March 5 is approaching in Russia, the first day of the nationwide testing of remote electronic voting (DEG). Thanks to this system, some Russians will soon be able to vote in the presidential elections from March 15 to 17 without going to polling stations.
So far, DEG in the presidential elections only works in Moscow and 28 other regions. But it is already obvious that Russia will be the first country in the world to use remote electronic voting in elections of this level and scale. More than 3 million people have already applied for it.
What is DEG
The ability to not come to the polling station, but to vote remotely. For Moscow, the regional platform «elec.mos.ru» replaces the polling station, for the other 28 regions voting will take place on the federal platform on the portal «vybory.gov.ru».
Voting in DEG mode will be held for three calendar days from 08:00 on March 15 to 20:00 on March 17, 2024 local time.
The system has already been successfully tested in Moscow on March 2. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time, Muscovites answered the question "Should poplars be cut down in Moscow to get rid of poplar fluff?". Several answer options were offered, and 716 thousand people took part in the voting. However, the results of this vote have not yet been announced.
How to vote via DEG
From 08:00 on March 15 to 20:00 on March 17, 2024, you will need to log in to the regional or federal platform with your username and password from "Gosuslugi" and make your choice.
Local time is taken into account when voting. You will only be able to vote according to the time of the region in which you have permanent registration.
Where DEG works
Regions that participate in DEG:
- Republic of Karelia;
- Republic of Crimea;
- Chuvash Republic — Chuvashia;
- Altai Territory;
- Kamchatka Territory;
- Perm Territory;
- Arkhangelsk Region;
- Belgorod Region;
- Vladimir Region;
- Vologda Region;
- Voronezh Region;
- Kaliningrad Region;
- Kaluga Region;
- Kursk Region;
- Lipetsk Region;
- Moscow Region;
- Murmansk Region;
- Nizhny Novgorod Region;
- Novgorod Region;
- Novosibirsk Region;
- Pskov Region;
- Rostov Region;
- Sverdlovsk Region;
- Tomsk Region;
- Chelyabinsk Region;
- Yaroslavl Region;
- Federal City of Sevastopol;
- Nenets Autonomous Okrug.
How to apply to participate in DEG
To participate in DEG, voters in Moscow do not need a preliminary application, only registration on the portal.
An application for participation in DEG by residents of the remaining 28 regions is submitted through a confirmed account on "Gosuslugi" until 23:59 on March 11, 2024 Moscow time. After this deadline, applications will not be accepted.
After submitting the application, you should receive an operation confirmation code to the phone number that is indicated in your personal account. If it is not there, you need to contact support.
Next, you need to track the decision on the application. If the application status indicates "Taken into account", then it has been accepted and you can participate in DEG.
If there is no data verification, you can submit the application again until 23:59 Moscow time on March 11.
How to withdraw an application to participate in DEG
This is also possible if your plans have changed and you want to pay your civic duty on paper at the polling station. But if you have applied to participate in DEG and have not withdrawn it, you can only vote through DEG. You will not receive a paper ballot at the polling station.
The application can be withdrawn until March 11, 2024 Moscow time, the withdrawal process may take up to 2 calendar days.
To do this, you need to go to "Gosuslugi" from your computer, find your application for participation in DEG in your personal account and click "Withdraw". At the same time, the action must be confirmed by a code from SMS that will come to the phone number specified in your personal account. If there is no code, you need to contact support.
The application will have the status "Application in the process of withdrawal". You will be able to submit a new one if you change your mind again, when the application status in your personal account changes to "Application withdrawn".
DEG abroad
The system is not yet available for Russians outside of Russia. They still vote at polling stations in embassies and consulates.
