A petition for the introduction of criminal penalties for calls to hold elections during a state of emergency has appeared on the website of the Office of the President of Ukraine

Conducting elections during wartime raises a number of questions about the safety of Ukrainians, the participation of all citizens in the process, and the legality of elections in the context of armed conflict. This is why a petition requesting not to hold elections during martial law has been created, which, as of the publication of this news, has already garnered 2,982 signatures.

The corresponding petition can be found on the President of Ukraine’s website.

The author of the petition, Alexander Notevsky, noted that the statements of Western and Ukrainian politicians have indicated the likelihood of holding elections under martial law. He also reminded that the law prohibits holding elections during wartime.

“The law can be changed by a vote of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. The Constitution of Ukraine only explicitly states the impossibility of holding parliamentary elections during martial law. Theoretically, changes in legislation can unblock presidential and local elections during martial law,” Notevsky stated.

He emphasized that the idea of doing so “poses a direct threat to Ukraine’s national security, the lives and health of citizens, and contradicts the constitutional requirements for elections.”

The author listed several issues hindering the proper conduct of elections:

1. Security – polling stations may be potential targets, and there may not be enough shelter for everyone.
2. Not everyone will be able to vote – more than 1 million citizens are serving on the frontlines, and over 8 million are refugees.

“Without the participation and voices of people risking their lives and health for Ukraine’s sovereignty, the legitimacy of any elections will be in doubt,” Notevsky stressed.

There are risks in conducting elections in “Diy” (the area of active hostilities) as it may be susceptible to cyberattacks from the enemy.

Additionally, it would be impossible to conduct campaigning, meetings, and similar activities as mandated by the Constitution, and “without adhering to such standards, elections could be deemed unconstitutional.”

Alexander Notevsky appealed to President Volodymyr Zelensky to conduct elections after the end of the war. He also called for not making changes to electoral legislation and prohibiting any attempts to lift the ban on holding elections during martial law.