Mykhaylo Okhendovsky, head of Ukraine’s Central

Election Commission, says it’s important to provide an opportunity to vote for Ukrainian

citizens living in Crimea, as well as in war-torn Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, during the

Oct. 26 parliamentary election. These troubled regions are home to 20 percent of Ukraine’s 45 million people.

“These elections are the first of its kind in our history,” Okhendovsky

said during an Aug. 26 news briefing. “Previous early elections happened in

2007 under a proportional system, whereas currently we have a mixed system

whereby 225 lawmakers will be elected according to the party lists and another

213 MPs – from their constituencies. Once the president signs a decree that

officially dissolves the parliament, there will be 60 days for the election

campaign.”