Explaining Perceptions of Election (Un)fairness: The Case of Ukrainian Presidential Election in 2004

Abstract

Why do some people assess elections as fair, while others see them as flawed? What divides societies on the assessment of election fairness, as was the case in the Ukrainian presidential election in 2004? Then, mass protests led to a rerun of the second round of the vote. However, people’s assessments of the election were far from monolithic both within and across Ukrainian regions. I use data from the New Europe Barometer to explain popular perceptions of the election. The results from a hierarchical linear model show that national identity and linguistic affiliation are among major factors influencing election assessments. In addition, vote for the winner and interest in politics have a significant impact on perceptions of election fairness. The results highlight the importance of regional differences and national identity for people’s political perceptions.