"Undermining Legitimacy": Expert Named the Main Risks of Online Voting During Wartime

The idea of holding elections during wartime in an electronic format carries serious threats to the country. Soldier Oleksandr Antoniyuk is convinced that such voting would undermine the government’s legitimacy.

During a live broadcast on 24 Channel, the analyst noted that the electoral process is not limited to Election Day and vote counting. In his words, organizing a campaign requires uninterrupted operation of the voter registry, equal campaign conditions, and public debates among candidates.

Why electronic voting is dangerous

First of all, it concerns the basic constitutional right of every citizen, which cannot be fully guaranteed for all voters during hostilities.

Elections are, above all, a guaranteed constitutional right to elect and be elected. Until this norm is guaranteed for all citizens, including Ukrainian defenders on the front, it is incorrect to speak about holding elections.

– emphasized Oleksandr Antoniyuk.

In addition, a key factor remains public trust in the final results. In conditions of daily Russian cyberattacks, a remote digital format opens wide opportunities for interference and manipulation by the enemy.

The specialist also commented on Western partners’ hopes to change the government to make concessions to the aggressor, calling it an illusion, since any leader under mass public pressure must defend national interests.

What preceded this

Earlier, Volodymyr Zelensky suggested that the government might consider online elections, but warned about the injustice of voting without military participation on the front lines.