Videos Have Emerged Of People Overtly Stuffing Ballots To Sway The Russian Election
The Russian presidential elections were held on March 18, and if you haven't heard much about them, it's because incumbent President Vladimir Putin was pretty much a shoo-in. The returning fourth-term President had little competition, and observers continue to question whether the elections are as free and fair as the Kremlin would have the world believe. It's hard to buy that all Russians are as enthusiastic about Putin's return as election results suggest, especially considering the numerous videos of individuals blatantly stuffing ballot boxes at polling sites all over the country.
The clips emerged online after the fact, and many of these people are shameless in their attempts to cheat the system.
УИК № 626 (г. Новокузнецк, ул. 40 лет ВЛКСМ, 112, СОШ №79, корпус 1)
— Штаб Навального в Новокузнецке (@teamnavalnynvkz) March 18, 2018
Вброс, избиратель кидает в урну больше одного бюллетеня (Статья 142.1 УК РФ. Фальсификация итогов голосования)#Невыборы2018 pic.twitter.com/uUlbHPXcbl
Another apparent case of ballot-stuffing, as local election official hands elderly voter a stack of ballots other than hers to drop in ballot box. https://t.co/odJNJe2wm7
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) March 18, 2018
Some ballot stuffers tried to be a little bit stealthier...
Election violations already being spotted. Here a woman pulls out a ballot or several concealed in her jacket and drops into the box. https://t.co/LOuaouHqIE
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) March 18, 2018
Приморский Край pic.twitter.com/7yV9qVHAyO
— Лепра (@leprasorium) March 18, 2018
Others couldn't be bothered to hide their intentions.
Honestly, some of these ballot stuffings are hilariously brazen. People literally queuing behind this man as he stuffs ballots into the urn. https://t.co/CyTnEn7aQf
— Francesca Ebel (@FrancescaEbel) March 18, 2018
TASS live blog also has this nugget: Smartphone-less 104-year-old Raisa Pankovsa in Altai was excited to find out about a ballot booth photo contest with prizes for voters. "Kind people promised to help me take a selfie...so it'll be possible to win a TV." https://t.co/7MVZ8VQfkL
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) March 18, 2018
Many people were intimidated for trying to stop the election meddling.
This election monitor in Dagestan was attacked after he refused to stop filming people voting despite not being on the rolls https://t.co/1VLXqRuX92
— max seddon (@maxseddon) March 18, 2018
На участке 1072 неизвестный мужчина напал на нашего наблюдателя после отказа убирать камеру. Его вывела полиция pic.twitter.com/2eozWnwbYD
— Наблюдатели Дагестана (@DagestanElect) March 18, 2018
Zukhrab Omarov, 28, an election observer in Dagestan, tried to complain about the sudden appearance of 40 goons at his polling station, whom he suspected were part of a “carousel.” They dragged him outside in full view of the cops and beat him up pic.twitter.com/1obWCSMpIn
— max seddon (@maxseddon) March 18, 2018
Unsurprisingly, Putin won the election by a very wide margin.
Chechnya, which delivered a whopping 99% for Mr Putin in 2012, appears to be up to the same tricks: Video captures a man in a white hat stuffing ballots as he greets fellow voters https://t.co/pNSgqGvygw
— Alec Luhn (@ASLuhn) March 18, 2018
Meanwhile, even more videos and stories detailing ballot stuffing are appearing online.
Как набираются проценты за Путина и явка в Чечне
— Выборная Навка (@Gulay_Pole) March 18, 2018
УИК № 137 Чеченская республика. село Илсхан-Юрт.
Мужик (в светлом) просто ходит по участку и спокойно заносит один за одним бюллетени в урну. pic.twitter.com/MgUpoDnUBi
The magic of Russian elections: 50 ballots from 35 home voters in Stavropol https://t.co/kJ6A2u0y6i
— Alec Luhn (@ASLuhn) March 18, 2018
The Moscow region election committee has confirmed this incident of ballot stuffing captured on camera in Lyubertsy @bbcrussian pic.twitter.com/SsPaJcSHXB
— Alec Luhn (@ASLuhn) March 18, 2018
Russian authorities don't seem to think the voter fraud, captured on camera, is a big deal.
Central Election Commission says apparent voter fraud in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk was actually just cops, observers, and commission officials voting early. 🤷♂️ https://t.co/MtS0NMnlSC
— Kevin Rothrock (@KevinRothrock) March 18, 2018
Russia’s Central Election Commission says it will review voter fraud allegations submitted by observers from @golosinfo, while simultaneously suggesting that Golos staged some of these violations.https://t.co/6Ehefdwa1a
— Kevin Rothrock (@KevinRothrock) March 18, 2018
Congratulations on your fourth term, President Putin! I guess a win is a win, fair or no.
Тhe @golosinfo election monitoring NGO has rеcorded 860 complaints of possible violations during today's #elections with 109 from #Moscow and 62 from St. Petersburg. More live updates here https://t.co/V76pVCmRAV #выборы2018 pic.twitter.com/0F50zquIyF
— The Moscow Times (@MoscowTimes) March 18, 2018
H/T - Twitter, The Washington Post