Webinar | Ukraine’s Post-War Elections Challenge: Ensuring a Credible, Secure, and Inclusive Process | 9 September | 14:30 CET

The European Platform for Democratic Elections (EPDE) and Civil Network OPORA hosted the webinar “Ukraine’s Post-War Elections Challenge: Ensuring a Credible, Secure, and Inclusive Process” on 9 September at 14:30 CET

Ukraine is sustaining democratic institutions through a full-scale war with Russia, while preparing for a return to competitive politics once conditions allow. Massive internal and external displacement due to military activity and occupation has reshaped where Ukrainians actually live relative to where they used to vote — raising questions about electoral readiness and social cohesion for the country’s first post-war elections. Recent research by Civil Network OPORA illustrates the scale of the challenge: a quarter of Ukrainians have experienced displacement and 29% of the population now lives away from its registered address. Analysis of mobile operator data suggests around 5.2 million people have left Ukraine since 2022, while the State Voter Register captures less than 1% of these moves abroad. A parallel survey of Ukrainians in Poland, Germany, and the Czech Republic found that while 74% plan to vote, only 16% are registered with their consulate, and 38% do not know how to vote from abroad.

This session brought together election administrators, observers and international electoral assistance providers to discuss how Ukraine can build electoral processes that remain credible, secure, and inclusive of its displaced population once elections return.

Key questions included:

• How can Ukraine prepare for free and fair elections after the conflict ends, given the scale of internal and external displacement? 
• What systems can ensure voting access for displaced citizens, including those abroad, and what legal and administrative gaps need to be closed beforehand? 
• How can Ukraine preserve pluralism and public trust in electoral institutions during this transition? 
• What technical electoral assistance would Ukraine require from international partners in this process?
• How can digital services be combined with offline and consular channels to reach older, less digitally engaged, and less trusting segments of the diaspora?

Details

• Date: Wednesday, 9 September 2026
• Time: 14:30 CET
• Language: English

Speakers

• Yurii Lisovsky, Election Network Coordinator, Civil Network OPORA 
• Sergii Postivyi, Member, Central Election Commission of Ukraine
• Dr. Cassandra Emmons, Global Advisor, Democratic Resilience & Data Analytics, International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES)
• Ulvi Akhundlu, Deputy Head, Election Department, OSCE/ODIHR

Moderated by Tetyana Bohdanova, Senior Election Expert, Team Lead Network and Training, EPDE