Today, on 30 October, village, settlement and city election commissions should approve the elected heads on the basis of tabulation protocols on the results of village, settlement and city heads elections, schedule the second round or recognize the election as not held. Oblast, city and raion in city TECs are obliged to recognize election outcomes in multi-mandate election district till 4 November.
VINNYTSIA OBLAST, VOLYN OBLAST, DNIPROPETROVSK OBLAST, DONETSK OBLAST, ZHYTOMYR OBLAST, ZAPORIZHIA OBLAST, IVANO-FRANKIVSK OBLAST, KYIV, KYIV OBLAST, KIROVOHRAD OBLAST, LUHANSK OBLAST, LVIV OBLAST, MYKOLAIV OBLAST, ODESA OBLAST, POLTAVA OBLAST, RIVNE OBLAST, SUMY OBLAST, TERNOPIL OBLAST, KHARKIV OBLAST, KHERSON OBLAST, KHMELNYTSK OBLAST, CHERKASY OBLAST, CHERNIHIV OBLAST, CHERNIVTSI OBLAST
OPORA continues watching the process of submitting electoral documentation and tabulation of election results at oblast, raion and city (cities of oblast significance) election commissions.
As of 29 October, territorial enrollment commissions receive and verify electoral documentation within time constraints and in accordance with procedures established by the law. However, members of precinct election commissions have made some technical errors when electoral documentation was stored and transported. These errors have significantly slowed down the process of tabulation within electoral constituencies.
OPORA's observers notice the following main problems at this stage: errors in precinct election commission protocols like divergences in calculations (logical errors), non-filled sections of protocols, inadmissible corrections, wrong calculation of percentage (numbers are rounded off incorrectly).
The TEC has repeatedly sent tabulation protocols for revision to precinct election commissions because they contained paperwork inaccuracies or were packed in an improper manner. If there were any signs that document packages from a precinct election commissions were opened, a territorial commission passed a decision on repeated vote count at the corresponding polling station. Taking into consideration peculiarities of the current multi-level electoral system and the procedure of vote tabulation, repeated count at one precinct causes delays in tabulation of district results.
There is also no software which could automatically process the voting results, i.e. determine a number of mandates and surnames of elected candidates. Thus, territorial election commissions process vote count protocols by hand. At the same time, raion and city election commissions often send their protocols to oblast TEC in an electronic form before original documents are transfered. Then, only after oblast TEC confirms that documents are properly filled in, the corresponding TECs bring deliver original documents.
VINNYTSIA OBLAST
Voting results are still being tabulated at all city and raion TECs in Vinnytsia oblast. The main reason why tabulation is being made for such a long time is that protocols are often returned to PECs because they contain technical errors (incorrectly written numbers, absence of signature by a head or secretary etc.).
Vinnytsi Oblast TEC receives electoral documents in a slow pace. Only 1 of 10 districts had their protocols approved, while all the other were sent for revision. Technical errors in protocols are the main problem why they are rejected.
Vinnytsia City TEC, for its part, receives electoral documentation quickly and pursuant to the schedule. There is only one reason why delays occur in the process of receiving documents – incompetence of PEC members. For example, city TEC had sent 13 PECs to rectify protocols on 27 October and they returned only on 28 October. City TEC has finished receiving PEC vote count protocols in elections to local council. However, it has failed to finish the tabulation of results in its TED because it lacked time for data processing. Main problems on this stage are the absence of discrepancy repots, technical and grammatical errors in PEC protocols. The TEC received all protocols from 158 PECs. There are no raion in city TECs. As for the other problems, we should mention that documents were packed not in conformity with law requirements, and protocols had corrections.
The process of receiving electoral documents is almost equally slow at raion TECs and TECs in cities of oblast significance. For example, Lypovets, Haisyn, Yampil, Kalynivka raion TECs returned protocols from 1-2 PECs in average because they contained technical errors. Most of TECs in Vinnytsia oblast have technical breaks night and continue working in the morning. Thus, the process of receiving protocols is quite slow.
VOLYN OBLAST
All raion and city TECs have received precinct tabulation protocols and tabulation protocols for elections to raion councils. The tabulation of votes in elections to oblast council hasn't been canceled yet. Only 9 raion TECs have submitted tabulation protocols as of 28 October, and started tabulation of election results for elections to raion councils. As for tabulation protocols from city (cities of oblast significance) TECs for elections to oblast council, only Kovel City Election Commission delivered them to oblast election commission. However, as long as there were some inaccuracies noticed in the protocols, the Commission had to correct them.
19 TECs of 20 raion and city (cities of oblast significance) TECs have finished tabulation of votes in elections to oblast council, but Oblast TEC accepted only 29 (45%) of 64 tabulation protocols. As of 12:00 AM on 28 October 2015, 12 TECs delivered tabulation protocols to oblast TEC. However, oblast TEC obliged 5 of these territorial election commissions to correct tabulation results in 8 districts.
On 26 October, only Lutsk Raion Election Commission delivered tabulation protocols to oblast TEC. However, oblast TEC obliged it to correct tabulation results in 2 districts. On 27 October, Lutsk Raion Election Commission delivered corrected tabulation protocols to the oblast TEC. Ivanychivsk and Lokachynsk raion election commissions had also delivered tabulation protocols, but they were returned for correction. On 28 October, oblast election commission accepted tabulation protocols from 8 raion election commissions: in Ivanychivsk, Starovyzhivsk, Turiisk, Liubeshiv, Ratniv, Kovel, Kivertsi, and Rozhysche raions. Besides that, it accepted 2 tabulation protocols from Kovel city and Liuboml raion election commissions. Protocols from Kovel city (2 districts) and Liuboml raion (1 district) election commissions were returned for correction.
