Penza, 28 August 2014. PenzaNews. The vast majority of Penza residents (54%) intend to take part in the elections to the City Duma of the sixth convocation, which will take place on September 14, says the survey conducted by “RAGMIR” research company based on representative sample by telephone interview in August 2014.

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16% of respondents said they are likely to take part in the elections, while 7% of respondents said they have not decided yet whether they will vote or not.

6% of the participants reported that they are unlikely to come to the polls, and 13% strongly expressed their unwillingness to do so.

4% of respondents could not reply or refused to answer.

Speaking about the reasons for refusal to participate in the election of September 14, 2014, the interviewed residents of Penza expressed the following opinion: “What is the point? They will elect whoever they need without me,” “Got no time for that,” “I have not heard about the election,” “I am not interested in this,” “There is not much faith that my voice will be counted,” “I do not participate in elections in principle,” “Actually, I do not go to the polls ever, it won’t make it better” and others.

At the same time there were also quite categorical answers, such as: “We are waiting for a response from Alpatov [head of Penza] on the ban of construction in the park area (intersection of Karpinskogo and 8 Marta streets). If construction is stopped, we will go to the vote” or “I do not know much about the candidates, closer to the election after campaigning, if there is someone I like, I will go.”

Those who answered in the affirmative about their desire to participate in the election on September 14, the researchers were asked to report on political preferences.

The question was as follows: “The candidate of which of 10 parties would you vote for if elections in Penza City Duma are held this Sunday?” The list of answers included all 10 political parties, the representatives of which are registered as candidates in elections to the City Duma.

As a result, 34% of respondents said they would vote for the candidate of the United Russia, 6% — the Communist Party, 5% — the Liberal Democratic Party, 3% — the Fair Russia and the Communist of Russia, each, 4% would give their voice for self-nominated candidate.

Candidates from the other five parties — Rodina [Motherland-National Patriotic Union], Patriots of Russia, For Justice, Russian Party of National Control and Party of Social Protection — received a total of 1% of votes.

At the same time, 44% of Penza respondents either refused to answer the question about the parties, or could not give their opinion.