Russia: Putin takes part in vote on constitutional amendments

Putin

MOSCOW, July 1. /TASS/: Russian President Vladimir Putin took part in the nationwide vote on the amendments to the Constitution on Wednesday.

The head of state visited a polling station at the Russian Academy of Sciences building in southwestern Moscow, where he traditionally votes at elections.

On Tuesday, Putin addressed Russians in the run-up to the main voting day on July 1. He called on all Russians to vote, noting that the amendments would be approved only if the citizens backed them. According to Putin, the proposed changes will enshrine key values of the Russian people in the basic law.

The nationwide vote on amendments to the Russian Constitution kicked off on June 25. Though the Russian president's decree sets July 1 as the official voting day, Russians were also provided with the opportunity to cast their ballots on June 25-30 in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

According to the Central Election Commission’s decision, polling stations across the country will be open from 8:00 to 20:00 between June 25 and July 1. People can also cast their ballots at home or in temporary locations set up in residential areas. In addition, residents of Moscow and the Nizhny Novgorod Region were able to vote online. The vote count will begin after the voting process is over at 20:00 local time on July 1.