Lutsk City Election Commission have finished receiving tabulation protocols from PECs. However, complaints are still being considered and votes are being re-counted in election precincts #071072, 071090, 071076, and 071075. Thus, as for election to oblast council in districts located in Lutsk, the election results haven't been tabulated yet. The commission considers complaints in a very slow pace. On 28 October, the commission made a repeated vote count at Election District #071072 (elections to oblast council), and found one extra ballot paper. The commission couldn't decide for a long time what to do and how to count this ballot. However, the ballots for elections to city council and city mayor haven't been recounted. Besides that, Lutsk Election Commission still has three complaints left for consideration, in which claimants ask the TEC to re-count votes at the polling station.
All the raion election commissions have finished tabulation of votes for elections to oblast council in the corresponding districts. The certain commissions are finishing filling-in the tabulation protocols, or started summarizing election results for mayoral election or elections to raion councils. Novovolynsk City Election Commission has completed tabulation protocols for mayoral election.
Lutsk City Election Commission was the slowest in receiving electoral documents. Thus, Lutsk TEC has been receiving PEC documents for two days on 26 and 27 October. However, protocols of the following 16 commissions were returned for revision: #071025, 071032, 071035, 071046, 071052, 071058, 071065, 071069, 071071, 071073,071075, 071076, 071077, 071083, 071091, 071096. On 27 October at 8:35 PM, preliminary PEC protocols were approved. The final protocols were submitted by PECs on 28 October. On 27 October, Lutsk TEC started consideration of complaints. Thus, the commission received 4 complaints concerning the grounds for repeated vote count. However, consideration of complaints is very slow. The commission is delaying tabulation of election results in such a way.
DNIPROPETROVSK OBLAST
Oblast territorial election commission has approved around 50 protocols. Commissions send the TEC scanned copies, it verifies them and allows (or not) to send original documents.
Dnipropetrovsk City TEC proves to be not very transparent in its activities. One may attend commission meeting only if TEC members or even the head allow, the entrance is guarded by armed men from battalion 'Sicheslav', and two 'titushky' are constantly present in the session hall, presented as journalists but working as personal security of the commission head. Nearly 10 city PECs will re-count ballot papers for elections to oblast council. The commission hasn't received any protocols from raion in the city TEC and is going to receive them only after the ballots for oblast elections are re-counted.
The tabulation process in Leninskyi District TEC in Dnipropetrovsk city is the slowest. The delay is due to a high number of polling stations and slow work of the commission. The other district commissions in the city have approved the protocols from all PECs, but are waiting for a command from city TEC to compile the final tabulation protocol.
DONETSK OBLAST
Kramatorsk City Election Commission has received 100% protocols. The election commission is being processing protocols and compares the received data with information in the electronic database of the election commission. The commission has promised to finish tabulation on 10/29/2015.
A lot of protocols were sent back to precinct election commissions for revision because they contained paperwork inaccuracies or were packed in an improper manner (everything was packed in one package, there were no signatures of all commission members etc.). 4 precinct election commissions had to re-count votes because they failed to pack ballot papers in accordance with the requirements.
Druzhkivka City Election Commission has received 100% protocols. 12 protocols were marked as “corrected”. Special precinct #140834 has declared the election invalid. There were no serious violations detected. Final tabulation protocols for mayoral and council elections are not available yet.
Krasnyi Lyman City Election Commission has received 100% protocols. 10 protocols were marked as “corrected”. Election commission has determined election outcomes for mayoral election. Tabulation for city council elections is still in process.
Dmytrivka City Election Commission has received 100% protocols. Results for mayoral election were tabulated, as well as the results of parties which have overcome 5% threshold in election to city council. Many errors were noticed in protocols submitted by precinct election commissions. Thus, most of them were sent for revision.
Dobropillia City Election Commission has received 100% protocols. During a meeting held on 10/27/2015, the election commission has compiled a final tabulation protocol and determined election outcomes for mayoral and city council elections. There were no serious problems or violations detected.
Sloviansk City Election Commission has received 100% protocols. However, the process of receiving protocols from Sviatohirsk City Election Commission (subordinate to Sloviansk City Election Commission) was quite problematic. Sviatohirsk City Election Commission sent precinct protocols back to polling station #141239 for repeated vote count, because it suspected that they were falsified. On 27 October, Sviatohirsk City Election Commission announced that the final voter list had disappeared from polling station #141239 and, therefore, it was impossible to count votes repeatedly. However, in the evening of October 28, Sloviansk City Election Commission received the protocols from Sviatohirsk City Election Commission.
Besides that, the process of receiving protocols at Sloviansk City Election Commission was delayed by the incident which occurred on 26 October. The Head of Sviatohirsk City Election Commission had lost consciousness on commission meeting, fell on packed documents from one precinct election commissions and damaged the stamped seal. As a result, Sviatohirsk City Election Commission decided to conduct a repeated vote count at the corresponding precinct. Tabulation of election results for Sloviansk City Mayor is going to be finished on 29 October, and the results for city council election – on 30 October.
Artemivsk Raion Election Commission has received 100% protocols. The Commission has determined results in election to raion council.
Velyka Novosilka Raion Election Commission has received 100% protocols. There were no serious violations or problems detected.
Oleksandrivka Raion Election Commission has received 100% protocols. 1 protocol was sent to precinct election commission for revision. There were no serious violations or problems detected. Preliminary election results are going to be ready on 11/2/2015.
