Lugansk People’s Republic residents are taking part in online voting in the election to the State Duma lower house of the Russian parliament at 144 information centers across the Republic, the Mir Luganschine social movement press service reported.
“Online voting began at all information centers in the Lugansk People’s Republic at 8:00, September 17,” the report said. “The LPR has 144 information centers, including three at the international car checkpoints “Izvarino,” “Dolzhansky” and “Chervonopartizansk.”
As many as 1,850 volunteers at the information centers provide consultations to voters.
“LPR residents can vote online or from home if they have a computer, smartphone and Internet connection. Residents use the link https://vybory.gov.ru/ to access the online voting portal,” Mir Luganschine said.
Lugansk Republican Clinical Hospital chief doctor Oleg Volman voted at a Lugansk information center. By taking part in the vote, LPR residents make the choice not only for themselves, but also for future generations, Volman said.
“It’s important for every LPR resident to vote, because we’re full-fledged citizens of the Russian Federation and each vote can influence the future of the country and all of us. We’re making the choice for ourselves, future generations and our children. Russia gives great opportunities to our medicine to provide top-level assistance to citizens, as it supplies equipment, medications and know-how. We wouldn’t have this opportunity without help from Russia and our brotherly people. Today, I vote for the future of our medicine and our Republic,” he said.
Lugansk pensioner Irina Kriyenko said that it was the first time she was taking part in online voting.
“Though I have never participated in e-voting before, it was not difficult for me today. The information center is well-organized, and the girls who consulted me explained the procedure in detail. Our whole family has come to vote because we believe that people, after obtaining Russian citizenship, have to take an active part in the life of the country we have chosen. I think that to vote is not just my right to show that I like the party I have chosen for myself, but also my duty, because each vote is important and can be decisive,” she said.
The voting will last till 20:00, September 19. The LPR information centers are open from 08:00 to 20:00 on September 17-19.
On July 20, Russia’s Central Election Commission approved the procedure for Donbass residents who have Russian citizenship to vote in the Russian parliamentary election.
Pursuant to LPR Head Leonid Pasechnik’s order, the Republic had opened more than 140 information centers that provide consultations on online voting, and process requests from LPR residents with Russian citizenship who wish to vote in Russia’s Rostov region.
Starting July 1, LPR Migration Service offices began to accept applications from LPR residents for fast track personal pension account number and account registration on Russia’s government services portal. Mir Luganschine social movement offices provide consultations on obtaining personal pension account number (SNILS).
On April, 24, 2019, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree easing citizenship rules for residents of the Lugansk People’s Republic and the Donetsk People’s Republic. The first center for LPR residents seeking Russian citizenship opened in Lugansk on May 6; the first group of LPR residents received Russian passports on June 14. The Republic currently has such centers in all towns and districts. On April 24, 2020, Putin signed a law exempting Donbass Republics residents from paying the state fee for conferment of citizenship.
As of mid-June 2021, more than 250,000 LPR residents had been granted fast track Russian citizenship. According to first deputy chairman of the Russian parliament committee on CIS affairs, Eurasian integration and relations with compatriots Viktor Vodolatsky, over 600,000 Donbass residents had already obtained fast track Russian citizenship. *i*r
