Low Turnout Mars Ukraine Elections

Weekend parliamentary by-elections in Ukraine filled just nine of 56 vacant seats as voters stayed away in droves, election officials said Monday.

They said a second round will be held in two weeks for four seats where turnout was more than 50% Sunday, but no candidate won an overall majority. Elections for the remaining 43 seats will be put off indefinitely.

This was the third round of parliamentary voting since March in addition to two rounds of presidential elections. Most Ukrainians, buffeted by post-Soviet economic hardships, have simply lost interest in turning out to vote.