"Non-Random Meeting" in Vitebsk: How Youth Discussed the Future of Elections with the Chairman of the Central Election Commission of Belarus Igor Karpenko
Over 200 young people – students and employees of enterprises – gathered for an "Unplanned Meeting" with Igor Karpenko as part of a new educational project at the Vitebsk Concert Hall. Many of them voted for the President for the first time in January 2025.
Welcoming the youth, the Chairman of the Central Election Commission noted the high activity of this category of voters in the past electoral campaign: 96% of those registered in the lists came to the polling stations.
After an extensive electoral cycle, which included a referendum, a Unified Voting Day, and Presidential elections, the Central Election Commission always analyzes the performance of precinct commissions and organizers. These meetings with young people are not only part of the CEC's educational activities but also an opportunity to hear firsthand the opinion of the younger generation on the existing electoral system, and to gather their initiatives and proposals.
– It is important for us to maintain the connecting thread between generations, which cements and unites Belarusian society. Policy must be built in such a way that young people are involved in public, socially significant projects, in the development of the economy, culture, and other spheres. Today's meeting is, on the one hand, informal, and on the other hand, extremely relevant for us. We often observe examples where external forces influence the electoral system to destabilize the state. The main lever of influence, as a rule, is young people. It is important for us to involve young citizens in the socio-political processes of Belarus so that they understand how the electoral system functions and develop a high level of trust in it.
The young people were interested in Igor Karpenko's views on the digitalization of the election process and the implementation of various services, including those that allow for electronic voting. The Chairman of the Central Election Commission stated that he does not rule out such a possibility, but primarily focused on services that would facilitate the work of organizers – such as creating a voter registry, as well as software that automates the process of checking and verifying signatures in support of candidates.
The young people asked Igor Karpenko what inspires and motivates him, and some requested advice for professional growth.
Maksim Malinets, a social studies teacher from Vitebsk School No. 33, did not leave the meeting empty-handed. The young man decided to inquire about the grade the Chairman of the Central Election Commission would give himself as Minister of Education and whether he was satisfied with the quality of the current education system.
Incidentally, the head of the Central Election Commission has a pedagogical education and served as minister from 2016 to 2021.
For the best question, Igor Karpenko presented the young man with the book "Symbols of Sovereign Belarus."
– I did not expect such a turn of events. I simply wanted to ask, as a fellow educator, about the current challenges facing the education system and to learn his professional perspective. As a result, I received not only a boost of positivity and motivation from the conversation but also a pleasant gift.
