My wake-up call came at 4:15 this morning. I had 45 minutes to check out of the hotel and meet the IRI driver for the return trip to Kyiv Boysbil airport.

Dr. George Fauriol, IRI’s senior vice president, was on the same flight. We rode out to the airport together.

Along the way, we had a long chat about some possible next steps for IRI in Ukraine. We opined on the meaning of the election outcome and speculated about the most likely parliamentary alliances to form a new governing coalition in the Verkhovna Rada. >> MORE

The train from Dnipropetrovsk arrived at the Kyiv station at 7 a.m. I’d guess I only managed about two hours of sleep along the way.

I was a little sad when the train rolled to a stop. Iryna, Mike, Slava and I only had three days together as a working team and we made a pretty good one. I knew I was going to miss them.

After many hours together I really came to like these people. Our mighty band being so focused on the details of the Ukrainian election, we left too little time to learn about each other’s lives.

But there was time to learn a little. >> MORE

The train back to Kyiv left at 11:45 p.m. last night. Throughout our observation effort in Dnipropetrovsk we were on an aggressive schedule, but we saw all key aspects of the regional balloting, met with many officials and pro-democracy activists, and effectively got the word out that IRI is quite serious, thorough and professional in its mission. >> MORE

If Ukraine’s democracy is in the hands of the chairman of polling station #61, may God help this country.

More than five hours after the polls have closed, the chairman here is personally applying glue to paper sacks of unused ballots. There are 22 people on the commission sitting around this guy, but he insists they stay seated while he himself wrestles with paper bags an can of glue and “control documents” which drescribe the contents going into the sacks. These parcels are bound for the regional election commission warehouse and will only matter if someone disputes the outcome of the voting here. >> MORE

10:30 p.m. - The polls in Ukraine officially closed at 10 p.m. For 15 hours today, Ukrainian voters participated in what was effectively denied for generations — voting for multiple candidates from multiple political parties.

Turnout is regarded as robust. With rare exception, the Ukrainian voters we encountered were happy yet serious. >> MORE

Since my last report, we’ve been to a few more polling stations. We’ve been to stations #72, 73, 61 and 62. At each, we first find the commission chairman, present credentials and ask questions of voters, station workers and various party representatives.

So far, it seems the expected problem of getting enough polling workers was unwarranted — at least in the four stations we’ve visited. That’s no commentary about the rest of Ukraine, or even Dnipropetrovsk, just the areas of town we’re working. Staffing is near 100%. >> MORE

Ukrainian polls opened at 7 a.m. today. There are 33,000 polling stations border to border. Our team met in the hotel lobby at 6:30 a.m.

The first polling station on our list was close by — station #119. The first voters were waiting to get in. We produced our credentials. >> MORE

Standing in the passageway of a Ukrainian sleeper car, Irena Kovalenko, Mike Getto and I were getting acquainted. Irena is our interpreter in Dnipropetrovsk. I’ve described Mike in a previous post. He and Irena have worked together before during the presidential election of 2004. I’m getting to know both for the first time. >> MORE

Question: Hello, my name is Rheadawn Chiles. I am a student at Watchcare Academy in Denver. I would like to ask you a question about the election taking place in Ukraine. My question is: >> MORE

Queston: Hello my name is Giovanni Benion. I am a student at Watchcare Academy in
Denver. I would like to ask you a few questions about the elections taking
place in Ukraine. My questions are: >> MORE

Question: Hello, my name is Chanon Richardson. I am a student at Watchcare Academy in Denver. I would like to ask you a few questions about the elections taking place in Ukraine. My questions are: >> MORE