VZCZCXRO1380
OO RUEHDBU RUEHLN RUEHPOD RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHMO #5631/01 3361538
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 021538Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY MOSCOW
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5622
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHXD/MOSCOW POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MOSCOW 005631 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM SOCI RS
SUBJECT: DUMA ELECTION: VOTER TURNOUT HIGH, PARTIES ALLEGE 
VIOLATIONS AS VOTING CONTINUES 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Eighteen regions of Russia have completed voting 
and all signs are that voter turnout for the December 2 Duma 
elections is expected to exceed 2003's turnout of 55.75 percent 
although three hours remain before polls close across all of Russia. 
The opposition SPS, Yabloko, and Communist parties are alleging 
widespread election irregularities, similar to those reported in 
2003 by OSCE. The chief source of new concern for all observers 
-Communist Party, the NGO Golos, SPS, and others-is the more 
widespread use of absentee ballots. Russian-national Embassy voters 
reported an orderly process at their polling places in Moscow and 
Moscow region. A CEC tour of a number of polling places, 
unsurprisingly, showed the same. The U.S.-funded domestic election 
observers were largely unimpeded.  Their observations and those of 
much smaller international observer missions, will frame results, 
expected late evening December 2 or early a.m. December 3. End 
summary. 
 
Turnout 
------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) If current trends hold, it should be high. The CEC is 
reporting 42.4 percent as of 1600 local time and is predicting that 
it will exceed 60 percent, about the 55.75 percent recorded in 2003, 
but less than the 70 percent gunned for by United Russia supporters. 
Ekho Moskvy reported that as of 1500 local turnout is two times 
higher then it was at the same time in 2003. Sample comparative 
turnout as of mid-afternoon for the following regions suggests that 
turnout should be higher: 
 
-- Amur:  44.6 percent (today), 32.5 percent (2003) 
-- Khabarovsk region:  39.5 percent (today), 27.3 percent (2003) 
-- Chita region:  37.46 percent (today), 27.2 percent (2003) 
-- Sakhalin region:  37.14 percent (today), 33.6 percent (2003) 
-- Primorsk region:  35.27 percent (today), 25.7 percent (2003) 
-- Irkutsk region:  24.9 percent (today), 21.7 percent (2003) 
 
Kamchatka and Chutkotka are closed and the Chukotka regional 
election commission reports 76.7 percent, while Kamchatka reports 
53.74 percent turnout. 
 
Opposition and Violations 
------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) By all accounts, the voting has been going smoothly, but 
there are alleged irregularities.  NGO Golos reports that it has 
received about four thousand calls alleging violations on its 
hotline.  Opposition parties -SPS, the Communist Party, and 
Yabloko-are alleging violations around the country.  The nature of 
the violations are similar with those seen in the 2003 Duma 
elections:  ballot box stuffing in Dagestan, difficulties with some 
party and NGO Golos observers being admitted to polling places at 
scattered locations throughout the country, allegations that some 
voters have taken their ballots from the polling place in order 
presumably to complete them under the supervision of a party or 
administrative authority. There have been cases where voters have 
phone-photoed their ballots, presumably to show their employers or 
others whom they voted for, but these appear to be isolated 
instances.  In some cases polling places are holding "vote 
lotteries" and offering prizes, following a drawing, for those who 
vote. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Other Russia's Gary Kasparov and Eduard Limonov invalidated 
their ballots, writing "Other Russia" on them before depositing them 
in the ballot box, in order to show their dissatisfaction with the 
options available.  SPS's Leonid Gozman complained of measures used 
by United Russia to increase its returns, and argued that a Duma 
elected in an election characterized by widespread violations cannot 
be legitimate.  He suggested that an elections "black book" be 
created. 
 
¶5. (SBU) One new issue of concern with this election is absentee 
ballots.  About 700 thousand ballots were issued for the 2003 
election.  Embassy has not been able to determine how many have been 
provided this time around, but the NGO Golos alleges, based on 
fragmentary information, that the numbers are exponentially higher. 
Per Golos, they are ten times higher in Moscow, thirteen times 
higher in St. Petersburg, 28 times higher in Chuvashiya, and 54 
times more numerous in Komi. The CEC-affiliated Russian Foundation 
for Free Elections Chairman Andrey Przhedomskiy scored absentee 
ballots as a worry in a press conference he gave on November 30. The 
Communist Party has told us that Chairman Gennadiy Zyuganov will 
highlight absentee ballots as its main area of concern at a press 
conference scheduled for about 1800 local time, today. 
 
