Deputy Head of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Ukraine Serhii Dubovyk presented a comprehensive plan for the country's preparation for future post-war elections at the Civil Network OPORA forum, "Legitimacy of post-war elections begins with the voter registry." According to him, work is underway simultaneously in several directions: drafting legislative changes, updating state registries, and simplifying administrative procedures for citizens. The event, where these statements were made, was held in informational partnership with RBC-Ukraine.
Working group and legislative framework
Dubovyk announced that the working group headed by Oleksandr Korniienko is expected to continue its active work next year. He emphasized that in the absence of external factors, it is necessary to gradually move forward — at least at the subgroup level, if not at the level of the entire large working group. "We must finally finalize our developments, to draft at least the foundation of the bill," said the Deputy Head of the CEC. According to him, a bill on a new edition of the Law on the State Register of Voters is already fully ready for adoption, which, in Dubovyk's assessment, "is not politically sensitive" and does not cause objections from politicians. Also on the agenda is Alina Zahoruiko's bill, which determines the possibility of holding elections in certain territories, and which, according to the Deputy CEC Head, can be successfully processed.
Voter identification and registry
Particular attention at the CEC is paid to modernizing the voter identification system. Dubovyk previously reported that Ukraine must move from identification based on date and place of birth to a tax identification number. As part of this work, the commission has practically completed the implementation of all necessary bylaws to the Electoral Code for all types of elections. According to the Deputy CEC Head, this will eliminate final gaps so that the current Electoral Code can be fully implemented at the level of bylaws under any circumstances. Parallel work is underway on internal regulations related to improving the services of the State Register of Voters.
"Soft lustration" and amendments to the Criminal Code
Among the priority directions are changes to the Criminal Code of Ukraine regarding so-called "soft lustration." In particular, it is proposed to clearly define significant terms during which collaborators would be barred from holding public office or engaging in certain activities. According to Dubovyk, this could involve a three-year restriction. These norms are considered as part of a general package of measures aimed at ensuring the legitimacy of future electoral procedures.
Services for voters abroad and the role of "Diia"
Within the next month, a CEC resolution is expected to be adopted that will significantly simplify the process for voters to change their voting address while abroad. "The legal mechanism is practically developed; only the visual interface remains, because we, taking into account OPORA's suggestions, are trying to simplify the service itself and make it more accessible," noted Dubovyk. Furthermore, the Deputy CEC Head stated that after the war, the mobile application "Diia" could be used to access specific electoral services. At the same time, he explicitly emphasized that there will be no voting via smartphone.
Context and significance of the statements
The roadmap presented by the CEC covers the entire cycle of preparation for post-war elections — from the regulatory framework to practical services for citizens. The focus on the voter registry as a "starting point" of legitimacy reflects an approach where the technical readiness of the system is considered a precondition for the political process. Dubovyk's statements, made at the OPORA forum, confirm that work on post-war electoral legislation in Ukraine has already moved beyond conceptual discussions and into the phase of preparing specific bill texts and bylaws.
