Post-war Elections in the Kherson Region: Why It’s Important to Update the Voter Registry Today

Today, the Kherson region remains one of the most dangerous regions in Ukraine. The situation on the right bank has long gone beyond that of a frontline area: attacks by Russian drones have become a daily threat to the civilian population. According to the UN Monitoring Mission, in May 2026, one in four people wounded by drone attacks in Ukraine was a resident of Kherson. In July 2026 alone, Russian forces in the Kherson sector carried out more than 17,000 drone attacks. Over 178 kilometers of anti-drone nets (17 km of which are in Kherson itself) have become a symbol of life in the region.

Under these conditions, updating the State Voter Registry is no longer a purely technical matter — the ability to compile up-to-date voter lists for the first postwar elections will depend on the quality of this update. The scale of security challenges necessitates new approaches to managing the Registry, as it is practically impossible, under current circumstances, to verify State Voter Register data through household canvassing. If alternative mechanisms for updating the data are not developed now, the region will face serious difficulties in compiling voter lists once the electoral process begins. That is precisely why the search for tools to update the State Voter Registry must begin even before the first post-war elections are scheduled.

Voter Registry Authorities: Challenges in Resuming Operations

Currently, the voter registry authorities in the Kherson region are not operating, so the Registry has not been receiving up-to-date information on the region’s voters for quite some time. This was reported by Dmytro Ivanov, deputy head of the State Migration Service’s office in the Kherson region. Since February 2022, voter data (such as reaching the age of majority, changes in last names following marriage or divorce, acquisition or loss of citizenship, etc.) has not been updated in the Voter Registry. Currently, this information is being accumulated and, according to government officials, will be transferred to the Voter Registry once the departments responsible for its maintenance resume full operations.

Local authorities also confirm this situation. Natalia Chornenka, Deputy Mayor of Kherson, noted in her response to a request from OPORA that since February 2022, data from the Territorial Community Register has not been transferred to the State Voter Register.

Even the technical restoration of this process will take significant time. During expert discussions with specialists responsible for collecting data to be transferred to the State Voter Registry, they noted that they are attempting to restore the servers for the Kherson departments responsible for maintaining the State Voter Registry, which are located in Mykolaiv. According to their estimates, this process is moving slowly. Once the systems are up and running, staff will have to process a significant volume of data that has accumulated during the forced interruption in operations.

Election Infrastructure: 90% Destruction and a New Demographic Reality

However, even after updating citizens’ voter registration data, another fundamental challenge will remain: deploying election infrastructure.

Before the full-scale invasion began, most polling stations were located in schools, kindergartens, community centers, and other public buildings. Today, a significant portion of this infrastructure has been destroyed or damaged. During expert discussions, OPORA’s interlocutors noted that in Kherson, approximately 90% of electoral infrastructure facilities have been destroyed or significantly damaged as a result of Russian shelling.

The demographic situation in the region has also changed significantly. As of February 24, 2022, the population of the Kherson region was just over 1 million, of whom about 279,000 lived in Kherson. As of June 2026, according to local authorities' estimates, about 150,000 residents remain in the right-bank part of the region under Ukrainian control, of whom approximately 60,000 are in the regional capital. In contrast, in relatively safer rural communities (such as Velyka Oleksandrivka), the population may grow significantly due to the influx of displaced persons from more dangerous areas.

Under these circumstances, the network of polling stations established before the start of the full-scale war no longer reflects the actual distribution of voters. Once the security situation stabilizes, the state will have to review the placement of polling stations, taking into account both security factors and the new demographic situation.

The full-scale war has triggered massive migration, significantly affecting the accuracy of voter registry data. A nationwide sociological survey by OPORA shows that 97% of citizens have a registered place of residence. At the same time, among those forced to relocate after February 24, 2022, 76.5% do not live at their official place of registration. This means that a significant portion of these voters are currently assigned to polling stations that do not correspond to their actual place of residence. Furthermore, among respondents who changed their place of residence after the full-scale invasion, only 45% have official status as internally displaced persons—meaning that official state registries do not reflect a large portion of migration patterns.