Atmosphere 
---------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Russians with whom we have spoken report that voting has 
been orderly, their polling places had observers from political 
parties, there was no campaigning around or in the polling places. 
 
MOSCOW 00005631  002 OF 003 
 
 
One individual who voted in Moscow region observed much higher than 
usual voter turnout.  It appeared to her that the voting lists had 
been updated.  (Her father had died since the election, and his name 
was not on the list.)  The majority of voters observed were 
pensioners.  There are polling places in all of Moscow's railroad 
stations. A quick survey showed they are all clearly marked, guarded 
by police, and there did not seem to be a large number of people 
using them. 
 
Voter Awareness 
--------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) It seems that everyone in the country was notified by SMS 
on December 1 of the elections.  Subways and surface public 
transportation in Moscow have recordings reminding all to vote on 
December 2.  They are many new signs around Moscow reminding all of 
the elections. 
 
-------------------------------------- 
Moscow Oblast: An Official Snapshot 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU)  On a tour organized by the Central Election Commission, 
approximately 50 Moscow-based diplomats and bilateral international 
observers were briefed on "combat day" by Moscow Election Commission 
Chairwoman Valentine Simonov, as well as given a tour of several 
polling stations in the Balashikha district of the Moscow region. 
Smirnova explained that Moscow encompassed 3,325 polling stations, 
reporting to 72 territorial commissions.  The number of registered 
voters was approximately 5.45 million, and 140,000 absentee ballots 
had been requested.  In addition to electoral reforms that made 
these the first party-list only elections and removed the "against 
all" option on the ballot, Smirnova noted new requirements to 
facilitate access for disabled voters, with Moscow making 40 polling 
stations wheelchair accessible and printing Braille electoral 
pamphlets for the seeing impaired.  Separate arrangements were made 
to bring mobile ballot boxes to the homebound and those in 
hospitals, with the voters' names recorded on separate lists. 
 
¶9.  (SBU)  Visits to three electoral stations in Balashikha, out of 
the 75 that serve the region's 167,000 residents, provided a 
snap-shot of what we assume are model polling stations.  The sites, 
as most polling stations in Russia, were located in schools, 
protected by the police, and run with cheerful efficiency by a 
mostly female staff.  Each of the polling stations had lists of 
approximately 2,500 registered voters; as the steady stream of 
voters entered, they were directed to tables on the basis of their 
city address and had their identification verified and ballot 
issued.  We were shown lists of registered official party observers 
(one station had six, another five), and were able to speak with the 
one United Russia poll monitor then on site.  There were no obvious 
violations: no political "agitation" material was in evidence within 
50 meters of the polling stations, and the school walls were devoid 
of pictures.  We observed that electoral norms often broke down 
during the actual vote: spouses huddled over ballots together, 
babushkas dragooned passersby into providing additional assistance 
and frequently conferred with their neighbors before casting their 
ballot.  Local employees reported similar voting conditions at their 
polling stations in Moscow: efficiently run, well attended, with 
security in force. 
 
¶10.  (SBU)  Although the tour took place early on voting morning, 
election officials were optimistic of a high voter turnout. 
Smirnova said that, in contrast to 2003, some polling sites were 
confronted with lines when they opened at 8 a.m.  In Moscow's 
Balashikha region -- which is a densely populated residential area 
-- officials were predicting up to a 70 percent turnout (compared to 
2003's average of 55 percent).  While voter participation averaged 
17 percent at noon, one of the 75 polling stations had already 
scored an impressive 44 percent turnout.  When asked to describe the 
discrepancy, the local election commissioner noted that the station 
was located near a military facility "and our service men take their 
duty to vote seriously."   A disproportionate number of voters were 
elderly, but there were plenty of families in evidence, with 
children brought along to observe the process.  Driving past some 
electoral stations we saw signs of organized entertainment (dance 
groups and children's choirs), with the Balashikha Election 
Commission Chairwoman noting that in other areas of town youth 
groups were handing out tickets to discotheques as a reward for 
youthful voters showing up. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) As was noted in the ODIHR report on the 2003 Duma contest, 
there no doubt have been irregularities today, but the chief problem 
with these elections has been the conduct of the election campaign, 
where administrative resources, access to the media, campaign 
finance flows, and pressure on opposition parties combined to give 
United Russia an overwhelming advantage.  The problems alleged today 
 
MOSCOW 00005631  003 OF 003 
 
 
are insignificant in comparison.  On a positive note, U.S.-funded 
domestic election observers appear to have operated freely, without 
official interference.  Their conclusions, and those of the far 
fewer international observers, will help frame the results which 
should be known by late tonight or early morning December 3. 
BURNS