OSCE reviews results of voter-awareness campaign run ahead of October parliamentary elections in Ukraine

Lessons learned during the implementation of voter-awareness activities supported by the OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Ukraine (PCU) in the run-up to the 2012 parliamentary elections in the country were discussed at a conference in Kyiv on 11 December 2012.

The results of polls conducted before and after the elections showed improved awareness among voters of all the topics covered during the campaign, including on voting procedures, the compilation of voter lists and the prevention of vote buying.

Participants agreed that there remained a strong need to continue raising awareness among Ukrainian voters in the future. They suggested that this be done through better co-operation between governmental and non-governmental institutions, more active use of modern information technologies and new media, engaging public-opinion leaders and the general public. They specifically stressed the need for voter-awareness activities in the period between elections.

The event, co-organized with the Central Election Commission of Ukraine (CEC), brought together representatives of the country’s non-governmental organizations, the international community, election experts, as well as the OSCE’s partners and other stakeholders involved in the implementation of the campaign ahead of the recent elections and also involved in assessing its effectiveness. The main points from the discussion will be summarized in a final document that will be shared with the CEC and all interested parties.

The conference was organized as a part of a PCU project aimed at developing election training capacity and enhancing voter awareness in Ukraine. The project was implemented upon request of the Central Election Commission of Ukraine and funded by Canadian International Development Agency and Norwegian Foreign Ministry.