As you know there were some elections a few days ago in Russia. The new president was chosen.
Some Russians decided to use all their art skills in decorating the ballots and then made photos of them right at the election place before putting it inside the voting booth.
This papers on photos are ballots. A list of four candidates with a place to put a check sign.
Here is a few examples of how they voted (some are not too much translatable, the one above is “Preved Medved” thing, it came out from the very popular internet mem of 2006, when someone has posted this image with a bear (“medved” in Russian), saying “Preved!” (Hello!). For some reason it became very popular and got across all the country very fast, then later many more uses of this bear were in ads etc. Some find the word “medved” correlates with the new Russian presidents second name.
“Kid, let’s be friendly!”
“I’ll be short: Good Evening!”
“Vote for Koni! (president’s dog)”
“Chtulhu [x]”
“I choose SEX!”
“Who are all those people??”
“I am not an expert in the shit species. Vote against all.”
“Against all!”
A quotation from the Russian movie. Not to much translatable.
“How long??”
Some political demand. Not funny.
“Clown. Clown. Mummy. Medved”
“Preved Medved!”
Untranslatable. Originated from the popular Russian TV series.
This one took the ballot to his home. Untranslatable. From the Russian thongs, something like “All the candidates are gay”.
Quote from the Russian proverb, like no animals can play sound in a quartet.
Political stuff. No fun.
Political stuff. No fun.
“I vote for Adolf Hitler!”
“Freud was right!”
…
“Preved Medved!” It seems this was most often.
Some origami.
Another piece of art.
“I didn’t vote”
“Preved Medved!”
The last but not least: “CHUCK NORRIS [X]”
first
У тебя всё в порядке?
So what are the translations of those “political. not funny” messages?
“NO! – for elections without choice!
Shouldn’t you be tired of saying that by now?
Лица стерты краски тусклы
То ли люди, то ли куклы
Взгяд похож на взгляд
А тень на тень
Я устал и отдыхаю
В балаган вас приглашаю
Где куклы так похожи на людей
…
Ах до чего порой обидно что хозяина не видно
Вверх и в темноту уходит нить
А куклы так ему послушны и мы верим простодушно
В то что куклы могут говорить
Но вот хозяин гасит свечи. Кончен бал и кончен вечер
Засияет вечер в облаках.
Кукол снимут с ниток длинных. И засыпав нафталином
В виде тряпок сложат в сундуках.
Что ж тут поделать… Скажу честно – политических взглядов его не разделяю, но песня в точку.
Не понял.
Nice to see people taking their time to come out to the polling stations and pick up a ballot just to waste it…… its people like this that don’t deserve an election at all. Iraqi’s came out in droves to vote and have their voice heard, but Russians come out for party gifts and to make a mockery of the process. Fools.
It is good to see those people that their time to go to the polls and vote to express, just spend…… his people, and they do not deserve from the election for all. Iraq had left in the crowd to vote and make their voice heard, but the Russian side, and a caricature of the process. Fools.
So, what have we do? Start a revolution? Protest? Or don’t waste time on revolution and just work to live? Understand that nothing will change here, I think, and noone would rise to bew a political leader without support. So why just have some fun in process?
I guess that you’re coming from the position that elections wherever you are similar enough to the elections in Russia and Iraq to merit comparison.
Of course, the situation in Russia is that there’s some one currently in power who wields more power than the current american government. And he’s used it to quash any able competing political ideology.
Is that a fair election? Is that a free election? With these conditions, showing up to “waste” a ballot is as much a valid choice as any other and perhaps is a more powerful one (on a personal level) as it is an act of protest. “I’m so disillusioned that (even unknowningly and only with the ‘herd’) I’d rather deface a ballot than actually vote in one of those unfair elections,” to me is powerful.
As for making a mockery out of the process, what would you do to inspire confidence in this broken process in Russia? Instead of criticizing it, why not ask yourself the question of why someone would deface a ballot? and then what could you do to specifically address the feelings of that person that led them to act in that way?
Of course, you’d say they should act out in protest. But, ain’t that what they doin’? (though more personally and less publically)?
What can you do from wherever you live to protest this supposedly “free” and “fair” election?
Not like in the USA where the elections are rigged by machines instead of the Mafia.
Not even by machines. Government officials. Ah the land of the free.
I agree.
In many places people were lured into the voting bureau’s with promises of free drinks and cheap food. How pathetic this government is.
And still stating that everyone is behind them.
Maybe if Russia had a REAL election with REAL alternatives instead of just Putin’s boyfriend and the three stooges, THEN maybe the voting ballot would be worth using properly.
NOT FOOLS but people possessing self-irony…. anyway the result was obvious…. to understand that you have to live in Russia and see how it works
HAHAHAHA!!! that’s rich!
So. . . if they came out and wrote in “Kasparov” that wouldn’t have been a wasted vote?
In a rigged election, ALL votes are wasted.
ohh come on, cheer up. Garanty you even if the 4th candidate (Dnitri Medvedev) had 0 real votes he’d still be president, capish 😉
Ironically, filling this forms properrly does not make much sense eiteh. Thus, having some fun with them at least gives people a few laughts.
The bird is cute as are the bear and deerface pics arrrr
The moose is famous American TV character BULLWINKLE.
Chicken do you like anal ?
