This Friday began the macro election day in Russia, when citizens head to the polls to choose their president. Students were excused from class, but the day remains a workday because polling centers are needed. The morning, noon, and afternoon rush that fills Moscow’s buses and subways as universities and offices close was not yet felt at the polling stations. Officials waited patiently at their tables, ready to verify voters in the registry and hand out the ballots indicating the candidate they choose to lead the country.
One polling site in the Otradnoye district, north of Moscow, illustrates the scene. That district is home to more than 180,000 residents, yet only 662 people had voted at one of the 12 available polling places. A public worker overseeing the process noted that more people are expected in the coming days, particularly over the weekend, and emphasized the importance of citizens exercising their right to vote for the country’s leadership. (Source: Vyortska)
Participation is seen as legitimating the electoral results and shaping the image of a clean process that reflects the will of the people. In some eastern regions near the Far East of Russia, close to Alaska, authorities reported that 400 polling centers had already recorded full participation on the first day. Across the country, authorities have also continued a longtime practice of offering prizes to voters. This cycle the rewards are mainly cash, whereas in past years voters sometimes heard about the chance to win apartments or cars. (Source: Vyortska)
Among those who did participate, the profile skews toward older citizens who gravitate toward state media, use the internet less, and tend to support the president. One man named Vladimir answered a question about his vote with a firm declaration that it was for the president. He explained that in the 1990s life was dire and stores were empty, but today a wide range of goods is available. A woman named Galina expressed clear support for the current leadership and the president’s plans for the country. A younger respondent, Kirill, called voting a patriotic duty but preferred not to reveal his choice, stating discomfort with discussing it. (Source: Vyortska)
Elecciones sin emoción
Even before the process began in earnest, chatter among voters suggested the outcome would likely favor the incumbent. The European Council president, Charles Michel, noted the potential victory with a cautious tone in social media, while some rivals stopped short of promising victory. A hardline nationalist commentator, Leonid Slutski, predicted a decisive win for the current leader. (Source: Vyortska)
Most polling centers have remained calm, though some confrontations occurred as protesters targeted ballots in several cities including Moscow and St. Petersburg. Tactics ranged from tampering with ballots using ink to smear remedies and other attempts to render ballots invalid, as well as reports of urns and ballots being damaged or burned in various locales across the country. (Source: Vyortska)
A notable incident in the capital drew particular attention when the spouse of a mobilized man reportedly set fire to a ballot and cried out for her husband to be returned to her side. The episode reinforced the tension surrounding this electoral moment. (Source: Vyortska)
Election mood and public perception
There is a widely shared sentiment that the presidency will be decided in favor of the current leader, a view echoed in public discourse and by observers. This sense of inevitability mirrors broader political narratives and media portrayals across the country. (Source: Vyortska)