USA: voting in the occupied territories

Voting in regional and local elections began today in many regions of Russia. It will last three days, until Sunday, September 10, which is officially considered the “Single Day of Voting”.

Voting also takes place in the Russian-occupied parts of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporozhye and Kherson regions of Ukraine. Moscow announced the annexation of these territories, even though none of them is completely under Russian control, and hostilities are taking place there. Amendments were made to the law to hold voting there. It is carried out, despite the martial law introduced by the Russian authorities. They started voting there at the end of August, the CEC of Russia already reports a turnout of several tens of percent. It is noted that the employees of election committees go from house to house, sometimes accompanied by the Russian military.

The US State Department called voting in the occupied territories a “pseudo-election” and a “propaganda exercise”, noting that the United States will never recognize Russia’s claims to Ukrainian territories. The USA also warned everyone involved in the organization of the vote, including so-called international observers from other countries (usually pro-Russian politicians and activists), that they may be included in the sanctions lists.

Elections of heads or legislative assemblies are held in more than 30 Russian regions, and municipal elections are held in a number of regions. According to the estimates of independent observers, in particular the “Voice” movement, there is actually no real competition in the elections of heads of subjects. The exception was Khakassia, however, the candidate from “United Russia” Sergei Sokol, who opposed the governor from the CPRF there, withdrew from the elections there due to illness. In Moscow, the favorite of the vote is the current mayor Sergey Sobyanin, who is opposed only by candidates from the parties represented in the State Duma.

Deputies of legislative assemblies of a number of regions and city councils of a number of large cities are also elected. At the elections in Yekaterinburg, supporters of Alexei Navalny called on the so-called “Smart Voting” to vote for those who did not support the war. Most of them represent the Yabloko party, which promotes pacifist slogans, although it does not directly accuse the Russian authorities of unleashing a war in Ukraine.

In a number of regions, violations during the electoral process have already been reported. In particular, Sibir.Realii and “Nastoyastchee vremya” are examples of violations.

Elections are held in three days following the example of voting on amendments to the Constitution and elections to the State Duma in 2021. Then it was justified by the epidemic of the coronavirus infection, since then three-day elections have been enshrined in law. In addition, electronic voting is possible in a number of regions, including Moscow. Independent observers and a number of opposition representatives point out that all this increases the opportunities for falsification.