Dobropillia Raion Election Commission has received 100% protocols. 3 of them were sent for revision. Village election commissions were reporting quite for a long time at raion election commission. Election results for raion councils haven't been determined yet.
Krasnoarmiisk Raion Election Commission has received 100% protocols. 3 of them were sent for revision. Village election commissions were reporting quite for a long time at raion election commission. Election results for raion councils haven't been determined yet.
The processes of receiving precinct protocols was the slowest in Sloviansk and Kramatorsk city election commissions. Delays in Kramatorsk City Election Commission were caused by a large number of protocols sent for revision to precinct election commissions because they contained paperwork inaccuracies or were packed in an improper manner.
ZHYTOMYR OBLAST
Almost all raion TECs have finished receiving electoral documents from precinct election commissions. The tabulation process is also coming to an end. It's already known which parties have overcame 5% threshold, as well as the number of votes in percentage given for candidates in electoral districts.
Oblast TEC has started receiving the protocols on 27 October. As of 8:00 PM on 28 October, 17 raion TECs have delivered their protocols. However, only 3 of them were accepted. 14 protocols were sent for revision. Protocol are usually sent for revision because of technical errors made by precinct and raion election commissions. Zhytomyr City TEC hasn't delivered the protocols to oblast TEC.
As of 8:00 PM on 28 October, city TEc has approved a protocol submitted by Bohunskyi District Election Commission in Zhytomyr. Koroliovskyi District Election Commission in Zhytomyr still has to revise 3 precinct protocols.
Almost all the TECs have received precinct protocols. Thus, they are almost processed and tabulated. Cherniakhiv Raion Election Commission hasn't determined election results yet (it is waiting for documents and protocols from Cherniakhiv Settlement Election Commission). The Head explains that there were no problems (as well as in all election commissions of the region) and the election commission was planning to submit its electoral documents, but Cherniakhiv TEC couldn't receive them. Therefore, the documents will be submitted on 29 October. Thus, all TECs in the region are going to have all precinct protocols on 29 October. The delay is explained by piles of numbers which must be processed and tabulated.
ZAPORIZHIA OBLAST
The tabulation processes is standard overall. As of 8:00 PM on 28 October, 5 cities of oblast significance and 20 raions have already submitted their protocols to oblast TEC: city of Toknak (districts #83, 84) and raions: Yakymivka (#43), Rozivka (#40), Prymorskyi (#38, 39), Pryazovske (#36, 37), Polohy (#33-35), Orikhiv (#30-32), Novomykolaivka (#29), Mykhailivka (#27, 28), Melitopol (#24, 25), Kuibyshev (#22, 23), Kamianka-Dniprovska (#19, 20), Zaporizhia (#15, 20), and Huliaipole (#13, 14), Vilniansk (#12), Velyka Bilozerka (#8). Protocols from the following raions were sent for revision: Yakymivka (#44), Melitopol (#26), Kamianka-Dniprovska (#21), Vilniansk (#11). Thus, over 30% districts have submitted the protocols to oblast council (84 districts in total).
On 28 October, Zaporizhia City Election Commission has processed all the protocols in election to oblast council (316 polling stations). 7 raion election commissions have already processed precinct protocols for Zaporizhzhia mayoral and council election. However, the tabulation processes is still delayed due to a number of reasons. For example, candidate for Zaporizhia City Mayor Yaroslav Hryshyn (UKROP) has filed 11 lawsuits demanding to determine the voting in a number of PECs as void. The cases are being under consideration in Ordzhonikidzevskyi and Zhovtnevyi district courts.
Besides that, a controversy has occurred in Zaporizhia TEC. Members couldn't decide whether districts election commissions in Zaporizhia city should include percentage of votes casted for local party organizations and candidates nominated in districts into their final tabulation protocols. This requirement is established by section 13 of the tabulation protocol form for territorial election commission in elections to oblast, raions, city, rayon in city councils in multi-mandate election district, approved by CEC Resolution #179 of 8/25/2015. Thus, some TEC members are convinced that districts election commissions in Zaporizhia city don't have the right to fill in this section in protocol, because they only provide vote count results to Zaporizhia City TEC but not determine election results. The Commission has even requested CEC explanation on the matter but, according to TEC Secretary Serhii Uzhva, the CEC is going to consider the request only tomorrow. As a result, Zaporizhia City Election Commission do not accept protocols from raion election commissions and, therefore, delays the tabulation process. In the morning of October 29, the commission approved protocols of Komunarivskyi and Leninskyi district election commissions in Zaporizhia city (5 commissions have left).
Besides Zaporizhia city, this process is slower in Berdiansk and Melitopol election commissions: there are complaints filed by a number of electoral subjects. On 27 October, Melitopol City Election Commission has received a complaint from representatives of the Strong Ukraine political party concerning serious violations at six polling stations (#740, 741, 736, 723, 726, 721), which were properly reported by commission members, demanding re-count of votes at these polling stations. The commission has considered the abovementioned complaint during evening meeting on 28 October. Representative of the Strong Ukraine jurist Viktoriia Denysenko was attending the consideration. She said that party representatives (observers, proxies of candidates) have detected numerous violations at these polling stations, and submitted complaints and acts to the PEC. When jurist of Melitopol TEC Kostiantyna Horbachova asked whether they have copies of these complaints and acts or results of consideration in the PEC, party representative didn't have an answer. Thus, the commission decided to decline the request for re-count of votes at the abovementioned PECs.
Then, Melitopol Mayor candidate Oleksii Prokofiev has affirmed that one polling station in Melitopol wasn't included in any district and, therefore, election results are distorted. The TEC decided not to announce election results before oblast TEC provides official sealed document.
