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[Il Palazzo]

Yeah, that's my optics too. The top dogs will make sure the elections will be 'free and fair', with the correct turnout, whether the populace goes to the booths or not. But it stirs one's blood somewhat differently when you've voted against the system, and you've seen many people around you do the same - only for your votes to be erased - than when you've already given in to apathy.

[Lord Shonus]

It is worth noting that public opinion didn't matter at all under the Tsars. Until suddenly in 1917 public opinion mattered a hell of a lot. Public opinion didn't matter at all under the Soviet Union, until suddenly in 1989 it mattered a hell of a lot.


Any autocratic regime that openly ignores the opinion of the people it rules does so at great peril, which is why Putin's Russia uses sham elections to draw legitimacy in the first place. Inroads to that legitimacy are a much bigger threat than people realize.

[MaxTheFox]

I will vote next election. Might as well. Walking is good exercise, at the very least.

[Telgin]

Do people face any pressure to vote for Putin, or threats if they don't?  Or do the elections appear to be totally fair and without coercion?

[Starver]

Relative to North Korea, positively free. (Noting that KJU's vote-share reduced to a pathetically low 99.91%, in the recent election, v.s. ...nobody.)

[Strongpoint]

Do people face any pressure to vote for Putin, or threats if they don't?  Or do the elections appear to be totally fair and without coercion?

Russian elections are merely "counted" in a "correct" way. Everything else is always democratic-looking.