RUSSIA:With Putin's seal of approval and a wellspring of positive public opinion, 96,000 voting centres saw Dmitry Medvedev's name again and again, writes DANIEL McLAUGHLIN
FROM THE Baltic to the Pacific, the Arctic Circle to the Caucasus mountains, Russians went to the polls yesterday to choose a successor to President Vladimir Putin, whose eight years in the Kremlin have seen prosperity grow and democracy decline in the world's biggest country.
No one doubted that the winner would be Dmitry Medvedev (42), a long-time ally of Mr Putin who was chosen for power by the president. He accompanied him on pre- election trips around Russia that gave him massive media exposure and a huge ratings boost.
The blessing of Mr Putin - who is by far Russia's most popular politician - would have been enough on its own to ensure victory for the previously low-key Mr Medvedev, but the machinery of the state went into overdrive to ensure that nothing hindered his progress into the Kremlin or undermined his popular mandate.
At many of the 96,000 polling stations set up across Russia's 11 time zones, election organisers provided food, drinks and other incentives for voters to cast their ballots, including bunches of flowers, prize-draw competitions and free rides on a new ski lift.
"Medvedev is a wonderful, young, handsome energetic man who will continue Putin's work and be a shining example to our children," said Tamara Razumova, an enthusiastic Medvedev voter in Moscow.
Another Muscovite, Tatyana Lestrovaya (69), said she saw no point opposing the will of Mr Putin and the ruling party. "I voted for Medvedev because, no matter what, he will win. I have a lot of respect for Putin and the party that supported Medvedev."
In St Petersburg, home town of Mr Putin and Mr Medvedev, the overwhelming majority of voters were expected to support the latter. "I think Dima [ Medvedev] was always ahead of other pupils," said former classmate Yelena Yegorova after casting her ballot.
Tatyana Ivanova, a worker at a military plant close to where Mr Medvedev grew up, added: "I have voted to continue what is going on in this country. I am happy with the freedom we have. I can do what I want, read what I want, go where I want."
However, amid widespread complaints of vote-rigging and of employees being forced by bosses to vote for Mr Medvedev, some resisted the Kremlin's will.
"I'll trust you with a secret," said Yuri (69), outside St Petersburg's famed Mariinsky Theatre. "I wrote on my ballot paper 'We want honest elections'. It was the only way to express my opinion."
Muscovite Marina Renar (36) said, "I'm not voting. What's the point? It's all been decided beforehand anyway."
In the run-down collective farm of Buzharovo, outside Moscow, some people expressed anger at Kremlin manipulation of the poll and backed Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov.
"I have never voted under orders and I will never vote under orders. I don't know this guy Medvedev at all and I don't want to know. At least with Zyuganov, you know where you are," said Alexander (56).
"I voted for Zyuganov," added Natalia Klimova (35). "I want a return to the past. I want to be given an apartment like my mother got from Soviet authorities."
Many voters, like Gennady Dultsev in the Pacific port of Vladivostok, appeared to think that though the vote was not fair, Medvedev was still the best man for the job.
"Everything is being decided in the Soviet way," Mr Dultsev said, before adding that victory for Mr Medvedev was "not the worst possible outcome".
Analysts said local officials around Russia were intent on pleasing the Kremlin by delivering high figures for turnout and support for Mr Medvedev. In last December's parliamentary election, the Caucasus republic of Ingushetia reported a 98 per cent turnout while neighbouring Chechnya topped it with 99 per cent.
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said of Mr Medvedev: "I believe there will be a 100 per cent turnout today. My family and all the people of the Chechen republic will vote for him."
In Ingushetia, Islam Mogushkov (35) said: "These elections are false, because everything has already been decided. We all know who the next president of Russia will be. If it's not Medvedev, you can cut my head off."