Polling Station Webcams: Better Than TV

Vladimir Putin’s brainchild of installing hundreds of thousands of webcams in polling stations across the country may not have stopped voting fraud, but the move did provide a fascinating insight into Russian life, says Luke Harding.  The Moscow Times agrees: ‘Anyone with an Internet connection could rove the land, spying on a range of buildings that work as polling stations during elections — from schools to sanatoriums and even private homes.‘  Online viewers – 2.5 million registered to view the feeds – were treated to views of private polling stations in peoples’ homes (like the Chechen one pictured above) to schooldays in full swing and a number of parties (click here for a brilliant collection of images from RBTH). Vladimir Putin has applauded the webcam project, saying that it will be made a regular feature of future elections.