IVANO-FRANKIVSK OBLAST
The process of receiving documents is delayed in oblast TEC, because protocols from raion and city TECs contain technical errors and are sent for revision.
As of morning on October 29, oblast TEC has already received 70 protocols, 23 of which were sent for revision because of technical errors and inaccuracies. 14 protocols are still going to be received from three TECs , as long as Kosiv, Verkhovyna, and Sniatyn raion election commissions haven't submitted vote count protocols.
12 protocols of Ivano-Frankivsk City Election Commission, 2 protocols of Kolomyia City Election Commission, 1 protocol of Kolomyia Raion Election Commission, 3 protocols of Halychyna Raion Election Commission, 1 protocol of Bolekhiv City Election Commission, and 4 protocols of Kalush Raion Election Commission are still being revised.
Ivano-Frankivsk City Election Commission was the first in oblast which has processed all precinct protocols and, moreover, the only one commission which has managed to do this during one uninterrupted meeting. Although the voting results for election to oblast council in territorial electoral districts are determined, the TEC hasn't approved all the protocols, and 12 of 14 are being revised.
Almost all the precinct protocols for elections to raion and city of oblast significance councils were processed by TECs, but territorial election commissions didn't accept final tabulation protocols. The delay is due to the fact that TECs were processing protocols for oblast council at first, and then started revising mistakes in protocols ( some are still revising), detected by oblast election commission. For example, Kolomyia and Halychyna raion TECs are revising the protocols for the second time. Tabulation of election results to city council in the city of Yaremche is delayed because the votes were re-counted at a polling station in the village of Mykuluchun (recount was made on 28 October). Horodenka Raion Election Commission hasn't determined election results to raion council because it is still waiting for a revised protocol of one PEC. Bolekhiv City Election Commission has similar issues, waiting for revised protocols from five PECs. Delays in the tabulation process are also due to the absence of software which could automatically process the voting results, i.e. determine a number of mandates and surnames of elected candidates. Thus, territorial election commissions process vote count protocols by hand.
KYIV
Kyiv City Election Commission has approved vote count protocols from 3 of 10 PECs. Pecherskyi and Holosiivskyi district election commissions have already submitted electoral documents. Protocols of Desnianskyi district election commission were sent for revision (because of a technical error). Darnytskyi DEC is planning to submit documents at 11 AM on October 29. Podolskyi DEC is the most problematic for now, with a number of PECs recounting votes. Tabulation at some DECs was also delayed because of complaints and demands for re-count of votes at the certain PECs.
KYIV OBLAST
Kyiv Oblast Election Commission started receiving electoral documents on 27 October. Oblast TEC has developed a schedule for election commissions to avoid queues. The process of receiving electoral documents corresponds to law requirements.
As of 28 October, 5 of 12 city election commissions of cities of oblast significance has transferred their documents: Slavuta, Bucha, Berezan, Obukhiv, Rzhyschiv, and 4 of 25 raion election commissions in the following raions: Baryshivka, Poliske, Boryspil (besides district #9), Volodarka.
Documents of 7 election commissions were sent for revision. Documents of 1 commission were not accepted because the commission didn't delegate 3 representatives to submit them, and delegated transportation of electoral documents to oblast election commission. Zhurivka Raion Election Commission arrived with election commission seal, and tried to present a driver as a commission member. Boryspil City Election Commission has submitted non-stitched and non-packed vote count protocols. Stavysche Raion Election Commission, Skvyra Raion Election Commission, Fastiv Raion Election Commission, Tarascha Raion Election Commission, Kaharlyk Raion Election Commission were asked to revise the election documents due to the absence of discrepancy reports (discrepancies in the number of ballots).
Bohuslav Raion TEC is still receiving the protocols from city election commission, as long as two PECs have mixed protocols addressed to different TECs and, therefore, have to recount votes at the corresponding polling stations. Skvyra Raion Election Commission has already received all PEC protocols, but doesn't deliver them to oblast election commission for unknown reasons. Myronivka Raion Election Commission has reported that counted ballots of one mayoral candidate were stolen. Law-enforcement bodies are working on the site. Vasylkiv City Election Commision has a high-principled head, who sticks to the procedure and sends a lot of PECs for revision and recount.
KIROVOHRAD OBLAST
As 10:00 PM of October 28, nearly 28% of protocols were are approved by Kirovohrad Oblast Territorial Commission. Such tendency is caused by the fact that oblast TEC returns a lot of protocols for revision due to the technical errors.
Kirovohrad City Territorial Election Commission has finished receiving vote count protocols for oblast council elections. The tabulation is delayed because all the numbers in protocols are verified “by hand”. City TEC didn't approve the protocols of raion TECs. The problem is that mayoral candidate A. Tabalov (Nash Krai) and the Opposition Bloc party started lawsuits against raion TECs. The Radical Party of Oleh Liashko, for its part, has filed complaints. In two district (election to oblast council), the printed ballots contained errors – candidates were mixed (districts #45 and 46). Thus, their results are not going to be counted in total results.
Major issues occur on the stage of receiving PEC protocols. City TEC has often sent them for revision due to the technical errors. PEC members were making mistakes in the number of voters the most often. The process of receiving protocols in Kirovohrad Raion in City Election Commission is the slowest in Kirovohrad city.
LUHANSK OBLAST
Sievierodonetsk City Election Commission has received all the vote count protocols and is working on the final tabulation protocol to determine election results.
Besides that, Sievirodonetsk City Election Commission has decided on its meeting on 27 October 2015 to declare the voting void at a polling station #441162 in district #1 (elections to Sievirodonetsk City Council), and applied to the Central Election Commission with its resolution asking to conduct the repeated voting at this polling station.
