Citizens insure fair election in Kharkiv

The importance of civic groups, like the ones that Nila participated in, was evident in Kharkiv oblast—a region where election abuses have historically been greatest. When I was there this past December, I found surprising public support for the Orange Revolution and great enthusiasm for participating in the repeat elections, particularly among university students and youth groups. Election law changes after the invalidated November election enabled the participation of thousands of ordinary citizens in staffing polling precincts throughout Kharkiv. I believe that this enabled the December 26 repeat election to be free of systemic abuses that marred the previous round.

In addition, public statements decrying voter fraud had been made by local civic organizations and law enforcement agencies. These groups carefully maintained order on December 26, allowing me and the other international observers to declare the repeat election to have met international standards.

As an educator, it was wonderful to see the central role that students played in both the Orange Revolution and in ensuring that the December 26 repeat election proceeded fairly. Even though university administrators threatened students with expulsion from their universities if they did not vote for the pro-governmental candidate, and many later locked up students to prevent them from attending demonstrations, students stood up in protest against fraud, and even traveled to parts of the country that were heavily pro-Yanukovych to serve as election monitors.

Alexandra Hrycak (Ph.D., University of Chicago) is associate professor of sociology at Reed and Vice President of the American Association for Ukrainian Studies. She teaches courses at Reed on social movements, political sociology, social stratification and the sociology of culture. Her research focuses on civic associations in Ukraine and has appeared in the American Journal of Sociology, Harvard Ukrainian Studies and Journal of Ukrainian Studies.