Anna Cherepanova’s blog post, 27.06.2023

I spoke at the meeting of the Territorial Electoral Commission of Novgorod proposing to conduct voting at the election of deputies of the Novgorod City Duma within one day, 10 September [rather than three envisaged by the recent laws].

The multi-day voting system does not have a single “pro”, only “cons”.

The authorities explain that in this way they make elections convenient for voters and increase turnout. But the figures demonstrate the opposite: multi-day voting does not affect turnout in any way.

Elections of the Governor of the Novgorod region:

2017 – 24.6% turnout

2022 – 26.4% turnout

Growth is less than 2%. It is about nothing.

Elections of deputies of the Novgorod Regional Duma:

2016 – 39.7% turnout

2021 – 40.3% turnout

The increase is less than 1%. Funny.

Elections of deputies of the Novgorod City Duma:

2018 – 24.1% turnout

April 2022 (by-election for constituency #3) – 9.1% turnout

The numbers speak for themselves. A complete failure.

That is, two extra days of voting, if they give an increase, it is scanty, but the scope for falsifications is huge.

People do not go to the polls because they are disappointed that they cannot influence politics, they consider the result to be predetermined. The authorities have been discrediting the elections with falsifications systematically and for a long time, destroying competition by not admitting or removing candidates, and administratively forcing dependent voters to vote for [the government’s] United Russia [party]. Here comes the result. Elections ceased to be elections.

I have called on the members of the Territorial Electoral Commission of Novgorod to conduct voting within one day, 10 September [rather than three].

For reference: the recent presidential elections in Turkey were held within one day, and the turnout was over 90%.

Anna CHEREPANOVA

is a member of the Federal Bureau of Yabloko,

Chair of the Novgorod regional branch of the party.

Deputy of the Novgorod Duma