This report explores the history of CEC appointments, analyzes the current process and makes recommendations to ensure a more efficient appointment process in the future.
OP-ED
Brian Mefford: CEC reform recommendations
In June 2015, the terms of 12 of the 15 members of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Ukraine expired. Ukrainian law requires that the President consults with Parliament to submit a list of candidates, and then Parliament either approves or disapproves the nominees. However, due to the October 2015 Local Elections, subsequent runoff elections held two weeks later in addition to internal political disagreements, no new nominees for the CEC were proposed by the President last year. When disagreements over the composition of the commission continued after the elections, the matter was postponed even further with the Special Parliamentary By-Elections of July 2016 serving as the latest impediment to prevent the appointment and confirmation of new CEC members.
