In the run-up to the presidential elections set for March, the Russian Federation saw a substantial interest in remote electronic voting. The Central Election Commission reported that hundreds of thousands of applications came in for participation via online voting, with official figures announced by Ella Pamfilova, the commission chairwoman, and cited by TASS.
As of January 31, the total number of applications exceeded 545 thousand. About 465 thousand voters opted for online participation, while more than 80 thousand chose to cast ballots at polling sites. Pamfilova emphasized that the registration window for both remote and on-site voting would remain open until March 11.
The presidential elections in the Russian Federation were scheduled to take place from March 15 to March 17, 2024. In addition to traditional polling, 29 precincts were planned to conduct remote electronic voting to broaden access for voters who prefer digital participation.
Vladimir Putin appeared on the ballot as a self-nomination. In line with the law governing presidential elections, a voter base of at least 500 individuals was established to support his candidacy, a process that was completed ahead of schedule. The XIII Congress, convened in Moscow on December 23, endorsed Putin’s bid, with members of the Just Russia – Patriots – For Truth faction publicly backing the presidential candidate.
January 31 marked the deadline for submitting signatures to the Central Election Commission in support of presidential candidates.
Earlier reports noted that Andrei Bogdanov had submitted the necessary signatures to the CEC to back his presidential bid. [Attribution: CEC records / official announcements]