Central Election Commission of Ukraine

The Central Election Commission of Ukraine is the permanent state body responsible for the preparation and conduct of all elections and referendums held in the country. It maintains the official voter register, oversees the nomination of candidates, and monitors compliance with campaign finance and advertising regulations. On election day the commission coordinates the work of regional and district election offices, ensuring that polling stations are opened, supplied, and staffed according to law. After voting closes it supervises the counting of ballots, the tabulation of results, and the publication of official outcomes. The commission also handles the resolution of electoral disputes and can issue binding decisions that must be followed by all participants in the electoral process. As the highest electoral authority in Ukraine, its decisions are final unless overturned by a court, giving it a unique regulatory position within the political system.

The body is known for its independence from the executive branch, although its members are appointed by the parliament and the president, which is intended to balance political influences. Its work is guided by the Constitution of Ukraine, the Law on Elections of the President, the Law on Elections of People's Deputies, and other legislative acts that define its mandate and procedural guarantees. In addition to organizing regular elections, the commission is responsible for conducting all‑Ukrainian referendums and local polls when they are called by law. The commission carries out voter information campaigns, publishes explanatory materials, and works with civil society organisations to promote electoral participation and awareness. It also oversees the financing of political parties and candidates, requiring regular reporting of income and expenditures and imposing sanctions for violations. Because of its central role, the commission’s information technology infrastructure has repeatedly been a target of cyber operations, notably in 2014 and 2019 when attackers attempted to disrupt vote tallies and steal credentials.

The 2014 attack involved the pro‑Russia group CyberBerkut, which tried to delete files, install malware to falsify results, and launch DDoS attacks during vote tallying. The 2019 incident featured phishing campaigns disguised as greeting cards and software updates, as well as the purchase of election officials’ personal data on dark‑web markets using cryptocurrency wallets linked to earlier attacks on critical infrastructure. In both cases Ukrainian authorities restored systems from backups, removed malicious software, and pursued investigations, preserving the integrity of the electoral process despite the hostile activity. The commission’s headquarters is located in Kyiv, Ukraine, from where it directs national electoral activities and liaises with international observation missions. It operates as a state institution under the authority of the Verkhovna Rada, receiving its budget through the national budget process and reporting annually to parliament on its activities and expenditures. The commission’s structure includes a chairman, a deputy chairman, a secretary, and a number of members appointed by parliament and the president, whose terms are protected by law to prevent arbitrary dismissal.