Bilovodsk, Novopskov, Starobilsk, and Lysychansk raion election commissions have received all the vote count protocols and is working on the final tabulation protocol to determine election results. Kreminna Raion Election Commission is still receiving the protocols.
Elections to Novoaidar Raion Council were declared void due to the impossibility to form a complete membership of the council (34 persons). According to the election results, only 20 of 34 council members were elected, what is less than two thirds of the required membership.
LVIV OBLAST
Lviv DEC has received the first consolidated protocol for elections to Lviv Oblast Council on 27 October from a city of oblast significance – Truskavets. Submission of electoral documents continued yesterday. The commission is supposed to receive protocols of 20 raion TECs and 9 TECs from the cities of oblast significance. However, as of the morning on 29 Octover, only 10 protocols have been received. The majority of other TECs are planning to deliver the documents on Thursday-Friday. We haven't noticed any problems at this stage, as long as oblast election commission has developed an electronic data verification system based on GoogleDocs. Thus, each commission was filling in data online and, if everything matched, it could deliver the protocols to Lviv Oblast Election Commission.
The process of receiving documents in Lviv City Commission is not as open as in oblast commission, what caused the certain problems. The first problem is, according to observers, that commission was divided into two part when receiving PEC documentation. Such situation occurred when PEC representatives have still been waiting in long queues at 3-4 AM. The second issue – periodical breaks in the functioning of commission. Thus, the first break was made on 26 October, allegedly to give all the commissions time to transfer to their regular spots from Arena Lviv (where they held off-site meetings). Commission Head had informed that the transfer is going to continue till morning of 27 October. Election Commission has received almost all protocols for oblast council election. As of the morning on October 29, only hree Vynnyky PECs haven't delivered the protocols. These PECs are going to deliver them on October 29.
As for the protocols for raion TECs in city council and mayor election, only 4 of 9 commissions have delivered them as of the morning of October 29. In general, all raion TECs and TECs in the cities of oblast significance are working at the same pace. TECs, which had recounted votes, are planning to compile vote district count protocols only today. TEC, which didn't recount, have compiled the corresponding protocol after previous verification of the data in an online form, and are going to deliver it to Lviv Oblast Election Commission. As we have already mentioned, most of the protocols are expected to be delivered to Lviv Oblast Commission on 29 October.
MYKOLAIV OBLAST
As of 10:00 PM on October 28, oblast TEC has accepted protocols from 9 of 24 raion election commissions: Bashtanka (districts #3, 4, 5), Berezan (districts #6, 7), Veselynove (districts #11, 12), Vradiivka (district #15), Zhovtneve (districts #19, 20, 21, 22), Kazanka (districts #23, 24), Kryve Ozero (districts #25, 26), Novyi Buh (districts #30, 31), Pervomaisk (districts #36, 37) raion election commissions.
Main technical errors made by commissions: percentage of the vote counted incorrectly, errors in party names and/or the absence of full names of candidates, paperwork inaccuracies in discrepancy acts for quantity of issued an received ballots, protocols without seals, violation of ballot transportation requirements (brought in simple plastic folder), corrections in protocols and acts. These errors became the basis for protocol revision, which delayed the tabulation process.
Mykolaiv City Election Commission has been receiving electoral documents for more than 2 days: the process started at night on October 26 and continued until the morning on October 28 when revised protocols for oblast council elections were received. As of 10:00 PM on October 28, Mykolaiv City TEC had still been submitting the protocols from 12 districts (oblast council election).
As for Mykolaiv mayoral and city council election, city TEC has received on 27 October a protocol of one raion commission (Korabelnyi District Election Commission in Mykolaiv city), and PECs in this district.
On 28 October, all TECs in raions and cities of oblast significance received precinct protocols. Pervomaisk City Election Commission was the slowest, as long as it obliged 6 precinct election commissions to re-count votes.
ODESA OBLAST
Odesa Oblast Election Commission has managed to consider 22 of 84 protocols on determination of election results in election districts. 12 of them were sent for revision. None of TECs in cities of oblast significance have started to transfer vote count protocols for election districts in the city. The major issue: lower-level TECs tabulate the voting results slowly. For example, raion TECs and TECs in cities of oblast significance made almost day-long breaks when holding their continuous meeting.
City TEC in oblast center has finished receiving electoral documents from raion in city TECs (mayoral and city council elections) at around 3 AM on October 28. PEC documents in election to oblast council were all received in the evening of October 27. Voting results haven't been determined on the level of TECs in election to Odesa Oblast Council. Odesa City Election Commission made a break during its continuous meeting dedicated to determination of election results in oblast council elections, because city council session was called to announce elected members and city mayor as soon as the results for city council and mayoral elections were determined. Thus, Odesa City Election Commission started tabulating the results for oblast council election only in the evening of October 28.
The process of receiving electoral documents in the slowest in cities of oblast significance. Firstly, transportation of election documents from village TECs took a lot of time, what delayed the tabulation process. Secondly, the more voters a raion or city of oblast significance had, the slower the process of submitting documents was.
The following election commission haven't determined election results yet despite the process of receiving documents had finished on 27 October: Reni raion election commission, Ismail raion and city election commissions, Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi raion and city election commissions, Illichivsk city election commission, Kotovsk raion and city election commissions. All the abovementioned TEC have had breaks for more than 12 hours, explaining such "technical breaks" by the need to have rest.
Besides that, Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi City Election Commission received the documents only from Zatoka PEC on 27 October, where vote count started only at 7 AM of October 26 (in accordance with decision passed by city PEC). Electoral documents of other PECs were received on 26 October.
