After conduction of long-term observations during three last election campaigns, Civic Network OPORA in Dnipropetrovsk oblast can make a conclusion that members of precinct election commissions have poor knowledge about regulations on electoral process. During the last election of the President of Ukraine, candidates' headquarters were known of their legal nihilism in election procedures, election commissions badly organized the electoral process, and precinct election commissions implemented electoral procedures on unsatisfactory level.

During the observation and while monitoring the abovementioned subjects, OPORA's observers conducted numerous talks with the voter, representatives of election headquarters, members of district and precinct election commissions; with international observers and representatives of the media. After the elections, it became clear that electoral legislation should be urgently amended and modified. To start with, every law concerning elections should be unified in a single "Election Code", covering elections: of the President of Ukraine; MPs of Ukraine; local elections; mayors of cities and heads of settlements; national referendums; local opinion polls.

First of all, lawmakers should pay attention on the necessity:

a) constant (without any changes) addresses and numeration of district and precinct election commissions;

b) delineation of territorial election districts and polling stations should remain the same as were used during the last elections.

One of the major tasks, is to improve the electoral process by making professional district, territorial and precinct election commissions (regular and special), approval of regular DECs and PECs for five years. As for representation of candidates' interests in commissions, commission members and headquarters proposed the following mechanism:

- Parties represented in the Parliament and the President of Ukraine submit their nominees for membership of district election commissions for approval of the Central Election Commission. DECs implement their duties and organize elections: of the President of Ukraine; MPs of Ukraine; referendums.

- City, village and town heads, parties registered in justice bodies on the certain territory in cities and raions of oblast subordination have the right to nominate one representative each to the membership of territorial election commissions during elections to local councils and of village, town and city heads, as well as for local opinion polls.

- Parties represented in Ukrainian Parliament and the President of Ukraine have the right to nominate one representative each to the membership of precinct election commissions, which are to be automatically approved, and have the right to receive a proportional number of heads, deputy heads, and commission secretaries. Vacant places shall be distributed by a draw of lots between other parties, registered in justice bodies on the certain territory in cities and raions of oblast subordination.

Members of district, territorial, and precinct election commissions (not more than three including the head and secretary) have the right to receive a salary from the government (average salary in Ukraine, determined for the previous quarter by Ukrainian government) during implementation of their duties (from 20 to 90 days).

Heads and secretaries should pass a mandatory training once a year, which must include the study of laws and election procedures, and pass a computer-based testing in order to be approved for implementation of their duties.

The abovementioned procedures shall be organized and conducted by the Central Election Commission for district election commissions; and by district election commissions for territorial and precinct election commissions.

The propositions concerning responsibility of commission members for violation of election procedures should be discussed with the public.

The abovementioned propositions are urgent for satisfactory level of election organization, and minimization of violations.

Vadym Holovchenko,
long-term observer of the Civil Network OPORA in Dnipropetrovsk oblast
For comment, please contact:
+38 096 920 48 20

Civic monitoring conducted by OPORA - is a type of network activity, aimed at impartial assessment of the preparation and conduct of elections, as well as preventing electoral violations through comprehensive civic action.

Since March, OPORA conducts a wide observation campaign during snap Presidential election, interim Parliamentary elections (district #83), and special local elections. The organization cooperates with 175 long-term observers, who are watching the course of election campaign in all Ukrainian regions. On the Election Day on May 25, 3,000 activists will join them to conduct the parallel vote tabulation, based on statistical sample.