The election campaign in the snap elections to the Verkhovna Rada has started on Saturday.

This follows from the time schedule of preparations for and holding of the early parliamentary elections, posted at the official website of the Central Electoral Commission (CEC).

So, political parties can nominate deputy candidates from Saturday and up to October 27.

According to Article 102 of the law "On election of people's deputies of Ukraine", the elections would be invalidated in case of less than 50% of voters take part in them.

Absentee ballots cannot be used at these elections.

In preliminary parliamentary elections votes are cast at territorial constituencies and abroad ballot stations created to hold the previous Rada elections.

The CEC must form constituency election commissions into October 22 and territorial election commissions at abroad ballot stations into November 1.

According to the law, candidacies to constituency election commissions are submitted by factions formed at the current convocation parliament, moreover, the coalition and the opposition must be equally represented at these commissions.

November 1 is the deadline for submitting deputies registration documents to the CEC.

The CEC is to register participants in the elections before November 10.

By November 11 the commission has to adopt the form and the text of voting bulletins.

According to the schedule, registration of official observers at the elections ends on December 1.

Election propaganda is allowed until midnight of Friday, December 5.

The CEC is to establish the election returns into December 22.

As Ukrainian News earlier reported, the Verkhovna Rada is going to amend the election legislation on abolition of the 50% threshold of voter turnout and on the principle of forming constituency election commissions.

On October 8 President Viktor Yuschenko announced early termination of the Rada authorities.

The relevant order was undersigned on 9 October and published (took effect) on October 10.

Snap parliamentary elections are scheduled for December 7.

The Verkhovna Rada has not yet assigned funds to hold the elections, the cost of which the CEC estimates at UAH 417.5 million.