\nDespite the fact that the current Law of Ukraine "On Elections of Deputies of the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Local Councils and Village, Settlement, City Heads" endowed the Central Election Commission with significant powers, traditionally for local elections, the most important role will be played by territorial election commissions. After all, it is these commissions that establish the results of voting for candidates for deputies of the respective councils and for the position of heads of territorial communities, carry out the official publication of the results of such elections and register the elected deputies of the respective local council. In fact, each of the TECs at the local level for the respective type of elections is a kind of "CEC". In addition, the powers of such election commissions do not end with the announcement of election results. Members of such territorial election commissions exercise their powers until a new composition of the respective TEC is formed at the next local elections, that is, in fact, for five years. Therefore, by answering the question "Who became part of the TEC?" one can understand "who will control the process in the respective elections". According to the changes that the Verkhovna Rada made in the summer to the law on local elections, the right to form oblast, district (except districts in the ARC), city (cities of oblast significance, cities of Kyiv, Sevastopol), district in the city of Sevastopol territorial election commissions was assigned to the competence of the CEC. Previously, these powers belonged to local councils. \nNo later than 49 days before election day, namely until September 11 inclusive, oblast, district, city organizations of political parties registered in Volyn oblast could submit to the CEC their proposals regarding candidates for the composition of the respective territorial election commissions. Already in this norm of the law, inequality was laid down between parties, which were divided into "two grades", conditionally called "parliamentary" and "non-parliamentary". The first included those parties that independently, or in a bloc with other parties, had their own deputy factions in the Verkhovna Rada of the current convocation. They could propose from the faction up to three representatives to each TEC. The "second grade" included all parties registered in the manner prescribed by law. They were granted the right to submit only one candidate to each TEC. It should be noted that among the parliamentary parties there was also unequal competition – parties that independently formed a parliamentary faction were guaranteed three of their own people in each TEC, while parties participating in blocs competed among themselves for a place in the TEC. \nHaving formed the composition of the TECs, the CEC simultaneously determined their leadership, namely appointed the heads, deputies and secretaries of these commissions. The results of this decision are also very decisive for the election process, since it is these persons who are entrusted with the duty to organize the work of the commissions and it is they who have the right to dispose of the seal. In addition, a number of duties and powers are assigned to each member of the commission who holds a leadership position. Thus, the head of the TEC organizes the work of the commission as a whole, convenes its meetings and conducts them, signs the minutes of the meeting and decisions adopted by the commission. He has the right to give separate instructions to members of the commission and represent the commission in relations with authorities and other subjects of the election process. In the absence of the head, all his powers are assumed by the deputy. The secretary of the commission is responsible for record keeping, he keeps the minutes of meetings, draws up the decisions of the commissions. That is, most of the mandatory procedural norms must be implemented with the participation of the leadership of the election commissions. In conditions where the current legislation on local elections allows the TEC on voting day and when establishing the results of local elections to adopt decisions by a majority of votes of the members of the commission present at the meeting, regardless of the number of members of the commission present at the meeting, situations may arise in which it is precisely the participation or non-participation of the leadership of the commissions that will determine which meeting is legitimate. \n \nMykhailo Shelep, Coordinator of the public observation campaign in Volyn oblast \nmobile phone: 067-41-65-086, e-mail: mike.shelep@gmail.com \n