2006 Parliamentary Elections in Ukraine

2006 Parliamentary Elections in Ukraine Briefing for UCCA International Election Observers Glossary of Terms/Acronyms CEC – Central Election Commission  TEC – Territorial Election Commission  CoEC – Constituency Election Commissions  PSC – Polling Station Commissions  EC – Election Commissioners  2006 Elections  Ukraine’s Electorate will be voting on March 26th for representatives to: Verkhovna Rada (National Parliament) Local Elections, including elections to the: oblast rada, rayon rada, city council, village council, town council, city mayor, town mayor and village mayor Changes to Ukraine’s Constitution As of January 2006, Ukraine’s Constitution will enact new provisions for the roles of the executive and legislative branches of government  According to the new election law, Ukraine’s political system has been altered from presidential-parliamentary to parliamentary-presidential, giving the legislature the authority to form the government.  Members of Parliament (MPs) will now be elect the prime minister and the cabinet, rather than merely approving Presidential appointment, giving the legislature enhanced power over the executive branch  The term of office for MPs has been increased from 4 to 5 years  Changes to Ukraine’s Election Law     The March 26th parliamentary elections will take place under a new voting system: proportional representation With proportional representation, political parties (blocs) create slates of candidates in multimember districts, and voters cast ballots for parties, not individuals Political parties (blocs) that receive 3% or more of the national vote will be represented in the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) The percentage of votes each political party (bloc) receives directly corresponds to the number (percentage of seats the political party (bloc) will obtain in the Verkhovna Rada Political Parties of Ukraine  The Central Election Commission has registered 45 political parties/blocs for the upcoming parliamentary elections Election Districts in Ukraine Brief overview Example of Election Commissions Central Election Commission (CEC) Territorial Election Commission - 225 District Election Commission District Election Commission Polling Station Commission Polling Station Commission Polling Station Commission Polling Station Commission Territorial Districts There are 225 Territorial Election Districts throughout Ukraine              Crimea – 8 territorial districts Vinnytsia – 11 territorial districts Volyn – 7 territorial districts Dnipropetrovsk – 12 territorial districts Donetsk – 17 territorial districts Zhytomyr – 10 territorial districts Zakarpattia – 5 territorial districts Zaporizhzha – 8 territorial districts Ivano-Frankivsk – 7 territorial districts Kyiv Oblast – 9 territorial districts Kirovohrad – 7 territorial districts Luhansk – 10 territorial districts Lviv – 14 territorial districts               Mykolaiv – 6 territorial districts Odessa – 10 territorial districts Poltava – 9 territorial districts Rivne – 7 territorial districts Sumy – 7 territorial districts Ternopil – 8 territorial districts Kharkiv – 11 territorial districts Kherson – 5 territorial districts Khmelnytsky – 10 territorial districts Cherkassy – 8 territorial districts Chernivetska – 4 territorial districts Chernihiv – 7 territorial districts City of Kyiv – 7 territorial districts City of Sevastopil – 1 territorial district Territorial Districts – Polling Stations  Each territorial district is made up of polling stations. The number of polling stations in each district can range from a few to almost two hundred. For example, Crimea has 8 Territorial Districts      In Territorial District #1 there are 159 polling stations In Territorial District #2 there are 2 polling stations In Territorial District #3 there are 159 polling stations In Territorial District #4 there are 165 polling stations And so on… March 26, 2006 Election Day March 26th - Election Day  Voting Hours have been extended for 3 hours on Election Day.  Polls open at 7AM close at 10PM  Polls Prior to the opening of the Polls Local polling commissions are required to meet before the opening of the polls to obtain and inspect the ballots from the safe box, secure the voting urns, and prepare for voting.  The Preparatory meeting of the PSC commences no earlier than 6:15am  The PSC can begin work provided that the required quorum is present (over half of the members are present)  Opening of the Polls The PSC reviews the following:  Safe box containing the ballots is opened  If the tape that secures the safe has been damaged:  law enforcement agencies are advised immediately;  A record is completed  The ballots are recounted.  The PSC Chair provides all available ballot boxes (urns) for inspection, following examination, each box is sealed and a PSC stamp is affixed to every box Opening of the Polls – Absentee Certificates  The PSC announces the following: The number of absentee voting certificates received by the polling station  the number of voters who received absentee voting certificates  number of voided absentee voting certificates  Voting Tabulation Protocol  Before the voting commences, during the preparatory meeting, the PSC enters the following data on the Protocol;        Number of ballots received by the PSC Number of ballots made by the PSC Number of absentee voting certificate forms received by the PSC Number of voters, who received absentee voting certificates Number of voters included on the Voter List for voting with absentee voting certificates Number of voided absentee voting certificates Number of obliterated ballots Opening of the Polls – Ballots & Ballot Boxes The PSC announces the number of ballots received at the Polling station (or the number is determined and announced); this number is entered into the Protocol  Each ballot box is inspected and sealed (stamped)   A control slip is placed in every ballot box Organizing the Polling Station  The following should be in the line of sight of all the PSC members and observers: The place of the Ballot distribution  Entry and Exit to/from the voting booths  The ballot boxes (urns)  Issuing Ballots to Voters A ballot is given exclusively to a voter who has been entered into the Voter list  A ballot is issued to a voter ONLY on the condition that he/she presents a valid form of identification  A voter shall only be issued ONLY 