Press Release, 13.09.2023

Photo: Yelena Mayatnikova / Photo by the Pskov branch of Yabloko

Yelena Mayatnikova, a member of the Pskov Regional Electoral Commission from Yabloko, wrote a special dissenting opinion on the resolution on the protocol of the results of the gubernatorial elections in the Pskov region.

“The elections of the governor of the Pskov region in 2023 do not allow us to reliably determine the results of the expression of the will of voters in the region due to violations of the Constitution of the Russian Federation and the norms of electoral legislation,” Mayatnikova notes.

She also writes that the main obstacle to the free expression of voters’ opinions was the institution of the so-called “municipal filter”, when any candidate had to collect votes in his/her favour from municipal deputies, most of whom come from pro-government parties. Moreover, such collection of votes was carried out secretly, damaging the active and passive voting rights of citizens, significantly limiting the choice of citizens.

According to Mayatnikova, “The application of this instrument in practice had to be carefully checked by the Regional Electoral Commission after nominated candidates submitted documents for registration. In particular, it was necessary to establish how many signatures each of the candidates collected from deputies of representative bodies of local self-government and heads of municipalities that he chose not to submit to the electoral commission, the exact size of this excess [of signatures of municipal deputies in his/her favour], to determine whether such exceeding of the required number of signatures impeded the electoral rights of other citizens – not only candidates, but also persons entitled to sign the sheets of support. However, the corresponding check was not carried out by the body whose main task was to ensure the voting rights of citizens.”

Mayatnikova also indicates that due to the lack of the necessary verification of signatures in favour of the candidates, which the electoral commission had to conducts, there are doubts voters cast their votes for the candidates who do not have real support from elected officials of local government bodies of the Pskov region or the candidates.

In addition, the Electoral Commission twice rejected motivated complaints about illegal campaigning for candidate Vedernikov, who has been the current Governor of the Pskov Region and demonstratively used the advantages of his official position in campaigning.

“In other words, during the organisation and conducting of elections for the Governor of the Pskov region, the norms of the Constitution of the Russian Federation and electoral legislation stating that a citizen of the Russian Federation has the right to be elected regardless of gender, race, nationality, language, origin, property and official status, place of residence, attitudes towards religion, beliefs, membership in public associations, as well as other circumstances, were violated.

In accordance with the electoral legislation, the Electoral Commission of the region recognizes the election of the governor of the region as invalid if violations committed during the voting or establishing the voting results do not allow to reliably determine the results of the expression of the will of voters.

The violations that were committed in the region must lead to recognition of the elections of the Governor of the Pskov region held in 2023 as invalid” Yabloko’s member of the electoral commission concludes.