23 July 2014
MEDIA RELEASE
Ukrainian World Congress International Election Observation Mission offers recommendations for Ukrainian electoral process in Final Report
On 23 July 2014 the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) International Election Observation Mission, which numbered 236 observers from 22 countries, released its Final Report confirming that the early 2014 Presidential Election in Ukraine on 25 May 2014 met international standards for the conduct of democratic elections.
Although UWC observers noted isolated infractions during their mission, these shortcomings did not impact the election results. Most voters were able to express their will on Election Day, despite the complicated situation in Eastern and Southern Ukraine. Voter turnout surpassing 60% (excluding those regions not under government control) signified that a majority of Ukraine’s population was able to fully participate in the political processes of the country.
The UWC Mission offered several recommendations for potential improvements to the electoral process, including:
(i) Presidential elections should be held separately from municipal elections in order to avoid complicated administrative procedures and long waiting times for voters;
(ii) Voters should be granted the right to submit their complaints and be added to the voters’ lists on Election Day provided their claims are substantiated; and
(iii) Ukrainian citizens residing abroad should be provided with opportunities to exercise their voting right not only at the Embassies/Consulates, but also at polling stations organized beyond the diplomatic representations of Ukraine.
“As with former UWC election observation missions, the UWC deployed a mission comprised of volunteers who monitored and reported on these crucial elections in Ukraine. I believe that this is a testament to the quality of our mission and the dedication of our observers from 22 countries who observed democracy in action during the Early Presidential Election on 25 May 2014,” stated UWC Head of Mission Judge Bohdan Futey.
