Elections in Cherkassy Ukraine

Today I woke up at 6am and got on a bus to cherkassy, a run down alcoholic ridden city 4 hrs drive south of Kyiv along the dnipro River. Its beautiful vast body of 'water power' lake that sprawls across to sandy banks  now frozen with waves of different shades of ice and snow. Underneath this unstable sheet of ice lies several villages that had been flooded by the power company years ago but now always provides breath taking views from the endless bridge by road or train shades of fading or rising sun and shadows and indescribable subtle colors.          

I woke excitedly for a day of elections observing in Ukraine. The day lay ahead of observing bandits and voters slightly flexible with honesty who take it as fine to sell their votes not knowing its fraud. They are promised an upgrade of their apartments and get cash in the hand. After many years of vote selling, it has become business as usual with organized training groups, official paperwork, and lists of people. Its so common that people feel cheated if they don't get anything for voting.

its now 9:15 pm the day is finished and Im locked inside a childrens school polling station watching the counting of the ballots.
Two polling stations inside one building an old stone cement  School, interesting to compare the two. One side seems friendlier an occasional cheer and applause. After hours of mind numbing counting of the ballots voting went with the party of regions guy.

The counting can go on all night, some ballots and numbers can be challenged by committee members.  voices reading the names of each bulletin , echoes through the school.  two names of candidates ring out repeatedly. Buletetsky and Pavlowsky.
Theres discussion as to the results being challenged because of clear bribery, 2 prisons and a number of hospitals where where its hard to control regulations. It went unchallenged, the central elections committee in Ukraine has been the same for many years and continues to go unchallenged.