Updating voter data for those residing in the temporarily occupied territories remains a separate issue. Since Ukrainian civil registry authorities are not operating there, information about citizens’ deaths does not reach the Registry. As a result, outdated information accumulates in the Voter Registry. According to the Central Election Commission's estimates, as of early 2026, there were approximately 42,000 voters aged 100 or older registered in the temporarily occupied territories, including more than 1,000 aged 115 or older.

Such discrepancies not only create technical problems for compiling up-to-date voter lists but can also be exploited by the aggressor country to discredit the electoral process. That is precisely why updating and refining the data in the State Voter Registry before the first post-war elections is one of the key elements in ensuring confidence in their results.

Vulnerable Voter Groups: Challenges in Updating Data

The situation with internally displaced persons (IDPs) remains a particular challenge for updating the State Voter Registry. Tracking them is complicated because they often move from one community to another without changing their address on their IDP certificate—or without registering as IDPs at all. At the same time, administrative service centers are not authorized to verify individuals' actual place of residence—this function falls under the purview of social protection agencies. As a result, state registries contain outdated information about the whereabouts of displaced persons.

A telling example is that of a frontline community in the Kherson region, cited by a representative of the regional IDP Council (for security reasons, we are not specifying the community's name). According to official data, 556 internally displaced persons are registered there, but in reality, only 156 actually reside there.

According to our source, one of the main reasons for refusing to re-register is the fear of losing government assistance: “The first reason is that people are afraid of losing their benefits. They believe that if they re-register, having previously been registered in one place, they will be considered to have moved and will lose their financial assistance,” he notes.

Such concerns are particularly widespread among families with children, people with disabilities, and retirees. According to experts, a significant portion of internally displaced persons are delaying updating their information due to uncertainty about the possible consequences or distrust of the process.

Participants in expert interviews note that mass information campaigns may not be sufficient for this category of citizens. They consider personal consultations and direct interaction with representatives of government agencies, social services, or administrative service centers to be significantly more effective.

However, it is important to distinguish between the address listed on the IDP certificate and the voter registration address in the State Voter Registry — these are different legal categories. Once a person is registered as an IDP, their voter registration address remains at their primary registration location. You can update your voting address on your own once a year and only during the inter-election period; therefore, internally displaced persons who have already decided to settle in a new community can submit the relevant application to the agency maintaining the State Voter Registry or online via the “Voter’s Cabinet” — and vote in the first post-war elections at their actual place of residence.

Conclusions: The government must take a step toward

The experience of the Kherson region demonstrates that updating the State Voter Registry is not only a technical challenge but also an organizational and communication one. Restoring the operations of the State Voter Registry’s administrative bodies, updating voter data, accounting for large-scale migration processes, and rebuilding the electoral infrastructure will require a comprehensive approach and preparation well before the first post-war elections are scheduled.

At the same time, the results of OPORA’s nationwide survey indicate that the majority of citizens are ready to participate in this process. Specifically, 77% of respondents reported being willing to verify or update their information online if the government requests it. This creates opportunities for proactive communication with voters, particularly through digital services. At the same time, it is important to maintain offline support tools, especially for older adults and those who need assistance when using electronic services.

Based on the research conducted and expert consultations, several priority tasks can be identified:

• complete the technical restoration of the State Voter Registry’s operations and ensure full data exchange between government agencies;
• conduct a comprehensive update of voter data, including resolving accumulated discrepancies in government registries;
• ensure clear communication with internally displaced persons regarding the fact that updating voter data—particularly regarding changes in place of registration—does not affect their eligibility for social benefits;
• review the network of polling stations to account for demographic changes and ensure appropriate conditions for Ukrainians to vote abroad.

The experience of the Kherson region shows that preparations for the first post-war elections must begin well before the electoral process begins. Timely updating of the State Voter Registry will be one of the prerequisites for compiling accurate voter lists, properly organizing the voting process, and, as a result, building trust in the election results.

P.S. The OPORA Civic Network urges everyone to check their information in the State Voter Registry today. A dedicated information page has been created for this purpose, featuring step-by-step instructions to verify and, if necessary, update your information.

Anastasia Gryshko, executive director of Union Foundation
OPORA consultant in the Kherson region