Amid Fraud Allegations, Putin on Track to Win Russia’s Presidential Election
- Posted on March 4, 2012 at 1:26pm by
Madeleine Morgenstern
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Russian Prime Minister and presidential candidate Vladimir Putin casts his ballot at a polling station in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, March 4, 2012. Exit polls show him on track to return to the Kremlin. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)
MOSCOW (AP) — Prime Minister Vladimir Putin won Russia’s presidential election on Sunday, according to exit polls cited by state television, but the vote was tainted by claims of violations, including “carousel voting” in which voters were bused around to cast several ballots.
Putin tallied 58 percent of the vote, according to a nationwide exit poll conducted by the VTsIOM polling agency. Another exit poll done by the FOM polling agency showed Putin received 59 percent of the ballot.
Official vote results from the far eastern regions where the count was already completed seemed to confirm the poll data. With just over 14 percent of all precincts counted, Putin was leading the field with 62 percent of the vote, the Central Election Commission said.
But if thousands of claims of violations made by independent observers and Putin’s foes are confirmed, they could undermine the legitimacy of his victory and fuel protests. The opposition is gearing up for a massive rally in downtown Moscow on Monday.
“These elections are not free … that‘s why we’ll have protests tomorrow. We will not recognize the president as legitimate,” said Mikhail Kasyanov, who was Putin’s first prime minister before going into opposition.
Golos, Russia’s leading independent elections watchdog, said it received numerous reports of “carousel voting,” in which busloads of voters are driven around to cast ballots multiple times.
Alexei Navalny, one of the opposition’s most charismatic leaders, said observers trained by his organization also reported seeing extensive use of the practice.
Evidence of widespread vote fraud in December’s parliamentary election drew tens of thousands to protest against Putin, who was president in 2000-2008 before moving into the prime minister’s office due to term limits. They were the largest outburst of public anger in post-Soviet Russia and demonstrated growing exasperation with massive corruption, rising social inequality and tight controls over political life under Putin.
Putin has dismissed the protesters’ demands, casting them as a coddled minority of urban elites working at Western behest to weaken Russia.
Authorities gave permission to Putin’s supporters to gather just outside the Kremlin walls, and tens of thousands flooded the big square immediately after the vote ended. Some participants of the demonstration, including employees of state organizations, said they were forced by the management to attend it under the threat of punishment.
The authorities denied the opposition’s bid to hold the rally at the same time, but allowed it to hold their protest Monday at a nearby square.
The Communist Party candidate, Gennady Zyuganov, was trailing far behind Putin with some 18 percent, according to the exit polls. The others – nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky, Sergei Mironov of the socialist Just Russia party and billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov – were in single digits.
Putin has promised that the vote would be fair, and the authorities apparently have sought to take off the steam out of the protest movement by allowing more observers to monitor the vote. Tens of thousands of Russians, most of them politically active for the first time, had volunteered to be election observers, receiving training on how to recognize vote-rigging and record and report violations.
Golos said monitors have recorded fewer obvious violations than during the December election, but they still believe that violations are extensive. This time, election officials are using more complicated and subtle methods, said Golos deputy director Grigory Melkonyants.
According to data based on official figures from polling stations attended by Golos observers, Putin still garnered more than 54 percent of the vote, while Zyuganov won about 20 percent.
Web cameras were installed in Russia’s more than 90,000 polling stations, a move initiated by Putin in response to complaints of ballot stuffing and fraudulent counts in December. Those elections saw his United Russia party retain its majority in parliament, though substantially reduced from its previous overwhelming control.
It was unclear Sunday to what extent the cameras would be effective in recording voting irregularities or questionable counts. The election observation mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe noted skepticism in a report on election preparations.
“This is not an election … it is an imitation,” said Boris Nemtsov, a prominent opposition leader.