Kotovsk City Election Commission had been recounting the votes from one polling station on 27 October as well as deciding to recognize a number of ballot papers as void or not. Electoral documents of other PECs were received before 27 October.
Illichivsk City Election Commission had finished receiving electoral documents from PECs on 26 October. On 27 October, the Commission had recounted the votes at one polling station.
POLTAVA OBLAST
Poltava City TEC hasn't tabulated election outcomes for mayoral election in Poltava because there were some problems in the certain PECs of Kyivskyi district of Poltava city (ink was spilled on a seal of one PEC). Besides that, commission members at some precincts can't decide in which order to start counting the votes and cause delays. Kremenchuk city and raion commissions have already announced vote count results.
Poltava Oblast Election Commission is still waiting for 28 (of 84) protocols from districts. Lubny city and raion TECs have several time postponed the transportation of electoral documents to Poltava Oblast Election Commission. Kyiv District in City TEC hasn't submitted any protocols yet. All the other TECs have submitted their documents.
RIVNE OBLAST
As of October 29, Rivne Oblast Election Commission has received tabulation protocols from 57 of 64 territorial districts. 36 protocols were accepted and 21 are still on revision. Berezne and Dubrovytsia raion election commissions haven't arrived to submit documents yet.
As of 10:30 PM of October 26, Rivne City Election Commission has received electoral documents from all PECs of the city. However, 12 of 106 precinct protocols were sent for revision. On 27 October, the commission has transferred the results of oblast council election to Rivne Oblast Election Commission. The only problem was the queues. They were especially long at 3-6 AM of October 26, when most of PECs came to the city election commission to submit their documentation.
Kostopil Raion Election Commission has held back the documents of Kostopil City Election Commission. The reason was that stamped and signed protocols without calculation of votes given for candidates were found at one polling station. The incident was reported to law-enforcement and protocol of electoral law violation was drawn up. Besides that, the City Election Commission took a decision on repeated count of votes. Tabulation protocols for oblast council election were transferred to Rivne Oblast Election Commission.
As of October 26, Hoscha Raion Election Commission submitted the protocol to oblast election commission. As of 28 October, the final tabulation protocol for raion council election is being prepared. On 28 October, an observer representing the Radical Party of Oleh Liashko has filed a complaint asking to re-count the votes at PE #560105, as long as he couldn't agree to the results. However, the complaint wasn't considered because it was not written in accordance with requirements of Article 96 (1) of the Law of Ukraine on Local Elections, and the protocol that the observer provided didn't match with the original and contained significant errors.
As of 10 PM of October 28, Zdolbuniv Raion Election Commission hasn't determined the results of election to raion council (despite the protocols were received), and Rivne Oblast Election Commission has returned the tabulation protocols from oblast council election for revision because of the situation at PEC #560401 (district #20), where ballot papers of another district (19) were used during the voting. Zdolbuniv Raion Election Commission still has to decide how to count these 18 votes. The Commission will continue working on 29 October.
SUMY OBLAST
Oblast TEC has approved the protocols from 13 districts (of 64). Sumy raion and city election commissions, as well as Konotop city, Krasnopillia raion, Hlukhiv raion and Okhtyrka raion election commissions haven't delivered electoral documents yet. A lot of protocols were sent for revision because numbers were rounded off incorrectly.
Sumy City TEC has received the last PEC protocol at 10 AM on Monday, 27 October. Thus, it is waiting for final protocols from raion in city election commissions. The meeting on determination of election results was scheduled for 11 AM of October 29. Sumy City TEC is delayed mostly because of a slow vote count at raion in city election commissions.
Konotop Raion TEC has finished receiving the documents at 2 PM of October 20, and took a break till 10 AM of October 27. The protocols haven't been signed yet. AUU Svoboda has filed a lawsuit against Kozatske Village Election Commission of Konotop raion. The data are being verified now. The court was postponed till 10 AM of October 29. AUU Svoboda has organized a rally near city court. Konotop City TEC has finished receivng the documents at 10 AM of October 27. At 2 PM, representatives of the Radical Party of Oleh Liashko had upset commission's work. Law-enforcement bodies were called. Commission took a break till 11 AM of October 27. On 27 October, commission members representing of the Radical Party questioned the results of computer vote count at precincts. The protocols are being re-counted by hand now. Besides that, vote of no confidence was given to commission secretary and system administrator. Commission meeting was scheduled for 11 AM of October 29, and the Secretary took a health leave of absence.
Lebedyn City TEC has finished receiving documents on Monday, October 27 at 12:30 PM; Lebedyn Raion TEC – also on Monday, October 27 at 10:30 AM. However, data verification and revision of errors are still being made at all precincts.
TERNOPIL OBLAST
The process of receiving documents is quite slow, as long as protocols of raion and city TECs contain errors, are wrongly packed, names of local party cells are not complete, and percentage of votes is rounded off incorrectly.
As of 10 AM of October 29, Oblast TEC has received all the protocols of Terebovlia and Zboriv raion TECs. As of 11 AM of October 29, Oblast TEC has received 36 of 64 protocols.
City TEC in oblast center has finished receiving PEC vote count protocols in elections to oblast council. City TEC had determined the results of election to oblast council in its territorial election districts. However, Oblast TEC didn't accept these protocols because of technical errors and mistakes. Head of City TEC V.P. Drozda made some mistakes when announcing tabulation results on the meeting and, as a result, the corresponding data had to be specified. Another problem was inaccurate calculation of percentage.