1 ballot (package of ballots)  A voter shall receive a ballot in person only  A member of the PSC presents the Voters List to the voter for his/her signature  The PSC member enters his/her name and signature on the ballot, on the control coupon  After receiving the ballot, the voter signs the relevant entry on the voter list and the control coupon of his/her ballot  Proof of Identification  A ballot is issued to a voter only if they present proper identification, including:        Passport of a citizen of Ukraine (internal passport) Temporary identification of a citizen of Ukraine (those who have recently acquired citizenship) Military service personnel ID (for conscripted personnel) ID Card or statement issued by a penitentiary institution Foreign travel passport (ONLY at PSCs outside Ukraine) Diplomatic or service passport ( ONLY at PSCs outside Ukraine) Seaman (Crew Member) identification card (ONLY at PSC outside Ukraine) Continued… Issuance of ballots after presentation of other types of documents is forbidden  Documents not listed by the law include:  Invalid or expired documents  Passports issued on passport forms of the former Soviet Union  Actual Voting Procedures Every voter has the right to a secret ballot  It is prohibited for members of the election commissions and other persons to perform acts or disseminate information that could influence a voters’ free will/choice.  Each voter shall cast his/her ballot in person; prohibited to vote on behalf of another person  Mobile Boxes – Mobile Voting A voter may request to vote at their location.  The right to vote at home is afforded to those voters who have been immobilized due to:  Age  Disability  Poor health   Voting is conducted on Election Day by 3 PSC members representing different parties/blocs on the basis of the Excerpt from the Voters List Continued…  During mobile voting, it is forbidden to: Violate a voters right to free choice and ballot secrecy  Conduct the voting using more than one ballot  If it is discovered that there are more ballots than the number of voters, there are grounds not to count theses ballots! Close of Voting The polls CLOSE at 10:00PM  The PSC Chair announces the close of voting  Any voters who are on the premises and have not yet voted, have the right to vote  After the last voter leaves the polling station, the premise is LOCKED  Tabulation of Votes Begins after the voting has closed and the premise has been locked  The tabulation is held in the same premise where the voting took place  The tabulation meeting is held without any intermissions  The meeting ends after completion and signature of the Vote Tabulation Protocol  Continued…  The tabulation is conducted in an open and transparent fashion at the PSC tabulation meeting.  The tabulation is done exclusively by the PSC members and in the presence of those persons who have the right to be present. Protocol Following the Close of the Polls  The following information shall be entered into the Protocol:        # of election ballots received by the PSC # of election ballots produced by the PSA # of unused election ballots # of spoiled election ballots # of voters included in the voter in the election precinct (as of the time of the end of voting) # of voters included in the excerpt (voting by mobile boxes) # of voters included in the voter list for absentee certificates Protocol Continued…         # of voters who received election ballots at polling station # of voters for received election ballots at their place of stay # of voters who received ballots on the basis of absentee certificates total # of voters who received ballots in the election precinct # of election ballots found in each ballot box, indicating the number of the box (urn) # of election ballots that do not count # of voters who took part in the voting at their place of stay # of voters election ballots declared invalid Protocol Continued… # of votes cast for the candidates for deputy included in the electoral lists of each party/bloc  # of absentee certificates forms received by the polling station election commission  # of voters, who received absentee certificates  # of cancelled absentee certificates  Protocol Protocol is invalid if written in pencil  Candidates for deputy, authorized persons of parties/blocs and official observers have the right to sign the 1st & 2nd copies of the protocol if present during the vote tabulation  International Election Observers have the right to: Be present at meetings with voters of candidates for deputy and authorized persons of parties (blocs) at election campaign events, rallies and sessions of election commissions;  Familiarize yourself with election campaign materials; YOU DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO SUPPORT ANY POLITICAL PARTY/BLOC  As a UCCA International Election Observer, you have the right to: Attend any/all meetings of Ukraine’s Central Election Commission  Be present at any/all polling stations on Election Day (without additional permission or invitation)  Observer actions of the PSC members, as long as it does not physically interfere with their work  Be present at the PSC and CoEC meetings, as well as during the vote tabulation  Continued…  Obtain copies of Protocol on  Transfer of ballots Vote Tabulation  If you observe any violations you have the right to… Petition election commissions and/or courts with complaints or records of violations of the law and complete record of violations of the Law (UCCA violation forms will be distributed in Kyiv)  Take measures needed to terminate unlawful actions during the voting and vote tabulation at the PSC  As an International Observer you may also:  Take photos, video and audio recordings, as long as you do not violate the secrecy of the vote  Please be considerate of PSC members and voters when photographing or taking videos As International Observers you DO NOT have the right to.. Interfere with the work of the election commissions without valid reason  Fill out ballots instead of or for voters  Be present in the voting booth in the presence of a voter  UNLAWFUL INTERFERENCE with the work of an election commission may result in administrative liability for the international observer in question.  UCCA Kyiv Briefing  UCCA is hosting 2 Observer Briefings in Kyiv Thursday, March 23rd at 12PM  Friday, March 24th at 12PM  Both Briefings will be held at “Ukrinform” located at Vul. Bohdana Khmelnytskoho 8/16