But despite the increased resentment against Putin’s rule among the rising middle class, opinion polls ahead of the vote had shown Putin positioned to win easily. He presided over significant economic growth and gave Russians a sense of stability that contrasted with the disorder and anxiety of the 1990s, when Boris Yeltsin led Russia’s emergence from the wreckage of the Soviet Union.
“Under Boris Nikolayevich, life was simply a nightmare, but, you know, now it’s OK. Now it’s good, I’m happy with the current situation,” said 51-year-old Alexander Pshennikov, who cast his ballot for Putin at a Moscow polling station.
The police presence was heavy throughout the city on Sunday. There were no immediate reports of trouble, although police arrested three young women who stripped to the waist at the polling station where Putin cast his ballot; one of them had the word “thief” written on her bare back.
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Comments (41)
NOBALONEY
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 8:22pmLife is a “Carousel”!!
Report Post »Michael61
Posted on March 5, 2012 at 10:29am@Lloyd Drako – Yes, Obama will become just like Putin, just give time.
Journalists assasinated? – Andrew Breitbart
Report Post »Attacked by goons? – ACORN, AFL-CIO and SEUI are attacking Tea party meetings all the time
Occupy Wall Street – hired and supported by the same SEIU and ACORN
Prosecuted? – all Tea party organizations are investigated by IRS right now
hauschild
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 5:26pmCool.
Maybe when Putin “squeaks by”, he’ll treat the masses to the Putin-version of Gentleman Godiva.
Report Post »Noahide Ron
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 5:20pm“We will not recognize the president as legitimate,”
Meh. Yeah good luck with that.
Coming to a country near you. . .
Report Post »suz
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 4:53pm“we will not recognize the president as legitimate.” –
yea, we’ve got the same problem here.
Report Post »AM-Saves
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 3:58pmI don’t understand how this is news, nothing about this is really NEW.
Report Post »Putin has been in charge since 2000, anyone who was fooled by Medvedev obviously didn‘t see Putin’s arm stuck in that sock-puppet’s rear.
JP4JOY
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 3:44pmAnd the DNC and Obama are furiously taking notes on how they need to proceed.
Report Post »Flotilla Hunter
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 3:41pmWe all remember Putin’s short movie career that ended with the death of “Dobbie” the elf in the Harry Potter series. Had to fall back on his original career.
Report Post »georgepatton
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 3:34pmAnother EVIL bastard taking the reins of power again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »thriceconcussed
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 4:16pmI was watching the French news, and they are all anti-Putin, that should give you pause, as the French generally are subordinates of the socialist Agenda 21 policy. Perhaps, this has more in common with the events in Libya, and the European effort to attack any world leader who explicates the independence of his our her society.
Report Post »georgepatton
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 3:33pmAnother evil bastard has taken the reins of power again!
Report Post »heyjim55
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 3:26pmThe Russian people chose this man and he is the winner, as for voting fraud does that not happen here are our elections not bought and paid for by the wealthy elite? The Russian election had more importance to Russia than many people think they were fighting for their sovereignty , if any of the others had won they would have been to weak to fight off or to willing to accept western corruption like the world bank, IMF and the militarized American foreign policy. The more American elite poured money into the Russian opposition’s pocket the more defiant the Russian people became , they don‘t want to be like us they see what is happening here and they don’t want it! We are no longer a democracy we are a Plutocracy and have been for decades, the Russians know this and have already lived under a similar form of Government the Czar’s. Putin is no angel but he is a patriot to Russia regardless on what people here think of him he is the best leader they have right now. The Russian‘s don’t want to be pushed around by the West any more than we want to be pushed around by China. They will never accept our political system simply because it’s our system let them build their won and leave them alone.
Report Post »georgepatton
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 3:42pmHEYJIM55
Report Post »I don’t know where you get your information from,but I work with two people whom both lived under Putin.
According to them if you criticized any of his policies you would not be alive very long.
Come to think of it, not too long ago Barry got the OK from congress to do the same thing!
universalphilos
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 3:00pmMarch 15, 1975: “But now, as war and rumors of war begin to rattle the hemisphere, as your great leaders gather to talk of peace, they plan of war; they plan of assassination.
