- Sep 12, 2008
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Vladimir Putin is coasting to a first round election victory with over 60% of the vote in early returns. There are widespread protests of voter fraud, and instances of what Russians refer to as "Carousel voting" where busloads of stooges go from polling place to polling place to vote in mass. In order to counter such claims many voting station installed web cams to show that what was going on there was legitimate.
The clear majority of around 60% of the vote for Vladimir Putin, predicted by exit polls almost the moment polls closed, probably came as no surprise to many Russians.
Those who favour of him would say that it reinforced their view that his experience and strongman style always made him the most appropriate candidate for president, and the exit polls merely showed that most Russians agreed with them.
Those opposed to him would say it confirmed their suspicion that this Russian presidential election, like the parliamentary vote in December, was once again not a fair reflection of the country's preferences, but a pre-cooked theatrical display, manipulated to produce the result the Kremlin always wanted.
Even before the polls closed, complaints over the election were being aired widely.