Within observation of 2012 Parliamentary elections, Civic Network OPORA investigates the activity of potential candidates to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in Rivne oblast. Today, politicians use not only outdoor and mass media advertising. They also started actively using internet, which is undoubtedly the best place for engaging voters.
On this stage of investigation, the Civic Network OPORA discovered that a number of potential candidates have already been engaging voters through social networks. However, the most bitter struggle is in the election district #153. Three potential candidates for this district have registered Facebook profiles. These are the Deputy Head of Rivne Oblast State Administration Anatolii Yukhymenko, entrepeneur Yurii Vozniuk and Viktor Yushchenko's son-in-law – Oleksii Khakhliov.
Anatolii Yukhymenko has two profiles on Facebook. One of them contains advertizing of the Party of Regions and activity of Rivne Oblast State Administration, and official's name is written in Latin letters "Анатолій Юхименко". The other profile is registered under the name in Cyrillic: Anatoliy Yukhimenko. Here Mr. Yukhimenko published a picture with logo of the Party of Regions, some articles concerning adoption of the Law on languages, and news on the activities of the President of Ukraine. The official's page contains a publication with headline "Partners of the Party of Regions in Europa also started talking about sanctions", which stands out against a background of the rest publications.
Viktor Yushchenko's son-in-law – Oleksii Khakhliov also registered on Facebook on 18 June 2012. The potential candidate placed there some of his photos against the background of wheat field and a church, and links on publications about the patronage of Mr. Khakhliov.
The least involved in campaign is a page of a potential candidate from the Front for Change Yurii Vozniuk. It was registered in March 2011. Contrary to his political competitors in the election district, Mr. Vozniuk shares not only his political life, but also personal pictures and interests.
The Head of Dubno Rayon State Administration and deputy of Rivne Oblast Council Danylo Korylkevych, which can run in the election district #154, also appeared is social networks. This potential candidate registered not only on Facebook, but also on VKontakte, which is popular in post-Soviet countries. Mr. Dokylkevych is actively advertising his Charitable Foundation "Love Ukraine".
The veterans of social networks in Rivne oblast are potential candidates Oleh Osukhovskyi, which may run in the election district (ED) #152, Serhii Ovchynnikov (ED #156), and the MP Viktor Matchuk. Politicians have profiles on Facebook, and are actively spreading information about their activities. Volodymyr Khomko, the Mayor of Rivne, has also registered his profile on Facebook lately.
To sum up, we'd like to say that politiciansin Rivne oblast finally begin to understand the importance of social networks and communication with voters. However, the amount of friends and content of pages show that they have a low level of skills and abilities of working in social networks. Only some politicians regularly update information on their personal pages. It seems that an effective tool for campaigning was made only to be checked off the list.