Mobile voter / mobile voting

A mobile voter is a voter who is allowed to vote outside the polling station of their permanent residence.

Mobile voting is possible in federal-level elections (presidential elections of the Russian Federation, elections to the State Duma of the Russian Federation) or regional-level elections (elections of governors of the Russian Federation, elections to regional parliaments of the Russian Federation).

To get permission for mobile voting, the voter must submit an application either to the Territorial Election Commission or to the polling station commission. It is also possible to submit the application using MFCs (multifunctional centers that provide government services to the population) or by applying through the Gosuslugi portal (an electronic system for government services). The voter who submits such an application gets excluded from the list of registered voters at the previously assigned polling station and is temporarily assigned to a new one.

The Movement in Defense of Voter’s Rights Golos has warned that mobile voting opens up possibilities for multiple voting (so-called "carousel"). Also, voters voting outside the polling station of their permanent residence might be subject to administrative coercion.