Independent exit poll finds signs of over 10,000 stuffed ballots in Russian State Duma voting in Cyprus

An independent exit poll has uncovered evidence of over 10,000 fraudulent votes cast in the recent Russian State Duma elections held in Cyprus. The Vote Abroad exit poll, conducted by a team of observers, found that turnout at the Russian precinct election commission No. 8158 in Paphos, Limassol, and Nicosia was about 10 times higher than their own count of voters.

The discrepancy suggests that numerous ballots were stuffed into the voting system, potentially benefiting Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party, as well as A Just Russia and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR).

According to the exit poll, New People received 46.3% of the vote in Cyprus, compared to just 12.8% according to official turnout figures. The exit poll’s organizers, led by Margarita Kuchusheva, are convinced that the official numbers do not align with reality. They spent nearly 80% of the voting period at the three locations, counting 945 people.

However, official data from the Russian Central Election Commission states that 15,843 people voted at the precinct, with United Russia receiving 10,897 votes (68.78%). Other parties received significantly less support, with LDPR second at 1,095 votes (6.91%) and A Just Russia in fifth place with 695 votes (4.39%).

Kuchusheva and her team assert that the only explanation for the vast difference between official and independent results is widespread fraud. They noted that the polling places had only one entrance and one exit, making it impossible for 90% of voters to come at specific hours, particularly in Limassol during a workday. Even including embassy employees and their families, the exit poll's figures still don't add up.

Kuchusheva concludes that at least 10,000 ballots were stuffed, and this manipulation benefited not just United Russia but also A Just Russia and the LDPR.

The findings from the election in Cyprus are particularly concerning, as they stand out as anomalies in Russia’s 2024 presidential election abroad. Official results showed over 53,000 votes cast in Cyprus, including about 42,000 at a single Nicosia polling station, while independent monitors estimated the actual turnout may have been closer to 13,000.

Roughly 40,000 official votes could have been fictitious or otherwise manipulated. This overseas scheme appears to be one of the "largest electoral frauds in Russia’s modern history," according to Russian Election Monitor.