Makhachkala voters expressed doubt about the significance of their participation in the voting.

At some polling stations in Makhachkala, there were almost no voters, and one of them had only about 15 ballots in the box, voters reported. They attributed the low turnout to apathy and disbelief in change, expressing doubt that their votes could alter the political situation.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", on September 18, Makhachkala residents doubted the possibility of protest voting. Residents said that the elections were hardly discussed in their surroundings, and, according to their observations, mainly budget workers and civil servants went to the polling stations.

According to a resident of Makhachkala, Magaram, he visited the polling station today and at that time there were only three people there. The Makhachkala resident noted that there were about 10-15 ballots in the box, according to his observations.

"It seems to me that people are apathetic and do not believe that anything will change after the elections. Therefore, ignoring the voting can be called a kind of protest," he told a correspondent of "Caucasian Knot".

A Makhachkala resident Rashid, who went to the village to visit his grandchildren for the weekend, stated that he did not participate in the voting. He explained his refusal by disbelief in the significance of his own vote.

"My vote will not change anything anyway. In the villages, it seems to me, people vote more actively than in the cities. There, family and friendly ties are more developed, and it is easier to convince people to go to the elections. They mainly vote for representatives of their district or nationality," he told a correspondent of "Caucasian Knot".

At one of the polling stations in Makhachkala, there were no voters at all, and there were three members of the precinct electoral commission (PEC) and police officers in the room, reported a Dagestani journalist. He explained that he came to the station primarily to observe the situation.

"Besides the three PEC members and the police, there was not a single person, not even observers, although a table was prepared for them. The voting procedure took me a few minutes," he told a correspondent of "Caucasian Knot" on condition of anonymity.

A resident of Makhachkala Zemfira said that she went to the elections because she works in the budget sector, where employees were recommended to participate in the voting. According to her, they were not persuaded to vote for a specific candidate or party.

"They did not strongly persuade us to vote for anyone in particular. There were few people at the station, there were many more at the previous elections. My sister, who voted in Kizilyurt, told me that at one of the stations they organized a whole show – budget workers dressed as gypsies sang and danced at the polling station. I consider that excessive," she told a correspondent of "Caucasian Knot".

The administration of Kizilyurt confirmed that on September 18, a group from the kindergarten "Cheburashka" came to polling station No. 0695 in bright costumes, with songs and dances.

"A real gypsy camp visited polling station No. 0695 in Kizilyurt – with songs, dances, and a cheerful mood! Behind the bright costumes and lively melodies is the team from the kindergarten "Cheburashka". <...> And behind the cheerful masquerade are responsible and conscientious citizens: they made their choice and voted for the deputies of the State Duma and the People's Assembly. This is how creativity and civic duty can go hand in hand," the Kizilyurt administration reported on September 18 in its Telegram channel.

Political scientist Albert Esedov also stated that such a performance at the station was excessive. He also noted the presence of outsiders near the PEC ballot boxes.

"It seems to me that they overdid it with the theatrics at the PEC, which looked more like buffoonery. Elections are not a circus after all. And outsiders should not be running around the ballot boxes: by law, they have no business at the PEC," Esedov wrote on September 18 in his Telegram channel.

Recall that on September 17, employees of budget organizations in Dagestan reported wishes from management to vote for one of the parties participating in the elections. On September 15, analysts pointed out that the protest potential of the residents of the republic due to communal problems and high tariffs is in a passive state and may manifest in low turnout. Earlier that same day, residents of Dagestan complained about the passivity of candidates and the lack of discussion on housing and communal services issues, rising prices, and fuel costs. At the same time, some of them stated that they did not intend to participate in the voting due to distrust of the candidates and the election results.