The process for the first election of members of councils and village heads, town and city mayors in the amalgamated territorial communities starts tomorrow, 9 September. The first elections to be held in 201 amalgamated territorial communities in all Oblasts (Regions) of Ukraine are scheduled on 29 October 2017 (please find the list of ATCs HERE).

Those 201 amalgamated territorial communities are comprised of 933 local councils: 25 city councils, 67 town councils, and 841 village councils.

By 16 September, District Election Commissions should establish Village, Town, and City Election Commissions (the "Territorial Election Commissions") and have appointed members thereof.

By 20 September, the Territorial Election Commissions should establish single-mandate territorial election districts for holding the first local elections, the number of which districts should be 4,506.  

By 18 September, inclusive, non-governmental organisations whose activities include the election process matters and election monitoring that are registered in accordance with the procedure established in the laws may apply to the Central Elections Commission for a permit to have official observers during the first local elections.

In addition, on 25 September, there starts the process of nomination of candidates for members of councils and for the position of a village head, town or city mayor in the relevant first local elections.

The documents for the registration of candidates for members of councils and for the position of a village head, town or city mayor may be submitted to the Territorial Election Commissions until 4 October. Whereas, by 5 October, the Territorial Election Commissions will be passing resolutions on the registration of candidates or refusal to register.

By 11 October, inclusive, the Territorial Election Commissions must approve the text of a ballot paper for the election of members of a village, town or city council and the village head, town or city mayor to be cast in the respective election district.

In general, according to the preliminary calculations, more than 1,330 thousand persons, that is about 4% of all voters in Ukraine, will be able to take part in those elections.

The said number of voters is higher than the aggregate number of voters in six Oblast (regional) centres of Ukraine, such as Ternopil, Kherson, Khmelnytskyi, Cherkasy, Chernivtsi, and Chernihiv.

It is a reminder that during the previous year and a half, over the period of 25 October to 30 April 2017, the first local elections took place in 415 amalgamated territorial communities in Ukraine.

The number of communities where the first local elections are called in 2017 is not final. Thus, as of 1:00 p.m., 8 September 2017, applications for calling the first local elections in 32 amalgamated territorial communities which will comprise 122 former local councils are pending for consideration by the Commission, which applications have been filed by Oblast State Administrations. Such elections may be called by the end of the current year on any Sunday in December, save for the last one.

The Central Election Commission continues to expect that applications will be filed by Oblast State Administrations for calling the first local elections in other communities which have already amalgamated