Ex-Head of Central Election Commission: “COVID pandemy can not cancel local elections in Ukraine”
Ex-Head of Central Election Commission of Ukraine Mykhailo Okhendovky considers that COVID pandemy can not influence terms of local elections.
Anti-epidemic measures may cause lines near election districts.
“Epidemy is not a reason to change the date of voting. Certainly both voters and members of commissions should adapt their behaviour to risks. Anti-epidemic measurements may significantly slow down the voting process by causing lines near election districts. It is necessary to remember some basic rules. Particularly there just 3 voters may stay near the table of commission members. You should demonstrate your passport without giving it to a member of the commission”, - Mykhailo Okhendovky says.He stresses that there is a risk of voter turnout which may be caused by unwillingness of voters to stay in lines.
“If earlier the turnout of 60-65% was considered traditional for Ukraine, now I hope it to be at least 50%. At the same time, there are much more pessimistic scenarios of a possible turnout”, - Mykhailo Okhendovky says.Speaking about the possibility of introduction of martial law or a state of emergency ex-Head of Central Election Commission says that it is unlikely.
“The right to elect power is the constitutional right of every capable adult citizen of Ukraine. There is no legal basis to restrict this right in the context of the ongoing epidemic. In national elections, voting in the past, as a rule, took place on the last Sunday of March or October. These periods have seen peaks of respiratory diseases before”, - he says.