The municipal election in the Kursk region went ahead as planned despite the Ukrainian incursion, with polling stations opening across 83 Russian regions on Sunday. The Central Election Commission stated that the election in Kursk was not postponed at the request of the region’s residents, with high turnout seen as a response to the actions of “bandits and rabble.” The election featured three by-elections for the 8th State Duma, 19 elections for governors, 13 regional parliamentary elections, and various municipal elections.
While the Central Election Commission reported no significant complaints affecting results of remote electronic voting, there were thousands of attacks on voting resources that were promptly blocked. Election officials were even shown visiting a veterans’ hospital in Kemerovo to record votes from patients wounded in Ukraine. High turnout was seen in regions like Bryansk, Kursk, Kemerovo, and the Republic of Bashkortostan.
However, independent media outlets reported violations such as money being offered for votes, removal of observers, and instances of ballot stuffing. Concerns were also raised about the transparency of electronic voting in Moscow City Duma elections. Some residents expressed hopes that local elections could help bring an end to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, while others voiced concerns about safety, especially in regions affected by drone attacks. Despite these challenges, the elections proceeded with participation from residents across various regions in Russia.
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