The mayor of a city with a population of one million was chosen by the population of one small block. This is the picture that emerges if we sum up the elections in Omsk, where, according to the latest census, 1.2 million people live. The turnout was 17.3%. The winner, United Russia member Vyacheslav Dvorakovsky, received 49.4% of the votes. In absolute figures, this is 77,815 voters. About 8.4% of their total number (6.5% of the entire population). The story is roughly the same in Krasnoyarsk (turnout is 21.2%).

Some may say that this is the result of 20 years of democracy development in Russia. The population has finally become convinced of the futility of attempts to change something, to influence something. Therefore, they remain in their dachas. And the fate of the city is determined by the most obedient or interested.

However, in the same territories in December, during the federal campaign, with a much higher turnout, the voting was a protest: in the State Duma elections in Krasnoyarsk Krai, United Russia received 36.8%, and in the elections to the Legislative Assembly of Omsk Oblast – 38.9%.

There is a more recent example that refutes the thesis about the population's apathy: in March, in the first round of the Yaroslavl mayoral elections, the turnout was 63% - although the elections were combined with the presidential ones. But 45.4% of voters were not too lazy to come to the second round, where the oppositionist ultimately won.

In general, when there is someone to choose from, people go - without any orders to enterprises and other mobilization measures. The political reform promised in December is supposedly intended to stir up citizens: there will be more elections - gubernatorial ones will be added, alternative candidates are more than enough (more than 100 parties are being created).

But the reform is being carried out in a specific way. A 10% municipal filter is being installed everywhere at gubernatorial elections, easily cutting off real opponents. Pro-government political strategists are creating dozens of spoiler parties to increase voters' allergy. Equidistant arbitrators - election commissions - will not appear, the law has not been changed in this part, moreover, precinct commissions will be elected for five years in advance. TV has not become freer. And opposition activity is increasingly being equated with criminal activity. If everything goes on like this, then in five years the mayor of Omsk will be elected by 1% of the city's residents. And most likely the same person. As at all other levels of government.

Figure of the week: 17.3%