The process of receiving protocols and tabulation of election results is the slowest in Kremenets raion and city TECs, Lanivtsi city and raion TECs, and Chortkiv city and raion TECs. These delays are due to low qualification of the commission members, frequent technical breaks, and inaccuracies in the data.
KHARKIV OBLAST
The documents are received very slowly in Kharkiv oblast election commission due to a several reasons. Firstly, raion and city (cities of oblast significance) TECs receive electoral documentation and tabulate the results at a very slow pace. Secondly, oblast election commission has established a schedule for raion and city (cities of oblast significance) election commissions, approximately from 8 AM to 6 PM, and has the technical break then (although the commission itself doesn't call it a break), as long as neither raion nor city (cities of oblast significance) bring the documents at night.
Thus, Kharkiv Oblast Election Commission has already received protocols from 16 (of 34) raion and city (cities of oblast significance) election commissions.
The major issues at this stage: chaotic work of oblast election commission, which was formed in less than two weeks before the election day; protocols of some election commissions had to be revised. The reasons why protocols had to be revised: raion and city (cities of oblast significance) election commissions don't indicate the number of district in protocols, numbers are rounded off incorrectly, electoral documents are wrongly packed, surnames of candidates are not indicated etc. 5 of 16 protocols were sent for revision. These protocols were submitted by Kranohrad Raion Election Commission, Pervomaisk Raion Election Commission, Chuhuiv City Election Commission, Izium Raion Election Commission, and Shevchenkove Raion Election Commission. The latter was sent to revise the protocols yet on Monday, and it hasn't returned to the oblast TEC yet.
In Kharkiv City Election Commission, the process of receiving documents is more organized. Kharkiv City Election Commission has finished receiving vote count protocols in elections to oblast council on 27 October. However, it hasn't tabulated results for oblast council election in its district yet due to minor technical delays. In particular, Kharkiv City Election Commission considered yesterday the fact that one PEC was sent to recount votes on 26 October. However, on 28 October, none of commission members could remember which election commission was sent for recount. Thus, city election commission decided to revise all 601 document packages to find those commission if it was there.
Kharkiv City Election Commission started receiving the protocols of raion in city election commissions at 9 AM of October 29.
Raion and city (cities of oblast significance) election commissions has finished receiving electoral documents. The election results are being tabulated now.
Izium Raion Election Commission has delayed tabulation of election results because Kapytolivka Village Election Commission delivered revised protocols only at 4 PM of October 28.
Velykyi Burluk Raion Election Commission is now working on tabulation protocol for elections to Kharkiv Oblast Council. Thus, it hasn't even started tabulation for elections to Velykyi Burluk Raion Council.
Sakhnovschyna Raion Election Commission is now working on the tabulation protocol for elections to Kharkiv Oblast Council in multi-mandate election district. However, its protocol wasn't accepted and the commission was sent to revise it. Commission Head Lidiia Viktorivna Artemenko has informed that the protocol will be submitted to Kharkiv Oblast Election Commission on October 29.
On October 28, Kharkiv Oblast Election Commission has finished receiving electoral documents. The process continued until 28 October because many PECs were transferring electoral documents (more than 101 PECs).
Head of Zolochiv Raion Election Commission Yelyzaveta Vasylivna Solovykh has informed that the commission hasn't submitted a tabulation protocol to oblast commission despite all the other commissions have already delivered their electoral documentation, accepted by Zolochiv Raion Election Commission. This delay occurred because of controversy around election results tabulation, as well as complaints against decisions and actions of the commission filed by the certain electoral subjects to law-enforcement bodies (militia and public prosecution department). These very facts significantly complicate determination of final election results.
KHERSON OBLAST
The key problem which has caused significant delay in tabulation of election results was low qualification of PEC members. Thus, it has influenced the quality of electoral documents. For example, Kakhovka City TEC hasn't approved any protocol without sending them for revision. Therefore, oblast TEC started receiving electoral documentation only at night of October 27 and almost for the whole day on October 28. It should be mentioned that commissions send electronic copies of protocols to oblast TEC before their delivery. Thus, they transfer original documents to oblast TEC only after it approves electronic copies. Besides that, if the votes are recounted at least at one precinct, the tabulation may be delayed in the whole district because of a multi-level electoral system.
There are 64 electoral districts for elections to Kherson Oblast Council. According to the data provided by our observer, oblast election commission has already received almost all district-level tabulation protocols as of 28 October. Only districts #37-41, 44 (Hola Prystan) and one district in Kakhovka have left. Thus, 8 of 64 districts have left. As of 9 AM of October 29, Hola Prystan, Tsiuriupynsk, and Chaplyn raion election commissions haven't delivered electoral documents yet. They are still waiting for final vote count results from 2-4 precincts.
October 29, raion in city of Kherson commissions started submitting electoral documents. Kherson City TEC has already delivered the documents to Kherson Oblast TEC. As of 8:30 AM, Kherson City TEC has started receiving documents from raion in city TECs. Dniprovskyi District in Kherson TEC submits the documents first.
The process of receiving documents was the slowest in Kakhovka. All precinct election commissions were sent to revise their protocols. Election commissions in Kherson, Tsiuriupynsk, Hola Prystanm Henichesk, and Biloozerka raions have also recounted ballot papers. The main reason why the protocols were sent for revision or recount was the paperwork errors, absence of the certain acts or divergences in calculations.
KHMELNYTSK OBLAST
The vote count and tabulation are made in a regular manner. As for the problems, there were technical errors in protocols submitted by precinct and territorial election commissions.
