| The Central Election Commission is concerned about the possibility of low turnout in the presidential elections, but does not show it Ensuring the electorate's turnout at the ballot boxes was discussed via teleconference with the chairmen of regional election commissions Viktor Limanov (Stavropol Territory) and Lyudmila Fadeeva (Ulyanovsk Region) at yesterday's meeting by the head of the Central Election Commission Alexander Veshnyakov.
“In our parliamentary elections, almost half of the voters did not vote, and this is a very alarming signal,” admitted Mr. Limanov. And he thanked the Central Election Commission for the poster depicting candidates for the highest government post. As Mr. Limanov explained, during the last elections the poster was printed in such small letters that “some voters came to the polling station almost with optical instruments.” Now the letters are large, and this fact may help increase the electoral activity of Stavropol residents. And in Ulyanovsk, the greatest hopes are placed on the youngest voters, who will have to express their will for the first time in their lives. According to Lyudmila Fadeeva, eight thousand personalized invitations to the elections, as well as memorable souvenirs, have been prepared for them.
However, low turnout is not the main headache of the regional election commission. You can expect another trick from Lenin's fellow countrymen. Electoral committee member Evgeniy Kolyushin, who had just returned from a trip to the region, reminded his colleagues that in December the Ulyanovsk electorate was unable to choose a single-mandate candidate: “Mr. Against Everyone received twice as many votes as the most successful of the real candidates, and is gaining almost real traits."
But Alexander Veshnyakov is not afraid of Mr. Against Everyone. After the meeting, he told reporters as a personal achievement that in December “six million fewer voters voted for this candidate than in the last election.” As for the turnout, according to Mr. Veshnyakov, it should be 5-8% more than in the parliamentary elections. However, the head of the Central Election Commission is not the best predictor: the actual turnout on December 7 was almost 10% lower than his forecast. Natalia ROZHKOVA |
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