Temporary change of voting address: how to vote on July 21 if you are not at home

On July 21, 2019, Ukraine will hold early parliamentary elections. If a citizen plans to be away from the place where he or she is registered on election day, he or she can temporarily change the place of voting. Free legal aid explains how to do this.

The procedure for applying for a temporary change of voting place

An application for a temporary change of voting place is submitted to the body of the State Register of Voters (hereinafter referred to as the Register body) at the location of the polling station indicated by the voter or at the voting address no later than five days before the election day (i.e., by July 15 inclusive).

The voter's application for a temporary change of voting place is submitted to the body maintaining the Voter Register in person. Departments of the State Register of Voters are located in the buildings of executive committees of cities of regional significance or at district state administrations.

When submitting an application, a citizen must present an identity document confirming his/her citizenship of Ukraine(passport of a citizen of Ukraine or temporary certificate of a citizen of Ukraine).

The application must contain the voter's data:

• surname
• full name (all full names)
• patronymic
• date, place of birth
• voting address;
• unique record number in the Unified State Demographic Register (if available);
• the address where the voter will be on election day or the number of the polling station with the electoral district and its number (if any);
• motivation for the need to temporarily change the place of voting.

Citizens can apply online to the body maintaining the state register of voters regarding

• their inclusion in the register
• making changes to their personal identification data in the register
• changing their voting address
• making changes to the information about the voter's permanent inability to move independently
• Correction of errors in the Register regarding another person
• the content of their personal data
• Surnames, full names, patronymics, date of birth of all voters entered in the Register at their own electoral address
• A qualified electronic signature is required to submit an application online. Attach copies of documents confirming these changes to the application.

Peculiarities of applying for certain categories of voters

Members of district election commissions and precinct election commissions of ordinary polling stations submit an application to the body maintaining the Register at the location of the relevant polling station or at their election address no later than five days before the election day. Members of district election commissions are included in the voter list at the polling station closest to the location of the respective district election commission. Members of precinct election commissions are included in the list of voters at the polling station where they are included in the election commission.

The application of a voter whose electoral address is outside Ukraine and who will be on the territory of Ukraine on the day of elections or all-Ukrainian referendum is accepted by the body maintaining the Register at the place of residence or location of the polling station or polling station that he/she requests to be determined as his/her voting place, or by the body maintaining the Register at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

If a voter residing in Ukraine and will be abroad on election day, he or she may apply for a temporary change of voting place to the body maintaining the Register at his or her election address or to the body maintaining the Register at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

The application of a voter whose voting address is outside Ukraine with a request to temporarily change the place of voting at elections, all-Ukrainian referendum to another foreign polling station (polling station) is accepted by the Register keeping body at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

In case a voter who does not have a registered place of residence applies to the body maintaining the Voter Register, he/she is offered to determine his/her voting address in agreement with the registration center that keeps records of homeless persons in accordance with the law, or a social service that has a structural unit for keeping records of homeless persons, or by applying to the body maintaining the State Register of Voters at his/her place of residence.

Ігор Льов