Report Post »Already in the land you call Russia, the land of the Bear, it has sprung a new head, and now, it looks out hungrily at all the land and all the people. You have already lost Nicaragua and El Salvador. Those are gone. If the present course is continued to take place, soon Mexico will be gone, your greatest neighbor. When this happens, you say unto us, “We will go to war to prevent this.” Yes, this could be done. But as we have told you before, the winds of March are upon you. Great change shall take place in the political sea across the land and faces of the earth. Decisions shall come forth, and false treaties shall be made.
We say unto you, now is one of the Earth’s greatest times. It is a time when it may walk at peace, or go to war. It is like the fickled whims of a politician. Be careful that you are all not caught in this trap. Be not as those who would hide their head and say, “This is not happening. These things cannot happen to me.” For one day it is your brothren that they shall attack, and the next day it shall be you. There is but one way that you may survive all these things, and that is if you bind together, become as one. Know the honor of one. Know the needs of one. Know the duties of one. And be as one. And then, let your whole land prepare itself. For warfare is like a ste
universalphilos
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 3:21pmUS President Kennedy and his brother, Attorney General Robert Kennedy, were assassinated by covert, religious militant operatives, didn’t Glenn say on GBTV this winter?
Report Post »Last month on GBTV, President of the Retired US Border Patrol Officers said a proxy war is being fought in Mexico by Hezbollah. Iran has sent many planes of soldiers to Venezuela, who have been escorted to Mexico and across into the US by drug cartels. Russia has provided nuclear assistance and missiles to Iran, and weapons and rockets to Syria. Russia’s only naval base off its mainland is in Syria. Iran now threatens to wipe Israel off the map.
Also, the US covertly funded and trained Osama bin Laden who drove the Soviets from Afghanistan in 1988, after which Bin Laden formed Al Qaeda (toward a world Caliphate) and declared war against the U.S. The Blaze reported this month that Al Qaeda from Pakistan is teaming up with Iran. (Don’t they already have a bomb?)
Does the Cold War continue?
dmerwin
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 2:42pmWant to know why we need voter id. Look no further.
Report Post »dmerwin
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 2:40pmIn the words of that great American philosopher Gomer Pyle, “Well surprise, surprise, surprise!”
Report Post »thriceconcussed
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 2:40pmNotice that it’s the Comnunist party making those allegations, or did this story mention that? They‘re just mad because the Russians don’t want Communism. Look up the facts, Putin’s accusers are the occupiers of Russia.
Report Post »dmerwin
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 2:43pmAre you actually saying something to the effect that Putin is the lesser of two evils?
Report Post »thriceconcussed
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 3:11pmUnfortunately, he’s standing in the way of full-blown Communism. The guy’s a douche, but the European media is doing their spin. They don’t like Putin because he ignores and belittles the UN.
Report Post »Southpaw
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 2:15pmI spoke with a man a couple weeks ago who left Russia in 1991. He stated Putin is essentially the head of the Mafia. He stated then there is a 99% chance Putin will ‘win’. I asked him if Putin will become the new Stalin. He basically said give him 20 years and he will. It was really scary to listen to the changes he saw from 1988-1991. He bought his way out with his family just like many others. We need to be careful not to allow that to happen here.
Report Post »USPATRIOT101
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 1:56pmjust like barack
Report Post »Free2speakRN
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 1:54pmIs Obama seeing the good or the bad in this?
Report Post »TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 1:50pmFrom Ron Paul Forums….
———————————————————————————————————-
Ron Paul for president …in Russia?
Submitted by (name witheld) on Wed, 02/08/2012 – 14:05
in Daily Paul Liberty Forum
http://p.twimg.com/Ak_tCE-CEAEcQmc.jpg:small
Does that say Ron Paul for president?
http://techpresident.com/news/21735/first-post-ron-paul-inte...
—————————————————————————————————–
AND in the comment section…..
