Ukraine's Central Election Commission (CEC) says that the local elections scheduled for late October 2020 should be held even if a particular district has been included in the so-called red zone during the COVID-19 quarantine.
CEC member Serhiy Postivy made this statement during debates of the 6th Donbas Media Forum, according to UATV.
"Being part of the red zone, according a government decree, is in fact not a reason for cancelling the elections," he said.
Under Ukrainian law, elections to local councils on October 25 could be canceled only in two cases – the introduction of martial law or a state of emergency, he said.
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Postivy says the CEC has no information at the moment about any prerequisites for the cancellation of postponement of the elections in Ukraine or in its certain area because of the quarantine.
Yet, he said, cancelling or postponing the polls is "theoretically possible" if the country's leaders declare a state of emergency.
However, in his opinion, this is a complicated procedure.
"As of today we have no grounds to say that there will be any cancellations," he said.
Ukraine 2020 local elections in brief
- On September 5, preparations for the local polls, which are scheduled for October 25, began in Ukraine.
- Under the calendar plan of measures to prepare and conduct of the local elections, September 24 inclusively is the deadline for candidates running to local councils and posts of village heads and mayors to submit documents to the relevant territorial election commissions for registration.
- A candidate or a party that has nominated the candidate could by October 5 give up plans to take part in the elections.
- A party or candidate must start campaigning the next day after their registration, and the campaign must end at 24:00 on October 24.
- In addition, according to the plan, the territorial election commissions should create election commissions in their districts by October 9.
- Voting will take place from 08:00 a.m. to 08:00 p.m. on October 25, and the election commissions must declare its results by November 6 inclusively.
