Russia is hosting the most important political event – the Russian Presidential Election. Millions of citizens of the Russian Federation will show their civic initiative and for the population it is not only an opportunity to fulfil their civic duty, but also a kind of act of patriotism. To cast your vote for the future President means to contribute to the future of your country.
And how will our compatriots who live on the African continent, who work in joint Russian-African companies, or who have travelled abroad temporarily, be able to vote in the presidential election? For example, on a business trip or on holiday.
Every Russian citizen in Africa will have the opportunity to vote safely and conveniently in the presidential election. This was announced by Vsevolod Tkachenko, Director of the African Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
“There are no obstacles of political order in Africa, and our diplomatic missions have sufficient experience in solving organizational and logistical issues,” he pointed out in a conversation with TASS.
On 17 March 2024, from 08:00 to 20:00 local time, 47 African countries will vote in the Russian presidential election. The polling station can be easily found on the CEC website.
There will be 276 in total, but additional ones may be opened, the press service of the Central Election Commission reports. The work of polling stations is organized and provided by precinct election commissions (PECs). They are opened by Russian consulates and embassies.
HOW TO VOTE ABROAD
You can only vote in person. You can vote at home only if you have valid reasons, such as illness or disability. To do this, you must submit a written or oral application to the PEC, in which you tell them where you want to vote. The staff will come to the specified address. Such applications are accepted until 14:00 on 17 March local time. The website of state services for voting abroad will not be available.
HOW TO APPLY TO VOTE ABROAD
To vote abroad, you need to find on the CEC website.
your polling station. To do this, the voter needs to select the country of interest where it will be convenient to vote.
Apply for inclusion in the voter list. Citizens who have travelled to another country for a short period of time, for example to visit relatives, tourism, business or official visit, apply orally. Those who permanently live abroad or are on a long business trip may do so both orally and in writing. The submission of a written or oral application to a foreign PEC is also mandatory in order to vote at home.
According to paragraph 6.5 of the recommendations on the organization of elections abroad No. 151/1200-8 of 24 January 2024, it is not obligatory to take an absentee ballot, because on election day you can come to any foreign PEC, verbally ask to be added to the voter list and vote. The PEC may refuse if it has information that you have applied for remote voting or have already voted.
WHO CAN VOTE AND WHAT DOCUMENTS ARE REQUIRED TO VOTE ABROAD
Russian citizens over the age of 18 can take part in elections. To vote, a Russian citizen must present a valid foreign, official or diplomatic passport. In case of loss, the voter is allowed to present a certificate of entry (return) to the Russian Federation. If none of these documents is available, a passport of a USSR citizen of the 1974 model can be presented. It will be accepted on condition that it has marks or an insert about the citizenship of the Russian Federation.
A total of four candidates are registered to run in the election: Vladislav Davankov, deputy chairman of the State Duma and candidate of the New People party; Leonid Slutsky, Duma deputy and leader of the LDPR; Nikolai Kharitonov, Duma deputy of the CPRF; and Vladimir Putin, the incumbent head of state, a self-nominated candidate.
The future life of the country depends on our participation or non-participation in the elections. The highest voter turnout is the key to fair elections. The more people show their involvement and conscious political position and express their opinion, the fairer the elections will be.
Editorial Board of the “New Eastern Outlook”