Verkhovna Rada has adopted important amendments to the Law of Ukraine on Election of the President of Ukraine in order to secure the protection of commission members and safety of electoral documentation during the transportation. These amendments are extremely important, particularly for securing the safety of election process in Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts, as long as threats and even armed assaults against premises of district election commissions and members of election commission occur more and more often.

It is expected that the MIA of Ukraine secure 24h guard of district election commissions (DECs) not later than 10 days before the election day, and upon a request of the Central Election Commission, the guard of State Voter Register maintenance bodies, if it's necessary. Besides that, as an exception, upon a request of the corresponding head of Oblast State Administration, district election commissions (DECs) may be relocated, even to another territorial election district.

The corresponding legislative amendments were adopted today by 240 votes of MPs during the sitting of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Amendments will come into force after the publication of the law, signed by the acting President of Ukraine O. Turchynov.

The Law provides the corresponding amendments:

 1. Relocation of district election commissions (DECs)

Upon a request of the corresponding head of Oblast State Administration, district election commissions (DECs) may be relocated, even to another territorial election district. Heads of Oblast State Administrations may submit a request for location of district election commissions outside the corresponding territorial election district.

2. Transference of preliminary voter list and personal invitations to the DECs

State Voter Register maintenance bodies should provide one copy of the preliminary voter list and printed personal invitations (according to the Article 32(2) of this Law) to the corresponding precinct election commissions not later that ten days (16 in the previous wording) before the voting day, inside its own premises.

 3. Delivery of personal invitations to the voters

Precinct election commissions of regular polling stations should send or deliver personal invitations, received from the State Voter Register maintenance body, to every voter not later than seven days (12 in the previous wording). Invitations contain information about voter's inclusion in the preliminary voter list of the corresponding polling station, address of the precinct election commission, its phone number, working hours, time and place of voting.

 4. Mandatory 24h GUARD for district election commissions and (upon a request of the CEC) for State Voter Register maintenance bodies

The MIA of Ukraine shall secure 24h guard of district election commissions not later than 10 days before the election day, and upon a request of the Central Election Commission, the guard of State Voter Register maintenance bodies, if it's necessary.

 5. Enhanced security when transporting and transferring the documents to district election commissions

Hence, transportation of election documentation from PECs to DECs (documents are listed in Article 79(10) of the Law of Ukraine on Election of the President of Ukraine), shall be implemented by the head of precinct election commission or deputy head and two members of this commissions, guarded by employees of the bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, or by employees of the Security Service of Ukraine, if the Central Election Commission requests.Only one MIA guard was provided by the previous wording.

 6. Enhanced security during the transportation of election documentation to DECs

Transportation of election documentation of PECs and DECs (documents are listed in Article 83(6) of the Law of Ukraine on Election of the President of Ukraine), shall be implemented by the head of district election commission or deputy head and two members of this commissions (representing two different candidates), guarded by employees of the bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, or by employees of the Security Service of Ukraine, if the Central Election Commission requests. Only one MIA guard was provided by the previous wording.

Text of amendments to the Law of Ukraine on Election of the President of Ukraine.

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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.