Submitted by (name withheld) on Wed, 02/08/2012 – 14:34.
“If Ron Paul were named President in Russia tomorrow, I believe I’d go buy a fur coat and start learning to drink vodka.”
Hmmmmmmm, well, THAT’s one way to get rid of him… AND them! Lol.
Report Post »TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 1:54pm•Vegas Tenold, a freelance writer and graduate of the Columbia Journalism School, spotted supporters of Ron Paul at a pro-Putin rally in Moscow. A sign shown in a photo highlights the web address http://ronpaul.ru, which appears to be a Russian site in support of Paul.
Report Post »Dan
Posted on March 5, 2012 at 5:07pmRon Paul is a lost cause, give up already. He’s never going to make it.
Report Post »RestoreCapitalism
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 1:46pmMeanwhile, here in the US, they tell us we have to be concerned about the ‘electability’ of the GOP candidate, when the truth is that they are planning a Russian style election.
Report Post »momprayn
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 1:46pmImmediate reaction: Substitute “Putin” with “Obama”
Yep – do what you can to deal with the historical level of fraud, tricks, crisis, etc., etc. coming……to us.
Report Post »momprayn
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 1:54pmOh sorry —- AND substitute Russia for America — but you knew what I meant.
Report Post »Lloyd Drako
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 3:02pmGet over this Obama = Putin foolishness! What political opponent of Obama’s has gone to jail on trumped-up charges? What Republican or Tea Party gatherings have been broken up by Obama-sponsored goons? What journalist criticizing Obama has been assassinated?
Report Post »Michael61
Posted on March 5, 2012 at 10:27am@Lloyd Drako
Journalists assasinated? – Andrew Breitbart
Report Post »Attacked by goons? – ACORN, AFL-CIO and SEUI are attacking Tea party meetings all the time
Occupy Wall Street – hired and supported by the same SEIU and ACORN
Prosecuted? – all Tea party organizations are investigated by IRS right now
Lloyd Drako
Posted on March 6, 2012 at 2:15pmI do recall scuffles between Tea Party gatherings and left-wing interlopers–back when the Tea Party actually held mass meetings on street corners and had not yet ossified into an organized lobby group.
Some of the left-wingers would have been ACORN or union people, but can you say for sure that they were deliberately egged on by the White House?
Whether on tax or other charges, who is patently in jail for political opposition to Obama? I repeat, who?
Breitbart? I‘ll wait for the coroner’s report, but I’m betting natural causes. Too bad we have no way of putting money on it!
Report Post »Baja
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 1:40pmLooks like ACORN has set up shop in Russia.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 1:35pm“including “carousel voting” in which voters were bused around to cast several ballots.”
Coming to a precinct near you soon … we need to “purple finger” voters … not just ask for I.D … we need BOTH!
Report Post »brntout
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 1:34pmDah ,dah,dah,dah,dah,…….Putin on the ritz…..******* that is…Who really cares…..It’s all fair….
Report Post »brntout
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 2:47pmare you kidding me ,crackers are now censored? Blaze you now lost another soul.Ritz,Club,Saltines,you’re next
Report Post »HKS
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 1:33pmFraud allegations, well knock me over with a feather, who would have projected that.
Report Post »Razorhunters
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 1:33pmreminds me of all the fraud we have going on in the us.
Report Post »TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
Posted on March 4, 2012 at 2:43pmLOL. You Ron Paul supporters are all over the internet whining about voter fraud commited against your boy.
Face it, except for the liberally educated and indoctrinated youth that support Paul, old time/new day racists, bigots, anti-semites, birthers, truthers, drug addled, drug addled wannabe’s, Alex Jones type conspiracy theorists, militia movement participants, pacifists, isolationists, the anti-Military, anarcho-capitalists, straight up anarchists, democratic party talking pointers, fringe left, fringe right, neo-libs, quasi-cons, libertarians, libertines and YOU…
Most of clear thinking America say’s BS to that… lol.
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