Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is considering the possibility of holding elections online. The main reason for seeking alternative methods is the inability to ensure the right to vote for millions of Ukrainian defenders who are stationed directly in the trenches on the front lines.
The head of state made this statement in an interview with the German television channel ZDF.
The Impossibility of Traditional Voting and the Military’s Position
Currently, there is no technical means to organize a safe and fully functional traditional vote for the millions of military personnel stationed in combat positions. According to Zelenskyy, holding elections without the participation of soldiers is absolutely unfair, since they are the ones risking their lives and defending Ukrainian statehood. The profession of a soldier during wartime is the most important one, so ensuring their legal right to elect the country’s leadership is a fundamental and non-negotiable condition.
The Prospects for Electronic Voting and the Tasks of Parliament
The government is prepared to consider online elections as a potentially viable tool for engaging all citizens in the electoral process. To implement a remote voting system, the Verkhovna Rada must find ways to implement it technically and adopt the necessary legislative framework. According to the president, only such an electronic format can guarantee fair elections in which military personnel will be able to cast their votes directly from the front lines.