Pavel Shapchits, a member of the St. Petersburg city election commission, told the outlet Fontanka that all commission members were ordered to appear at the military enlistment office to update their personal data on the morning of Friday, September 18.
Fontanka contacted two election commission members who received summonses; both work in commissions overseen by District Election Commission No. 44. Svetlana Nefedova, chairwoman of the Territorial Election Commission No. 44, told the outlet she was hearing of such a situation for the first time.
Nefedova said she could not assess whether the call-up of precinct election commission members to the military enlistment office would affect the voting process.
September 18 is the first of three voting days, running from September 18 to 20. Campaigns at various levels are being held across Russia during these days, including voting for deputies of the ninth State Duma.
Yabloko is running its campaign under the anti-war slogan "For Peace and Freedom." A month ago, the Supreme Court removed the party's federal list from the State Duma elections. After that, regional courts began removing single-mandate candidates and regional lists. The party is also being obstructed in campaigning, and its observers are not being allowed into polling stations.