kharkiv Mayor on October 31, 2021.

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.

On 17 December 2020, mass media have started to publish information about the death of Kharkiv Mayor Hennadii Kernes. Thus, different collegial bodies must act in line with Ukrainian laws, i.e., identify the fact of death, terminate the mayor's authority, and call an early election. OPORA publishes a legal comment on the exhaustive list of actions that should lead to a new mayor's election.

Three representatives of OPORA were involved in a car accident on the way to the city of Berdiansk to observe the mayoral election. Two of them are injured and one, according to preliminary information from doctors, has a spine injury.

OPORA's observer was forced to leave an event by candidates for members of the Chornomorsk City Council in Odessa oblast.

Police officers have opened a criminal investigation into the possible bribery of voters in the town of Kreminna, Luhansk oblast. This was reported by representatives of OPORA in Luhansk oblast.

Most commissions in the territorial communities in Luhansk region (where the Central Election Commission declared impossible to have the elections) are not in operation. However, there are some commissions that continue having their sessions. It is informed by OPORA representatives from Luhansk region.

On 23 September, a member of oblast council was detained in Kirovohrad oblast. He is a candidate for the mayor of Svitlovodsk, and a suspect in bribery of a namesake candidate with UAH 10 thousand.