Press Release, 24.09.2026

Photo by the Yabloko Press Service

Pavel Shapchits, a voting member of the St. Petersburg Electoral Commission representing Yabloko, was the only member of the electoral commission to vote against approving the results of elections in St. Petersburg. He wrote a dissenting opinion in which he explained in detail why the election results could not be considered reliable.

Here is a summary of the dissenting opinion by the Yabloko member of the St. Petersburg Electoral Commission:

Openness and transparency in the work of electoral commissions

The situation regarding openness in the work of precinct electoral commissions during the voting days and the transparency of electoral procedures was catastrophic, even compared with the most recent election campaigns of 2024.

The problem of multi-day voting

The way voting and vote counting were organised has shown that the multi-day voting format does not allow effective control over the safekeeping of ballot papers, voter lists and other electoral documents at night.

Inflated turnout

Even a cursory comparison of several factors makes it possible to state that the voter turnout indicated in the final protocol is significantly inflated across the whole of St. Petersburg and bears no relation to reality.

Administrative dependence of electoral commissions

Given the extreme complexity of electoral legislation, the variety of procedures and the existence of certain “grey areas” (such as the extent to which observers may examine voter lists), as well as the lack of automation in many processes, the collegial principle, including mutual oversight, plays an extremely important role in the work of electoral commissions. This can only be achieved through the representation of political parties that engage in genuine political struggle and are not subordinate to any single political centre. This was not ensured.

No grounds for registering the Greens’ party list

The signatures submitted by this electoral association included an unacceptably high number that should have been declared invalid. Clearly, certain double standards were applied in such a “loyal” approach to verifying the signatures of the Greens.

Failure to observe the principle of equal campaigning opportunities

The electoral associations taking part in these elections did not have equal access to the media or equal opportunities to disseminate their campaign materials.

Handling of complaints

The procedure for receiving and considering complaints during the voting days was poorly organised.

Read more about the violations in St. Petersburg here.

It should be noted that Yabloko has also published reports from the Hotline set up by the party, covering violations in various regions of Russia on the first, second and third days of voting.