On 17 January 2016, the first elections of headmen took place in Ukraine. The elections were held in the town of Irdyn in Bilozirska consolidated territorial community of Cherkasy District in Cherkasy Region and in the villages of Maiory and Povstanske in Biliavska consolidated territorial community of Biliavsky District in Odessa Region.

The elected headmen, in accordance with the law on voluntarily consolidation of territorial communities, represent the interests of villagers on the executive committee of consolidated territorial communities.

The law, in particular, specifies that the headman:

1. represents interests of the habitants of village, town on the executive bodies of village, town, city council;
2. assists the habitants of village, town in preparation of documents to be submitted to local self-government bodies;
3. takes part in the preparation of a draft budget of the territorial community in terms of funding for the programmes to be implemented in the territory of relevant village, town;
4. submits proposals to the executive committee of village, town, city council on matters pertaining to activity of executive bodies of village, town, city council, municipally-owned companies, institutions, organizations, and their officers within the territory of relevant village, town;
5. discharges other duties as set forth in the Regulation on Headman.

The Regulation on Headman shall be approved by the village, town, city council of the relevant consolidated territorial community. The Regulation determines rights and obligations of the headman, his/ her reporting procedure, other matters related to the activity of the headman.

On 24 January, elections of the headman will be held in 30 more consolidated territorial communities in Zaporizhia, Rivne, Khmelnytskyi, and Cherkasy Regions.

In addition, elections of headmen are fixed for 14 February in Odesa Region, 21 February in Zakarpattia Region, 28 February in Ivano-Frankivsk and Lviv Regions, 06 March in Chernihiv Region, and 13 March in Ternopil Region.