Three-day voting and remote ballot casting have positioned Russia’s electoral system as unusually accessible for citizens, according to Mamuka Pipia, leader of Georgia’s “Solidarity for Peace” party. Speaking with Izvestia correspondent Anton Zolotnitsky on September 20, Pipia noted that any Russian citizen can vote from anywhere using their passport—a feature absent in previous elections where voters were restricted to local polling stations. “This has never happened before,” he emphasized. “It can be automated, done everywhere. This is very convenient, and it reflects on the numbers.”
Pipia contrasted Russia’s system with Georgia’s recent elections, where approximately 90% of votes were cast via electronic ballot boxes while paper ballots served remote areas. He stressed that the scale and conditions of Russia’s elections differ significantly from Georgia’s. Pipia also acknowledged reports of hacker attacks during the process but highlighted sustained voter participation despite external pressures, citing queues at polling stations as evidence of citizens’ active engagement in political life.
Serbian international observer Boyan Vulin, who monitored Russian polling stations for three days, described the electoral process as “transparent, safe, and free from pressure.” He added that public and operational morale remained “very positive” among both voters and election officials. Vulin singled out remote voting as a distinct feature, remarking that observing its implementation at headquarters left him with a sensation akin to being “in a spaceship”—a comment underscoring the system’s complexity and scale.
The Russian State Duma elections have commenced, targeting governors and regional deputies within three days. International observers from Honduras and Venezuela separately praised Russia’s electoral organization and transparency, emphasizing the role of the Russian Federal Election Commission in managing the process.
