Young people posed just one question to their relatives, neighbors, and friends: "Have you voted?" Many of respondents asked in turn their friends and acquaintances. In this way, a spontaneous network arose.
During one day (15 December), a survey was conducted in Ashgabat and in residential areas closest to the capital: Abadan (Bezmein), Annau and Geokche. This is the most densely populated area of the country.
This network of volunteers managed to ask 1207 persons. As was discovered, only 39 of them went to vote. In other words, only 3,23% from the respondents visited polling stations. It should be recalled that according to the reports of the official Turkmen sources, 93,87% of the total number of constituency took part in the voting.
Out of 39 individuals who went to vote, 16 are students, 5 retired, 2 teachers (who worked at the polling stations), 2 doctors (the ballot boxes for them were taken to the work places), 2 military men, a specialist working at the national stock exchange, and an employee of Turkmen airlines.
Amongst those who did not take part in the voting are market salesmen, employees of non-governmental organizations, the unemployed and taxi drivers.
The abovementioned survey demonstrated the absolute indifference of the country's population to the parliamentary elections. While the authorities will stick to the declared number of those who voted, they are well aware of the actual results and this is something to think about.
Source: TIHR