Based on a statistically justified number of polling stations, the Civil Network OPORA continues to monitor the quality of compliance with election procedures in the early elections of the Kharkiv mayor and in the by-elections of people's deputies of Ukraine in constituency No.184 (Kherson Oblast) and in constituency No.197 (Cherkasy Oblast).
As of 16:00, OPORA observers registered that the quality of the implementation of election procedures and compliance with the law by the subjects of the election process has improved, and the activities of election commission members have become clearer and more disciplined. The total number of statistically-valid violations within all constituencies under observation decreased compared to the first hours of voting. At the same time, high-profile cases about the organization of controlled voting, activation of voters through material incentives, and violation of the rules for campaigning, which stand out in this context, require careful attention and prompt response by law-enforcement agencies.
Extraordinary Elections of the Kharkiv Mayor
The facts of demonstration of a completed ballot by voters were recorded by observers in 1.83% of polling stations in Kharkiv, as well as cases of voters taking photos of the ballot papers. In general, there is a positive trend of reducing the number of abuses related to the disclosure of the secret ballot. There were no cases concerning tampering with ballot papers, such as casting ballots in bunches, damaging or destroying them.
Observers witnessed attempts to illegally issue / receive ballots at 3.2% of PECs within the city. In other polling stations, commission members followed the procedure in full. At the same time, there were several cases when people came to vote at the polling station and were told that they were included in the lists of citizens to vote at home (for example, at the polling station No.631201 at 133 Poltavskyi Shliakh Street).
More serious incidents occurred outside the polling stations. In particular, within the city, several locations were deployed where voters are presented with gifts (football tickets, tickets to the Chateau Ledo skating rink, discounts to a fitness club, etc.) in exchange for a photo near the polling station. Observers also learned of cases of voter mobilization through personal telephone calls.
By-elections of People's Deputies of Ukraine in Constituencies No.184 and No.197
Between 12:00 and 16:00, attempts to obtain ballots without proper documents or by other persons were the most common type of violation in the by-elections in Cherkasy Oblast. However, such fraud was detected in only 2.17% of PECs. In the 2019 parliamentary elections, similar violations during the same period were recorded in 4.30% of polling stations.
Certain threat comes from the situations identified by observers when electoral subjects were present at the polling stations (observers from the candidates) or kept personal records of the voters who came to vote. In particular, such episodes were recorded at polling station No.710174 (Antypivka village) and near polling station No.710187 (Hladkivshchyna village, house of culture, acting room).
Disclosure of the secret ballot by showing the ballot or attempting to photograph it was detected in 1.45% and 0.72% of polling stations in constituency 197, respectively.
In the Kherson region, voting at polling stations takes place within the current legal framework. As few as 1.32% of polling stations had various types of procedural violations: non-compliance with the requirements of the procedure for issuing ballots, attempts by voters to cast more than one ballot, and photographing ballots. From 12:00 to 16:00, no demonstration of a completed ballot by voters was recorded.
The maximum error of the survey for the elections in Kharkiv is 2.3%, in the by-elections of the People's Deputy in constituency No.184 (Kherson Oblast) - 3.62%, in constituency No.197 (Cherkasy Oblast) the survey covers all polling stations in the constituency.
