Ukraine’s Elections: Can the Authorities Really Ensure a Fair Vote?

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Suddenly, the topic of elections in Ukraine has taken centre stage. There was even a full parliamentary showdown to figure out how to spell the word “elections” from the letters “zh,” “o,” “p,” and “a”!

And they are already gradually testing public opinion on online voting. And what about it? It’s supposedly very safe. You don’t even have to go anywhere. You could even vote while sitting on a porcelain throne — that is, on a toilet. In short, it seems to have some advantages…

But I’m interested in a simple answer to an equally simple question: “How? Who? And how is the integrity of the vote guaranteed?”

Previously, everything was relatively simple and transparent. If, at a notional polling station No. 52, with a notional 500 voters on the rolls, 501 ballots were found in the boxes, that raised questions. If observers recorded one set of figures in the precinct protocol, but the territorial commission received a protocol with different numbers, that raised questions. The exit polls showed one result, yet the official figures later reported something entirely different, raising serious questions.

And so on.

Who can guarantee that “the dog will not grow up during the journey”? Could someone input the numbers they want at the final stage? One cannot help recalling the old saying: “It doesn’t matter how people vote — it matters how the votes are counted.” In this case, there may be no need to count at all. It would be enough to write a specific script that conveniently ensures the victory of the notional candidate Holoborodko by several thousand votes.

Responses such as “No, to hell with you,” or “That will never happen — cross my heart,” are not convincing.

That is the picture as it stands.

As a reminder, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy instructed the people’s deputies to develop a bill on the possibility of holding elections during martial law. The initiative does not involve preparation for the elections, but was a reaction to statements by the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump.

Later, during a conversation with journalists, the head of state announced his readiness to halt hostilities along the current line of contact, emphasized the need to ensure security of the elections, and confirmed the continuation of negotiations with the participation of the United States. He also reported that the promised volumes of air defence systems from partners had not been delivered and questioned Russia’s willingness to end the war.

At the same time, Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of ensuring that military personnel defending the country can participate in the elections, and he also addressed the possibility of allowing Ukrainians living abroad to vote. Simultaneously, the president firmly stated that organizing elections in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine under Russian control is impossible.

By the way, earlier political scientist Volodymyr Tsybulko named four realistic scenarios for elections during the war. However, in his opinion, all of them are risky and can lead to unpredictable consequences.

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