As for the elections, the situation is clear enough. A few months ago, we conducted a large survey of our supporters—people who had, in one way or another, taken part in any of our projects, from election campaigns to #20, and had registered. More than 21,000 people filled out the questionnaire.
11% believe the elections will be so dishonest—so much of a non-election—that participating in them is impossible. That is an understandable position, and I respect it; I myself often took that view when our candidates were denied registration.
However, in any case, 85% believe it is worth going to the polls. There are many different reasons behind that position, from the opportunity to campaign to putting pressure on the authorities; I will write about that separately in detail. One way or another, we understand that millions of people with democratic views will go to vote, and the question of “how to vote” will confront them.
The idea of “Vote for any party except United Russia” will no longer work. I will write about that separately too, although it is already obvious enough. The authorities have worked hard to make that slogan a thing of the past—you can see that the Presidential Administration often pushes its most outrageous bills through the so-called “parliamentary opposition” rather than through United Russia.
I would gladly vote for the Progress Party (especially since its ratings are higher than those of the other democratic parties—within the margin of error, but still higher), but that option does not exist.
The choice is this: YABLOKO or the People’s Freedom Party. Only these two parties can be registered without collecting signatures, and only they openly declare democratic principles.
And that choice is very simple: you should vote for those who give you a chance to influence the formation of the candidate list. You, like me, want to vote for your own list, not a party one.
Only the People’s Freedom Party offers that opportunity. It reserves the top spot on the list for its leader, (Mikhail Kasyanov), while all the others—clearing the 5% threshold would yield about 17 seats—will be allocated through open primaries. This applies both to the federal part of the list and to the regional groups, with those who place higher able to choose the strongest groups.
The 1st place and the 17th place have the same chance of winning a seat. Of course, the political prestige is different. The People’s Freedom Party agreed to have the list formed in exactly this way, so that it would become a common, people’s list.
So if you count yourself among the 85 percent who will go to the polls, register right now as a voter in the primaries so that on April 24 you can vote for the candidates you like best. They are the ones who will end up on the ballot.
It is precisely through this direct vote that all disputed questions will be decided:
Want women in the top three? Register and vote.
Want younger candidates? Register and vote.
Want more experienced candidates? Register and vote.
Want candidates focused on Crimea? Register and vote.
Want candidates focused on housing and utilities services? Register and vote.
The main thing is that it will truly be your list. It will become the face of the opposition, a reflection of the real preferences of the most active edge of the political movement. And for the first time in many years, in a real election—even an unfair one—you will be able to cast your vote for the very people you made into candidates.
Register right now. There are already 41 candidates, and there will be many more. Look at them, follow them, listen to them in the debates (here is the announcement of the first ones), and decide.