We received this text from a person who could be described as an election observation organiser in one of the Volga region territories. We decided to publish it with the author's consent as a testimony of the past elections.

On the single voting day of 20 September 2026, more than 2,200 election campaigns took place in Russia, including elections of deputies to the State Duma, direct elections of heads of eight regions, elections of deputies to 39 regional parliaments, and local elections.

Once again, cases of strange nighttime activity at polling stations have been detected in various regions — and in the morning, observers find altered seals, tampered fastenings, forged signatures, and extra ballots.

The main efforts of the authorities were directed at the administrative mobilization of voters through remote electronic voting (REV) and controlled voting at polling stations themselves.

The first day of voting showed that the current elections differ from previous ones even at the voting stage.

The system's logic is simple: if "loyal" people and mobilized staff are working on the ground, the 55% threshold at 45% turnout is achievable. If even one municipality "underperforms," the entire regional result drops.

A transparent procedure is set out in detail in the law, and any departure from it is a violation of the law in itself and, at the same time, a signal: the commission is creating conditions in which more serious violations can be concealed.

What is international observation and how does it work

Analytical report

Throughout Russia's recent history, a broad arsenal of falsification technologies has been used in elections.

And on attempts to reform election observation in Russia

Report on monitoring of federal television channels during the thirteenth week (7–13 September) of the election campaign for the election of deputies to the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the ninth convocation, scheduled for 20 September 2026

Report on social media monitoring for the twelfth week (1–7 September) of the election campaign for the elections of deputies to the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the ninth convocation, scheduled for 20 September 2026.

Let's take a look at what Russia's parliamentary parties — those most directly affected by REV — think of these systems.

Analytical report on the composition of election commissions in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation at the start of the 2026 State Duma elections, in four parts

The questionnaire for PEC members contains questions that make it possible to determine whether a given voter will vote for the party in power.

The authorities tested the system, gradually making it impervious to independent observation, and expanded the geography of its use, so that in the coming years internet voting may completely displace ordinary paper ballots.

the authorities have finally achieved what they were aiming for when they launched the video-monitoring game in 2012: a pretty picture with a complete absence of substance

Monitoring report on federal television channels during the twelfth week (31 August – 6 September) of the election campaign for the elections of deputies to the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the ninth convocation, scheduled for 20 September 2026

Social media monitoring report for the eleventh week (25 – 31 August) of the election campaign for the election of deputies of the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the ninth convocation, scheduled for 20 September 2026

The complete absence of PECs at polling stations only reinforces the assumption that the voting results here will be adjusted as needed.

On the single voting day in 2026, by-elections will be held to the regional parliaments of 13 constituent entities of the Russian Federation, as well as to the representative bodies of 14 regional capitals.

Report on monitoring of federal television channels during the eleventh week (24–30 August 2026) of the election campaign for the elections of deputies to the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the ninth convocation, scheduled for 20 September 2026