Putin faces three challengers in Russia’s 2024 presidential election

Jordan Daily – Russia’s 2024 presidential election commenced today with polling stations opening across the country. Incumbent President Vladimir Putin, running as an independent, faces three challengers over the three-day voting period, according to Russia Today.

The four candidates, including Putin, are competing for a six-year term. Putin’s opponents include Leonid Slutsky, the leader of the right-wing Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR), Communist Party candidate Nikolay Kharitonov, and Vladislav Davankov of the liberal centrist New People.

This election is the first since a 2020 constitutional reform that limits any individual to two six-year terms as head of state. However, the reform also “nullified” Putin’s previous terms, allowing him to seek re-election.

In addition to in-person voting at polling stations, residents in 28 regions have the option to vote online via the country’s electronic voting system. To participate in the online poll, voters had to submit special requests through the Russian government’s digital platform, Gosuslugi, before Monday. However, Moscow residents can vote online without this requirement.

The Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VTSIOM) predicts a high voter turnout of approximately 71%. Early voting has already occurred in several remote regions, with about two million ballots already cast, according to official figures.