On Tuesday Vladimir Churov stated publicly that only dilettantes can put to doubt the outcomes of the past presidential election, while complaints just cannot cast a shade upon the election done. The head of the CEC did not mention the strange figure of turnout in Ingushetia and the attempts by Leningradskaya oblast authorities to make those having ignored the poll, answer for that. The CEC member Elena Dubrovina has agreed to give comments on some interesting aspects of the 2 March election.   

Q: It has become known about attempts by some regional authorities to find out who of the voters did not come to polling stations and why they did not do it. Is such a practice lawful?   

A: The Constitution gives the right to citizens to vote, but this is no obligation for them. Provisions of the law about basic guarantees of voting rights say that any enforcement to voting or non-voting is inadmissible. Undoubtedly, it is unlawful to try to see who voted which way and even try to prosecute those people.

Q: What punishment is supposed to be applied to offenders in case the fact of “administrative checking” in Leningradskaya oblast gets proved?

A: Well, those guilty would be held responsible in administrative way. It’s important to prevent such actions and secure that people not be afraid of exercising their rights. I do hope that the regional officials, whose actions might have been perceived as enforcement, will be sensible enough not to carry out their threats.   

Q: Was CEC informed of other instances of “administrative check”? 

A: Just before the election day the CEC received an inquiry from a poll station: allegedly the city’s administration had asked them to provide the lists of non-voters, and the local elective commission members asked if that would be a lawful action. Immediately we explained to them that was unlawful. You know, there are zealous officials ready for everything to get liked by their superiors.    

Q: Can you name a region where it happened?

A: Well, I would prefer to refrain. When we deal with a particular complaint and have opportunity to avert the violation, we just discuss the case for other officials’ edification. That’s enough.

Q: How are we supposed to deal with the statement that a voting bulletin is state property and the citizen has no right to carry it away from the polling station? (such a statement was done by CEC head Vladimir Churov)

A: Well, of course, the bulletin belongs to the state, not to the citizens. Yet the term “stealing” would be inappropriate for such cases. The CEC is concerned with the occasions of carrying away some bulletins as they might be copied for some reasons. We know about so called “vertushka” practice (fittingly, rotation) where voters sell their blank voting bulletins signed.

Q: Has there been many cases proved?

A: As for 2 March election, I didn’t hear about such cases. But generally it is a rather common practice.