Ukraine is discussing the possibility of holding elections in a hybrid format, which involves a combination of online – and traditional offline – voting. This idea is being considered by a working group that is developing a draft law on elections under martial law.
The head of the Servant of the People parliamentary faction, Davyd Arakhamia noted that the working group members should assess the feasibility of such an approach and its accessibility for voters. There is no final decision yet, as the key issue remains the real opportunities for citizens to participate in the vote.
According to Arakhamia, special attention is being paid to the level of turnout, as low electoral activity can be used by the enemy for propaganda purposes. Voting mechanisms for internally displaced persons, who sometimes avoid registration in order not to attract unnecessary attention, are also being discussed.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously emphasized the need to hold elections “as soon as possible” after signing the relevant agreement, which adds urgency to discussions around possible voting formats.
In parallel, the Verkhovna Rada is forming a separate working group to promptly analyze the possibilities of holding presidential elections in Ukraine in wartime conditions.
At the same time, the Central Election Commission warns that the upcoming elections could become the most expensive in the entire history of Ukraine’s independence. According to estimates of the CEC, their cost could reach about 20 billion hryvnias, which is ten times higher than the costs of the 2019 elections. This was reported by the Deputy Chairman of the CEC, Serhiy Dubovyk.
