Large Crowds Turn Out For Controversial Vote, Ukrainian Separatists Say

[Purveyor]

Moscow (CNN) -- Voters in rebel-held eastern Ukraine turned out at the polls Sunday to elect members of Parliament and prime ministers in the pro-Russian separatist provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk in a vote criticized by the Ukrainian government in Kiev and Western governments.

Against a backdrop of violence and bloodshed, the vote played out despite a truce on paper between pro-Russian separatist groups and Ukrainian government forces.

Moscow has said it will recognize the results, while the central Ukraine government in Kiev, the United States and European Union have condemned the elections, calling them "illegitimate" and a violation of the Minsk agreement.

The head of the Central Election Commission in Donetsk has already announced preliminary election results. The current Prime Minister of the People's Republic of Donetsk, Aleksandr Zakharchenko, is leading in exit polls with 81% of the vote, according to Roman Lyagin, the leader of the Central Election Commission in Donetsk. He made a statement to Novorossiya, the press center for the Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk.
Ukraine will not freeze, says Russian official

The CEC in Donetsk estimates a voter turn of 70% to 75%.

"Everything went better than expected," Lyagin said in a press center quote.

more...

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/11/02/world/europe/ukraine-rebel-elections/

[Duckhunter935]

1. helps if you give out food

and have to vote to get the food. From the article...

And many were rewarded with offers of free or cheap fruits and vegetables. Pictures at polling stations show large piles of vegetables outside stations in some areas in a bid to lure voters to polls.

But there is no way to even verify the credibility of the balloting in the rebel-held areas. The voting has actually been under way for a week, by email and at mobile voting stations. And no official observers have been used to monitor the voting.

[Purveyor]

2. Perhaps we should try that to prevent the pending dem debacle on Tuesday? eom

[Duckhunter935]

3. I did my part

Voted yesterday

[Igel]

4. Go one step further.

Hand out the new social benefits cards at the polling station, and remind people that the people giving you those cards and benefits are the ruling party. Point out that the ballots are not secret and if they can't find your card, oops!

For most societies, that's pandering and a bribe. Paying people to vote, and to vote for your party.

As far as Russian norms go, those are clean elections. Esp. if you can go and vote at numerous precincts, even if you're 16, because they decided to change the voter law in the last few days.

Ukrainian sources like to point out flaws in the Ukrainian and separatist elections. Some Westerners note those flaws in the Ukr elections and dwell on them at length.

Russian sources only point out flaws in the Ukrainian elections. Not noticing problems in the separatist elections, they then declare that no problems were noticed. Some Westerners point out that no problems were noticed, so the elections must have been squeaky clean.

Sometimes you only see what you're looking for.