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REPORT on the results of the long-term observation on Presidential election in Ukraine in 2010 December, 1- 20, 2009
Contents Introduction............................................................................................................................................ 1 OPORA recommends and encourages................................................................................................. 2 Formation of Polling Stations and Precinct Election Commissions ................................................. 3 Work of the Central Election Commission..........................................................................................5 Work of District Election Commissions (technical and financial support, and level of training of DEC members) ........................................................................................................................................7 The Use of Administrative Resource, Voter Bribery and Intimidation ...........................................8 Media’s Participation.............................................................................................................................9 Candidates’ Campaigning .................................................................................................................. 10 Performance of the Voter Registry Departments ............................................................................ 15
Introduction One month before Election Day, OPORA is concerned with administrative preparations of the elections. Specifically OPORA is concerned by the fact that creation of Precinct Election Commissions (PEC-s) has been accompanied by violations of the current election legislation. Almost 10% of local authorities made their nominations to District Election Commissions in the last days before the deadline, which made it difficult for commissions to verify accuracy of the data provided (a number of voters, their addresses, and boundaries of polling stations). The process for Ukrainians voting abroad is also to be determined. The Election campaign can be described as free and competitive. All candidates had equal and fair access to the mass media although OPORA is troubled with the practice of paying journalists for positive news and not posting ‘advertising’. At the same time, election campaigning has been switched to direct voter contact through candidate participation in election tours, citizen outreach, and door-to-door canvassing. One month before the Election Day, the involved parties started to use brutal black PR methods (spreading out information which obviously attacks the reputation of a competitor). As a result, OPORA states that the election campaign has shifted from a positive advertising of key messages that were aimed at presenting their candidates at their best, to a negative and disclosure-driven, which is aimed at pulling down the competitors’ support.