Neeka’s Backlog has a fascinating report and photograph of a leaflet circulating in Bashkorkostan, where local elections are due to be held later this month. 

Among other things, the voters were being warned - in bold type and, allegedly, by the head of Ufa’s Election Committee, no less - that if they failed to show up at the polling stations and cast their votes on June 26, they’d be fined 3,000 rubles (approx. $100). They’d have two months to pay the fine.

The leaflet is a fake of course - Russian citizens have the right but not the obligation to vote - but many people don’t seem to know this.  Neeka goes on to note that, in last year’s Presidential elections, almost 90% of the electorate in Baskorkostan found their way to the polling stations.