Putin re-elected president

[#1]

In a 'surprise surprise' result, Putin has been re-elected as president of Russia. 

You heard in here first folks!

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/18/russia-goes-to-polls-to-elect-vladimir-putin-for-fourt...

[#2]

Better the devil you know..........

[#3]

I'm sure the results were released under press embargo last Tuesday.

[#4]

Here's Mr Putin casting his vote (at about 0:45):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gj_UUhZCwk

It looks suspiciously like he is feeding his ballot paper into a shredder.  Have they abolished the counting process since the result is already known?

Btw, when are we going to get identity checks at our elections?

[#5]

@Champnet

Well in uncertain times......

[#6]

What a surprise... the article linked to is from the guardian 

[#7]

I have a love hate relationship with that paper @7up but hey, it's still free on line..... and I don't have to read all the garbage it writes Ad nauseam about Brexit. 

It still comes up with some good stuff, especially this which is well worth a (worrying) read if you have time. Scary stuff, especially if you use fb. I downloaded and then cleared my account with them months ago. 

[#8]

Facebook isn't really a worry for me. I was more concerned moons ago that I was getting inviting emails from them showing who else I knew that was on facebook. Clearly several people i knew had imported their email contacts etc and facebook was more than happy to start working out things about me. Now THAT I found offensive.

I've not had any further emails like that for several years. I just ignored them and they eventually stopped.

[#9]

Colourful scenes as Russians vote in a presidential election Vladimir Putin is expected to win. 

look at first photo WOW massive ballot paper for one choice and put into a see through ballot box

Election officials say turnout is high, but independent observers say there have been some reports of voting irregularities.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-43447815

[#10]

At least one lot are taking it seriously, I wonder if their names will be taken.

[#11]

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@rongtw wrote:

look at first photo WOW massive ballot paper for one choice  

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There are 8 candidates.

[#12]

@Anonymous, there may well be 8 candidates, but if you know what's good for you there is only one choice!

[#13]

@Anonymous

I was simply providing an explanation for the size of the ballot paper.

[#14]

Interestingly, only one of the candidates does not represent a political party.

Now I wonder who that is and more importantly, what it tells us. 

[#15]

Funny you say that @Anonymous

When I was younger I always throught elections in the UK were anomyous (don't know why).

It wasn't until I turned 18 (when I started voting of course) I realised that when you go to a Polling Station they confirm your address and write the ballot paper number against it. It is supposdly to stop fraud, etc. but then I realised it is far from anomyous at all - the authorites know exactly who voted what.

No idea about Russia, but I assume they do something similar.