(Kyiv, Ukraine) The Committee for Open Democracy (COD) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Steven Mitchell as Chief Election Coordinator for the forthcoming rounds of the 2019 Ukraine Presidential Elections. Steven worked with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (the British foreign ministry) for 25 years and served in Japan, Sweden, Latvia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, China and Vietnam. Steven has since worked with COD on election monitoring missions in Georgia, Moldova and on several occasions in Ukraine. Steven has also observed Parliamentary elections and referenda in his home country of Scotland when registered with the UK’s Electoral Commission. Mitchell stated, “It is an honour and a privilege to be invited back to Ukraine to assist COD’s election observation efforts and I look forward to ensuring a well prepared and informed team of international observers are deployed to observe both rounds of the Presidential election.” COD Executive Director Brian Mefford added, “Steven brings a wealth of election observation experience and in-country knowledge to our Ukraine mission. We are excited to have him again on our team.”
COD has observed 22 international elections in 9 countries since 2010.More information can be found on the organization’s website and Facebook page.