Every fourth Russian is ready to participate in independent election observation.
MOSCOW, September 13, 2016. Russian Public Opinion Research Centre (VCIOM) presents the data of the survey devoted to the Russian assessments of the performance of election observers during the elections, and the readiness of Russians to act as observers.
The public attitudes towards the work of election observation are generally favorable or neutral: 43% of Russians believe that the presence of the election observer in the polling station makes the elections fair (49% in 2011); 34% - that it does not affect the election outcome.
According to every fifth Russian (19%), striving for justice and integrity is the main reason behind the desire to be election observer. Most of respondents (30%) say that they want to be election observers because they are driven by money. A further 6% of respondents consider that such persons just want to manifest themselves, to show their active civic engagement.
Twenty-six percent of Russians are ready to assume the duties of the election observers under certain circumstances (including 18% who would definitely do that; 8% would do it if it is supported by state and society, a decrease from 15% since 2011). Today 70% say they would agree to be election observers (versus 60% in 2011). Over the last five years, 6% of respondents have happened to be election observers.
The VCIOM opinion poll was conducted on August 20-21, 2016; 1600 persons were surveyed in 130 settlements, 46 regions and 9 federal districts of Russia. The sample is representative of the Russian population aged 18 and over according to sex, age, education, type of settlement. The survey was conducted with multi-stage stratified sample based on general rule of walking and quotas at the final selection stage. The margin of error (taking into account the design effect) with 95% confidence interval does not exceed 3.5%. The survey method is community-based structured face-to-face interviews. Apart from the margin of error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the field work should be taken into account.
In your opinion, does the presence of the election observers in the polling stations make the elections more fair or not? (closed-ended question, one answer, %) | |||
| X.2011 | VIII.2016 | |
The presence of the election observers makes the elections more fair | 49 | 43 | |
The presence of the election observers does not have any impact on the integrity of the election results | 36 | 34 | |
The presence of the election observers makes the elections less fair | 5 | 8 | |
Don’t know | 10 | 15 | |
In your opinion, why do people work as election observers? (open-ended question, not more than three answers, answers of at least 1% of respondents) | ||
| Total respondents, VIII.2016 | |
To gain money | 30 | |
To obtain justice, fair elections | 19 | |
To show active civic position | 6 | |
They were forced | 3 | |
They pursue their own interests | 3 | |
They do not trust election commissions | 2 | |
They have free time, they have nothing to do | 1 | |
Other | 1 | |
Don’t know | 41 | |
Are you ready to participate in the independent election observation or not? (closed-ended question, one answer, %) | |||
| X.2011 | VIII.2016 | |
Definitely, yes | 18 | 18 | |
Yes, only if this activity will be supported and recognized by state and society | 15 | 8 | |
No, I am not ready | 60 | 70 | |
Don’t know | 7 | 4 | |
Have you happened to do anything of the below-mentioned during the elections over the last five years? I was present as an observer in the polling station (closed-ended question, one answer, %) | ||
| III.2012 * | 2016 |
Yes | 2 | 6 |
No | 98 | 94 |
Don’t know | 0 | 0 |
* In 2012, the question was «Did you, personally, happen to do anything of the below-mentioned during the 2012 presidential election campaign?”; it was followed by a list of different activities related to elections.
Note: Using materials from the websites www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory.