A bit of dark Russian election humor, directed at Americans, it would seem:
A poster circulating on social media that reads: "We Chose The U.S. President; And Now We're Choosing The Russian President!"
- By Carl Schreck
Amid reports of election irregularities, ballot box stuffing, “carousel voting,” and other weirdness, this one from the Siberian coal mining town of Kemerovo is a head-scratcher.
Like all voting precincts around the country, Precinct Number 268 has a video camera recording, and broadcasting via web stream, activity in the main balloting room. At the exact moment when a group of precinct workers went to count ballots and the clear plastic box containing ballots was dumped onto a table, a woman who appeared to be the precinct’s chairwoman strolled over to the video camera and maneuvered a collection of balloons in front of the camera, blocking the view of the room.
According to this tweet, the camera was blocked for around 90 seconds…
Aleksei Navalny, the anti-corruption crusader and persistent thorn in the Kremlin's side, was prevented from running in the election, due to a criminal conviction his supporters say was trumped up. That hasn't stopped him and his team from fanning out around the country to document voting irregularities.
Meanwhile, his team is running a live election-day broadcast, being streamed live on his YouTube channel. Even if you don't speak Russian, it's worth taking a peek at.
- By Mike Eckel
Defacing election ballots has arguably risen to an art form in Russia, particularly for voters who believe the process has become a sham. Here's one example from a voting precinct in a northern Moscow district.
Translation: "Give Us Back Our Elections, You Creeps."
- By Mike Eckel
Russian election officials have repeatedly hailed the integrity of the presidential election campaign, not to mention the actual voting process taking place today. Here's an example of one who's not holding back in the superlative department:
Here is our latest news story on the vote:
Putin Expected To Sail To Fourth Term Amid Reports Of Voting Violations
By RFE/RL
MOSCOW-- Voters in Russia are casting ballots on March 18 in a presidential election that is all but certain to secure President Vladimir Putin a fourth term in office amid reports of hundreds of violations at polling stations across the country.
The 65-year-old incumbent is riding a wave of government-stoked popularity on the fourth anniversary of Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region and in the wake of a military intervention in Syria that has been played up on state-controlled television as a patriotic success.
Amid government efforts to get out the vote and reports of voter fraud, much attention is focused on whether Russians will turn out in big enough numbers to hand Putin a convincing mandate.
Casting his ballot in Moscow, Putin said "any" result that allows him to continue as president would be a "success."
Read more
Another reported incident of ballot stuffing. That one was in Daghestan:
