Lotteries, dressed-up figures, and other peculiar entertainment at the Putin’s sham elections · Global Voices
Daria Dergacheva

Vladimir Putin has been in power for over 25 years. Screenshot of a video from DW YouTube channel. Fair Use.
The elections from March 15 to 17 are the fifth ones for Vladimir Putin, who has been in power for over 25 years. Many observers have called this a formal ‘electoral procedure’, not real elections because in absence of a free press, repression of all forms of dissent, and failure to admit any even slightly independent candidates, have long been a feature of Putin's elections.
However, just like in the Soviet times,  the current regime needs people to come to the polls in order to show the regime's legitimacy inside the country, the overwhelming manufactured support for Vladimir Putin. Thus, authorities responsible for conducting elections, especially in the regions, find ways of ‘entertainment’  that would attract people to vote.
While in many regions lotteries and prizes were promised,  some also organized dressed-up figures and weird decorations for making a photo session. Investigative journalist Andrey Zakharov  gathered some of them on his X/formerly Twitter feed.
Интерактивный уголок на выборах pic.twitter.com/PhK6nekD2n
— Andrey Zakharov (@skazal_on) March 15, 2024
Interactive corner at the poll station
pic.twitter.com/zzPtvnas33
— mkuvsh (@mkuvsh) March 15, 2024
Аналоговый фотон на участке в Кемеровской области pic.twitter.com/hZf8d8vYRP
— Andrey Zakharov (@skazal_on) March 15, 2024
Lottery at the poll station
Каждый увидит свое. pic.twitter.com/8QUm2D2jgg
— Andrey Zakharov (@skazal_on) March 15, 2024
Everyone can decide what is this for themselves
Каждый увидит свое. pic.twitter.com/8QUm2D2jgg
— Andrey Zakharov (@skazal_on) March 15, 2024
Several independent media accounts have also posted videos from election polls in the regions of Russia
Тред: кринж на выборах президента России
Одним из первых на участок заглянул Чебурашка. «А мы не хотим в живой уголок — мы хотим.. на выборы президента России», — наверняка сказал бы персонаж. pic.twitter.com/ZCWaOWJnu2
— Вот Так (@vottak_tv) March 15, 2024
One of the first ones at the election station was Chebyrashka [a character from Soviet cartoon].  We want to come to the elections of Russian President, he would have probably said.
Костюмы, частушки, картонный Карлсон. Чем развлекают на избирательных участках в России?
На голосование массово пришли сказочные герои: Чебурашка проголосовал в ХМАО, на Камчатке — Змей Горыныч. В Окинском районе Бурятии отдать голос пришёл медведь, а на УИК №504 пожаловали… pic.twitter.com/eQ1WMSAo5C
— ЭХО (@echofm_online) March 15, 2024
What people are entertained with at election poll stations in Russia?
Такер Карлсон вернулся в Россию pic.twitter.com/ibkhYSyTGd
— Вот Так (@vottak_tv) March 15, 2024
Tucker Carlson is back in Russia. [He is a former Fox TV presenter who recently interviews Putin]
The sham elections lasted till 8pm on March 17.  As for preliminary ‘results’ announced by the election commission on the same day, Putin won with over 85 percent of votes.