First Round Presidential campaign comes to an end

Campaigning in the first round of the presidential election concludes tonight at 12 midnight Kyiv time

The election has been pretty much a non-event.  No real earth shattering poll busting events over the last two weeks, Certainly not enough to warrant a change of expectation in the outcome of the election.

There has been a lot of two and throw bantering, allegations of corruption, vote rigging and deals done.  The most dramatic being a deal between Yushchenko and Yanukovych to secure a place for Yushchenko's men in the inevitable changing of the guard.

Come 12 midnight the campaigning comes to an end.  Well that depends if you consider a Party of Regions proposed rally on the 16th not part of the campaign.  Polls open at 8AM on Sunday January 17 and close at 6PM.  Early results should begin to be known at around 9 to 10PM with a good indication of the likely outcome by 4PM on the Monday.

Then it starts up again with the two highest polling candidates battling it out at the final round of voting scheduled for February 7.  Why the did not opt for a single round preferential voting system is anyone's guess? A preferential system would have produced the same outcome and the results known in days as opposed waiting weeks and another round of voting.

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