Khmelnytsk Oblast Council has received protocols from 17 of 84 districts. Only 5 of 26 TECs have submitted all the protocols. The other are still going to deliver oblast protocols to oblast TEC. The main problem is that raion and city TECs bring protocols in which the numbers are not rounded to third digit after comma. As a result, the protocols are sent for revision. Sometimes the documents brought by TECs were not accepted because they were packed in an improper manner.
City TEC in oblast center has accepted all the protocols from PECs. However, it hasn't tabulated the election results in election to oblast council within its TED because it's still not clear which polling stations belong to districts for oblast council election. According to the city TEC, it has appealed to oblast TEC for such information, and received the answer that all this information is availabe on website of the CEC. City election commission is processing the data now. They are planning to finish the process and ascertain the results on a meeting scheduled for 6 PM.
CHERKASY OBLAST
Most of raion election commissions promise to deliver the protocols to oblast election commission and promulgate election results for their TEDs. City commissions have finished the tabulation faster, but not all of them have already promulgated the results, and some are still in the process of tabulation. There are some problems and conflicts emerging in Cherkasy city during tabulation of results for city mayor and council elections.
Cherkasy Oblast Election Commission has accepted only 4 protocols of raion commissions. Another 5 protocols were sent for revision (from 20 raions and 6 cities of oblast significance).
The rest of TECs promised to deliver their protocols today.
Cherkasy City Election Commission has considered 125 of 127 precinct protocols for oblast council elections. Two PECs hasn't submitted their protocols yet. Thus, the TEC hasn't tabulated election results for oblast councils within its TED.
Prydniprovskyi and Sosnivsk District Election Commissions in Cherkasy city face the certain difficulties and conflicts. Thus, Prydniprovsk Raion TEC passed a decision on repeated vote count at 11 polling stations on the basis of a complaint filed by a proxy of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc 'Solidarity'. It should be mentioned, however, that ID copy didn't have a wet stamp, and the reasons of repeated count were not specified besides a general wording “numerous violations”. Besides that, Petro Poroshenko Bloc 'Solidarity' has substituted he Head of Sosnivsk District TEC on 27 October, causing around 3 hour delay if functioning of the corresponding TEC. Similar decision on recount of votes at four polling stations was taken by Sosnivsk District Commission in Cherkasy city. However, Cherkasy City Election Commission has suspended the recount in both raion TECs. There were also some substitutions in both raion election commissions (2 commission members in Prydniprovskyi and 1 in Sosnivskyi district election commission).
CHERNIHIV OBLAST
As of 9:00 AM of October 29, Chernihiv Oblast District Election Commission has accepted 46 protocols of 64 submitted. The major issues at this stage: firstly, raion and city election commissions count the votes very slowly; secondly, there are mistakes in documents delivered by TECs to the DEC. There were various mistakes noticed: discrepancies in the number of received and used ballot papers (often), absence of discrepancy reports, and wrong number of valid ballots causing discrepancies in totals, incomplete number of signatures.
As of the morning of October 29, Chernihiv City Election Commission has finished receiving oblast election protocols and ballots from PECs. The Commission is preparing now tabulation protocols for elections to Chernihiv Oblast Council and hasn't promulgated election results within its TED for oblast council elections. Low qualification of PEC members who made mistakes and technical errors in protocols caused delays in the process of delivering them to city TEC tabulating results of elections to Chernihiv Oblast Council.
The overall process of receiving electoral documents and tabulation of election results in raion and city TECs is, for its most part, quite regular and without delays. Most of the TECs are now processing protocols for raion council elections. According to OPORA's observers, the speed of commission work is mostly influenced by qualification level of commission members and dimensions of raions.
CHERNIVTSI OBLAST
Oblast TEC has accepted most of protocols from raion TECs (Khotyn, Storozhynets, Vyzhnytsia raion election commissions and Chernivtsi City Election Commission haven't delivered electoral documents yet). 93% of protocols are processed. Oblast election commission is processing protocols much slower than city election commission. As a result, some political parties have affirmed that delayed process of receiving protocols may be a sign of possible falsifications. However, OPORA's observers didn't notice any unlawful actions of commission members. The main problem is that oblast TEC has to return protocols for revision due to the errors.
Chernivtsi City Election Commission works quite well. Commission members have already received all the protocols and electoral documents of precinct election commissions in Chernivtsi for elections to Chernivtsi Oblast Council. However, Chernivtsi City Election Commission passed a decision on repeated vote count at precinct election commissions #730449, 730451, 730482, and 730514 in accordance with Article 83 (9) of the Law of Ukraine on Local Elections. Territorial election commission, for its part, has accomplished the recount in accordance with law requirements. The main problem in transfer of electoral documents was that protocols and acts of Chernivtsi City Election Commission wee returned to PECs for revision (only party names included, discrepancies in the number of ballot papers, and incorrectly drawn up act). It should be mentioned that members of PECs holding managerial positions were often re-writing documents right next to the premises of Chernivtsi City Election Commission, and had PEC stamps with them, what is against the Law.
The process of receiving electoral documents and tabulation of election results is the slowest in Sokyriany raion and city election commissions, as well as in Kelmentsi, Novodnistrovsk, Storozhynets, and Vyzhnytsia raion election commissions.
For comment, please contact: Oleksandr Neberykut, 063 628 68 37.
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Reference:
Civil Network OPORA conducts citizen observation of local elections in Ukraine, scheduled for 25 October 2015. 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. 144 long-term observers were deployed to all Ukrainian regions on 5 September, and 3000 short-term observers will join them on the election day. Follow the latest news on OPORA's website andMap of Violations “2015 Local Elections”. We recommend that every observer, journalist and active citizen downloads application “Local Elections” for Android.