Finnish do you like mens bums? 😉
Russians have spoilt the ballots because they have desire to vote against all candidates. But some time ago column “Against all” was cancelled.
For this reason Russian Peoples lose liberty to offer own opinion. And that’s why Russians have spoilt the ballots and by that they show the signal that they are not satisfied in the current situation.
Моё судно на воздушной подушке полно угрей!
The part about “From the Russian thongs…” sounds intriguing.
So, if I put ‘Satan’s Spawn’ or other commentary next to a candidate I don’t like (Stefen Harpor), but don’t mark up the ballot like in these pictures, will it be rejected?
The ballot is valid if and only if there’s any written sign in exactly one position. The rest does not matter.
Forgot to add
On the bright side there’s no racial commentary (maybe not posted?) such as “Бей жидов – спасай Россию!”
OMG I always wondered where preved medved came from…. Now I know!!
Funny you mention “Against ALL” column.
Today I was discussing this very thing with someone in an American forum here in Texas, and they suggested the same idea, to put “VOTE AGAINST ALL” and if “against all” gets the most votes then ALL the presidential candidates are prohibited from running for office for twelve years
as penalty.
I think that is a BRILLIANT idea.
By the way, how many of you wonderful Russian people know about the cartoon character in photo #3.
This was a very very funny cartoon
(by comparison to today’s American cartoons anyway)
called “Bullwinkle”, and one set of characters in this show was a Russian couple called Boris and Natasha, who were Cold War spies.
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~lastone2/fridgedoor_1550_36757687.gif
Bullwinkle was just an unassuming and well meaning fop who bungled his way through amazing predicaments with the help of his superhero friend, Rocket J. Squirrel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZtW8QwkwVo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHUiCYAE2DY
http://www.dailymotion.com/jwj/video/x22ey3_rocky-bullwinkle-pt-2_fun
I almost lost it laughing when I got to photo #3.
How many of you wonderful Russians know about this cartoon character?
His name is Bullwinkle, and he was a well meaning fop who bungled his way through many an amazing predicament thanks to the help of his superhero friend, Rocky the Squirrel.
Bullwinkle was always pursued by two Russian Cold War spies named Boris and Natasha.
Compared to today’s American cartoons the content was fairly sophisticated, but still pretty funny.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2jcBcESa7o
http://www.dailymotion.com/jwj/video/x22ey3_rocky-bullwinkle-pt-2_fun
Я на самом деле не понимаю! Кричат нет выбора, нет выбора!
Ну а кого там нет ? Кого не хватает ?
Путина? Саркози ? Обамы? Мэнсона наконец ?
Или Покемона-Касьянова ?
Да хоть Робота-полицейского 🙂 Нет возможности выбрать.
Ну вот тогда спешите стать гражданином украины. тут с демократией все в порядке и бюллетень длинее рулона туалетной бумаги а толку никакого.
Дело же не в длине бюлетня. С нашей позиции вам еще завидовать можно.
Ельцин вернись! Да ?
А кого представляют Путин и Медвед? Все тех же ребят, что “рулили” в 90е. “Итоги приватизации пересматриваться не будут”. Это курс к светлому будущему? Да неужели им надо заморачиваться и что то делать? Наворовал и тихо скрылся – вот девиз, только по разному выполняют. Зюганов имеет широкую практическую и теоретическую базу,например. А вам, товарищи хохлы, надо не попу бюллетенями подтирать, а за газ платить по рыночной стоимости!
Это вы, товарищ, о стабильности на Руси в “Таймс” читаете? А живете, как я понимаю, в Израиле… И что за фантазии про выборщиков? Товарищ, поработайте в государственных структурах, посмеемся над стабильностью вместе 😉
Ну тогда вариант “Ельцин вернись!”
Ну ведь не оранчишься внутренними факторами!
Если будешь валить действующу власть не имея ей альтрнативы, а именно так дело и обстоит, то “заграница вам поможет” продвинут вам какого-то Ющеноко или Саакашвили вот тогда и запоете.
Медведев рулит ха ха !
Интернет. Серьезное Дело.
Более того.. это средство некотроллируемой агитации…
Эмигрант?
What other parties had candidates standing?
In what way are others discouraged from putting up candidates?
Blizzard sold itself to Activision it is now called Blacktivision ;
are you sure about that??
How come you didnt put ballots with votes for Barack Obama?:)
http://babruisk.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/04/vybory.jpg
Obama got some support in Russia:) at least 2 votes there
Poor russians don’t even know who is ruling their country and who is in charge LOL! What a sorry state of affairs.
No wonder most Russians are fleeing their poor trash country. Sad isnt it? 🙁
+1
+1
+1
+1
+1
+1
“The new president has been chosen” : that is the best joke !!!
I still say “VOTE AGAINST ALL” is the best idea.
Who will restore this to the ballot first, America or Russia?
Бля, я так недодумалсо(((
превед медвед!
2Miss India
Russia >> India and that’s a pretty easy choice.
+1
I still say “VOTE AGAINST ALL” is the best idea.
Да у нас в каждые выборы такая веселуха :))) Перед следущими похожу по улице с фотиком и нащелкаю 😉
i vote Chuck Norris for European Parlament 😀
very actual topic in Russian politic.
база данных гибдд бесплатно тольятти
Мне понравился ваш сайтик, так держать.
А другой вариант есть?