Residents of Rostov called participation in the opposition action a symbolic expression of protest.

At noon, the number of voters at the polling stations noticeably increased, and the atmosphere at the stations was calm, residents of Rostov reported. Some people indeed see voting as an accessible way to express their dissatisfaction with the authorities' policies, but many have stopped perceiving voting as an opportunity to express protest.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", on September 18, the first day of voting, residents of the Rostov region talked about mass voting by budget employees at polling stations in Rostov-on-Don and electoral apathy, as well as expressed distrust in the possibility of protest voting. In the Rostov region, voters do not perceive elections as a platform for protest, as disagreement can be expressed in other ways. On Saturday, there was no excitement at the polling stations observed, there were no queues, people went to vote one by one or in small groups, local residents reported.

A driving instructor from Rostov-on-Don Mikhail Polyakov decided to come to the polling station on September 20 at 12:00, but stated that his visit was not related to the opposition's calls. According to him, the time was chosen solely due to his work schedule and personal convenience.

"I decided to come to the polling station exactly at noon on September 20 in advance, as I finished my morning shift only by eleven. I heard something about the opposition's call for 'Noon for a Peaceful Russia' on social media, but it did not affect my decision at all. Before that hour, the polling station was quite free, and right at 12:00, a small queue of 10-15 people formed at the entrance. People approached one by one and in pairs; I did not see any organized groups. There was no tension, everyone behaved calmly, voted in literally five minutes, and immediately dispersed. No loud statements or unusual actions were organized at the polling station," he told "Caucasian Knot."

According to him, no one in his circle has perceived elections as a means of protest for a long time.

"We do not protest, we vote for the future," he noted.

A teacher from a children's center in Bataisk Irina Vasilieva voted in the afternoon, around 15:00, noting that among some citizens, the desire to assert their position remains.

"It seems to me that some people really see voting as an accessible way to express their dissatisfaction, even if they do not shout about it on every corner. I consciously decided to come to the polling station on Sunday after 15:00 to avoid the morning rush and calmly go through the procedure. I knew about the noon action, but I did not specifically adjust to 12:00. The polling station was quiet at that time, all commission members were working, and individual voters were coming in. I did not notice any unusual behavior from people — everything went strictly according to the regulations, without disputes and long queues," she shared with a correspondent from "Caucasian Knot."

An unnamed correspondent from a local publication, who wished to remain anonymous, observing the voting process at several polling stations, expressed the opinion that citizens are increasingly viewing elections as an ineffective protest platform.

"Most residents of the region today perceive elections solely as a formal administrative process. I came to my polling station around 11:45 to monitor the dynamics as part of my professional activity. The opposition's call to gather citizens at polling stations at 12:00 was known to many in the media environment, but it did not have a mass effect in Novocherkassk. From 11:30 to 12:00, the flow of people was standard, and right at noon, a few more people came — literally about 20, mostly young people and middle-aged residents. No queues formed, and the crowds quickly dispersed. As for unusual forms of behavior, at one of the neighboring polling stations, a voter openly called his decision to spoil the ballot his political protest action and explained to the commission members that this was the only way he could express his disagreement with the absence of his candidates on the list," he told "Caucasian Knot."

A nurse from Taganrog Galina Prokhorova voted around 14:30 and noted a decrease in the overall level of political discussion among the townspeople.

"It seems to me that elections are no longer perceived by many as an opportunity to express protest — people have started to treat them much more calmly and practically. I came to the polling station around 14:30. When I approached, it was livelier than usual for a Sunday: commission members said there was a small influx of people in the morning, even whole families came. However, by 14:30, the flow had already subsided, everything was going smoothly. I did not see any non-standard behavior or symbolism among the voters — people simply dropped their ballots and left," she told "Caucasian Knot."

A marketer from Rostov-on-Don Denis specifically came to his polling station exactly at 12:00 on September 20, supporting the call for a peaceful expression of position.

"I believe that even under current conditions, elections can and should be used as a form of protest, even if symbolic. I knew about the call to come to the polling stations exactly at 12:00 and specifically chose this time, inviting friends to go together. Our polling station in the center of Rostov-on-Don indeed noticeably came to life around noon: if before 12:00 only a few people were entering, then exactly at noon, a noticeable queue formed at the entrance and in front of the ballot issuing tables. People came in groups of three or four, quietly chatting among themselves. No one shouted slogans, but the very arrival of such a number of people at the same time was perceived by the participants as solidarity. For my friends and me, it was a conscious act," he told a correspondent from "Caucasian Knot."

An election observer Aza Malikova was at polling station No. 1644 in Rostov-on-Don at noon.

"There were few participants, everything went comfortably, which pleasantly surprised me. The staff helped to orient, and the procedure went quickly and calmly. There were no incidents at that time," she said.

She characterized the behavior of voters as a demonstration of hidden dissatisfaction within the permissible limits.

"In our region, open protest is suppressed, so people are extremely cautious in viewing elections as a platform for expressing their position. At the polling stations in Rostov-on-Don, where we observed around 12:00, a local increase in voters was recorded — at some polling stations, queues of 20-30 people indeed formed, which had not been observed in the morning. Students and activists came in small groups, some deliberately lingered in the voting booths. Citizens explained in private conversations that this was their only opportunity to conduct an individual protest action and be heard at least during the vote count," she summarized.