Article: Eurasia Foundation Grantees Pave the Way to Democratic Elections in Ukraine

A Eurasia Foundation Grantee Profile

Eurasia Foundation Grantees Pave the Way
to Democratic Elections in Ukraine

On March 29, for the second time since their country's independence in 1991, Ukrainian voters cast their ballots and ushered into power a new Verkhovna Rada Ukraine's Parliament. The devotion and hard work of many international and Ukrainian non-governmental, non-political organizations helped pave the way to a smooth and active round of elections. With no major violations reported by international and domestic observers at the polling stations (in contrast to the 1994 parliamentary elections), proponents of a democratic Ukraine can rejoice at the free and fair manner of the March elections.

Despite reports of a prevailing apathetic attitude around the country, seventy percent of the population voted. One organization which contributed to the impressive voter turnout was a consortium of U.S. and indigenous organizations spearheaded by the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) with funding from the Eurasia Foundation. Their three-month "Focus: Ukraine" voter awareness program targeted the country's population between the ages of 18 and 30 - a group more typically pro-democratic and pro-reform than their parents' generation. In the past, this segment of society has also tended to be the least politically active. In fact, a poll conducted by the Democratic Initiatives Foundation just one month before the elections revealed that only 38 percent of the youth intended to participate in the parliamentary elections. UCCA's nationwide "Get-Out-the-Vote" campaign helped change that.

The consortium used an all-encompassing multimedia program of civic education to encourage young voters to take responsibility for their future, including weekly "MTV-style" voter education programs, public service announcements (radio, television and newspaper) and innovative "Town Hall" meetings with candidates and party representatives, which took place directly prior to "Rock the Vote" music festivals. The latter proved to be a particular favorite, as camouflaged party candidates answered humorous questions posed by the audience in some unusual manners, such as dancing and drawing on large poster boards. As Tamara Gallo, "Focus: Ukraine" project manager, commented: "We were amazed at how readily Ukraine's youth was willing to participate in a political discourse, given that they had come primarily to listen to contemporary music. Not only were their questions insightful, but they literally ran down the aisles to deliver them to the masters of ceremonies."

Over 13,300 young people and 57 representatives of political parties and blocs participated in the "Town Hall" meetings held in six cities in Eastern, Southern and Central Ukraine. But did it induce the younger population to vote? Apparently so, as sixty-eight percent of the voting population in the 18-to 30-year old age bracket showed up at the polls on election day.

Just as important as UCCA's activities in increasing voter participation, another Eurasia Foundation grantee worked to ensure that votes were cast and counted properly. "In the 1994 parliamentary elections," remarked Eurasia Foundation grantee Ihor Popov, "intimidation of voters and irregularities in the balloting process were widespread. Unfortunately, this helped undermine public faith in the elections and in some cases, the entire government structure. Our goal was to rebuild people's faith in the democratic process and increase voter confidence in the outcome of the March 29 elections."

Mr. Popov's organization, the Committee of Voters of Ukraine (CVU), was able to do just that by conducting the most reliable and extensive nonpartisan elections monitoring throughout Ukraine. With help from the American organization National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI), CVU recruited, trained, equipped, and deployed over 17,000 volunteers as independent election monitors in every oblast in Ukraine. The monitors called CVU headquarters and reported any violations that they had witnessed during election day, who then followed up on the reports with the Central Elections Commission. One international election monitor, brought in by NDI, explained: "In many cases, the very presence of monitors at polling stations and during the balloting process helped discourage illegal election activities. Violations that were noticed by CVU monitors during the day were quickly called in, and in many cases, taken care of at that time."

To many people around the world, the results of the 1998 Verkhovna Rada elections are viewed with some pessimism for the future of Ukraine's reform movement. But ten years from now, long after the actual 1998 parliamentary elections have been over and forgotten, the process will be remembered for being free and fair. And that's something we can all celebrate!

Created by the US government in 1993 and currently funded by a mix of public and private donors, the Eurasia Foundation is an independently managed grant and loan making organization headquartered in Washington,D.C., with field offices in the 12 New Independent States of the former Soviet Union. With an open-door policy designed to encourage initiative at the grassroots, the Foundation's field offices respond to local funding needs, providing financial support for economic development and civic reform, and helping the NIS build strong, market-driven economies within a solid democratic framework.

May 1998