Political fraud fuels civil action

Young people looking for a way to get involved in creating a fair electoral system in Russia are finding their way thanks to online activism

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Popularity Ratings of Russia's 2012 presidential candidates. Source: The data based on a poll conducted by VTsIOM on Feb. 12, 2012. Click here to enlarge the image. For information regarding polling stations in the United States and the UK, CLICK HERE.

The Dec. 4, 2011 State Duma elections resulted in another victory for the United Russia party, albeit one that resulted in a loss of some seats for the party of power in the Russian parliament. Despite the results, allegations of vote rigging were widespread, and people took to the streets in Moscow and other major cities immediately after the elections on Dec. 5 and 6 and again on Dec. 15 and 24 to protest the election.

This year Russian citizens will again go to the polls on March 4 to elect the country's next president. Current President Dmitry Medvedev decided not to run for a second term, instead endorsing the candidacy of current Prime Minister and former president Vladimir Putin. Putin's challengers include billionaire and former head of the Right Cause party Mikhail Prokhorov, leader of the Communist Party Gennady Zyuganov, the head of the Just Russia party Sergei Mironov, and Vladimir Zhirinovsky, the leader of the Liberal-Democratic Party of Russia.

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