Early Turnout Favors Putin in Russian Election. European Elections Live Thread. ( Also Spain ).

Reuters.com ^ | 14 Macrh 2004 | Reuters

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin looked on track to win re-election on Sunday, with early turnout reported high enough for a valid vote and his only real threat of voter apathy apparently evaporating in the spring sunshine.

With voting under way across the country's eleven time zones, Russian media reported turnout in the sparsely populated east of the country had hit the 50 percent hurdle needed for the election to be valid. Putin cast his vote in Moscow on Sunday morning

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Please put all European election info here, until final articles are available.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Polls close in Spain at 2:00 PM Eastern. No idea how long it takes for results to come out.

[goldstategop]

We can safely say President Putin will be re-elected. The only question is the final size of his winning margin.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

In Russia, polls close at 8 p.m. local time across 11 time zones. Vladivostok's polls should close in 15 minutes. Moscow's should close at Noon Eastern time.

[Heatseeker]

The Russian election was a foregone conclusion from the get-go. Spain is the one that worries me. I hope that Mariano Rajoy and the Popular Party will do well.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Yes I'm also more interested in the elections in Spain, but the only news info on the web is the same stuff they've been posting for hours.

[ambrose]

Not too concerned about Putin, since he gets to count the votes.

[Heatseeker]

I would guess it'll be late afternoon EST before we hear results, though perhaps exit polling is not so closely held in Spain.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Fox News reports that prelimanary results for Russia's election won't be available until early Monday.

Still looking for any new news on the Spainish elections. All I can find in a web news search is still the same old stuff that's been out for hours, just written differently.

[Heatseeker]

freedom moose, can you let us know when there is any news?

[livius]

According to Spanish radio, voting is proceding more or less normally, with the authorities calling for calm. There have been some demonstrations (by people who were probably up all night demonstrating, I suspect!) in front of polling places, particularly in Andalucía. Shouting and fist fights broke out in front of the polling place where Aznar voted in Madrid.

[Heatseeker]

...particularly in Andalucía.

Ironic - the last enclave of the Muslims. Well I am off for a nap; will check in late this AM. Thanks for the info!!!

[freedom moose]

no problem. there won't be any election news until 8PM here. Projections and exit polls etc can not be broadcast until that time. at the moment there have been no notable incidents. some people yelled at a PP politician at the polling place he went to to vote. other than that, other than some areas reporting large turnoits there is no news.

[KantianBurke]

The Spain bomb attack verifies two policies - in the fight against terrorism the Bush policy of unilateralism should be the only one utilized and the Blair policy of multilateralism is a BIG mistake.

Think about it. Those 2 thousand Spanish soliders sure make for a decent news article mention but tactically what good are they? Are they worth the loss of a pro WOT Spanish govt? Osama and company were pretty smart to pick Madrid to carry out such a bombing as the recriminations will now cost Bush a MAJOR anti terror ally.

[DollyCali]

Ping to live Europe/Russia election thread....

Ohio or other Doser, can you ping the Dose?

Thanks for the thread HGC.. hopefully there will be ONE THREAD ONLY --- THIS ONE. I have a hard time knowing where to go when 5 or more threads pop up on same topic.. I am pinging some of my groups to here..

The terrorists are terrible.. but not dumb. right on the back step of an election in Spain, they do their dirty deeds.. to sow confusion, pain, hate.

Hopefully the people will have the common sense to vote for the candidate who has stood AGAINST terrorists.

this is an important election in Spain for America ..... as well as the people of Spain. I pray their day will be peaceful & decisive in results.

[KantianBurke]

thanks to Blair's multilateralism fetish, the fortunes of war and the possibility of an Al Queda victory are within reach. Somehow I doubt the socialists will continue backing Bush.

[ChadGore]

I hope Putin wins, and the the Spanish conservative hold power.

[DollyCali]

Ditto that ChadGore

[ThreePuttinDude]

BTTT

[Sacajaweau]

btt