Russian voting starts early for reindeer herders

Russian voting starts early for reindeer herders

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Russia holds a presidential election on Sunday but voting has already begun in the flat, snow-covered expanses of the Siberian Arctic, which are home to the nomadic Nenets people who herd reindeer.

. Nenets Autonomous District, Russia. Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin

Since late February, 282 members of the Nenets community, as well as some oil industry workers, have cast their ballots.

Kremlin politics and the six-lane motorways of Moscow may feel a world away in the Nenets Autonomous Region, 1,000 miles (1,570 km) northeast of the capital, where temperatures can drop to -40 degrees Celsius.

. Nenets Autonomous District, Russia. Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin
Children from the indigenous community "Yamb To" (Long Lake) run to a helicopter carrying local electoral commission officials.

The area has no roads but politics reaches it anyway, thanks to Maria Uglovaya, her helicopter and a handful of ballot boxes.

"A few months ago, we met with the head of one of the communities and he told us where they and their herds would be during these two weeks," said Uglovaya, deputy head of the regional election commission.

"Then we flew 400 km to meet them. If their coordinates had been even a few points off, we would never have found them. The territory is vast," she said. Eight herders were unable to vote because they did not make it in time to the meeting point, which was marked by a reindeer hide tent.

. Nenets Autonomous District, Russia. Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin
A herder of the agricultural cooperative organisation "Erv" pets a reindeer.

Election officials can only reach the nomadic voters when weather permits. A blizzard last week saw visibility in some areas drop as low 10 metres, interrupting their daily helicopter flights.

Members of the community only visit the local capital, the small town of Naryan Mar, to renew passports and bring pregnant women to the maternity ward, said Uglovaya, who lives in the town.

. Nenets Autonomous District, Russia. Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin

So strangers, especially ones with ballot boxes, are a rare event and the atmosphere is festive, even though the outcome of the election is not seriously in doubt. President Vladimir Putin is expected to win a fourth term in office.

"Who the president is has an impact on us, yes," said a member of the community, Elena Tuleeva, 39. "If there are some laws there, they reach us too."

Tuleeva, who has always voted for Putin, said she knew several candidates in the race as she'd seen them on television.

"If the weather is good, we put up the satellite dish and then we watch the news," she said. The dish is mounted on a sleigh to make it easier to move when looking for signal.

. Nenets Autonomous District, Russia. Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin
A child from the indigenous community "Yamb To" (Long Lake).

For the Nenets, environmental issues are where the government has the most direct impact on daily life.

"They keep building these oil fields around us ... In one area we go sometimes, they've put up all these drills and pipes, and people drive all over. Soon there won't be any pasture ground there for our herd at all."

Uglovaya, who has worked for Russia's electoral system for two years, agreed.

. Nenets Autonomous District, Russia. Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin
A woman from the indigenous community "Yamb To" (Long Lake) looks out a tent.

"The Nenets, they see themselves as part of the earth, as part of the land ... That's why, even if they're so far-removed, they vote," she said.

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Slideshow

A herder of the agricultural cooperative organisation "Harp" takes part in the early voting.
. Nenets Autonomous District, Russia. Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin

A herder of the agricultural cooperative organisation "Harp" takes part in the early voting.

A herder of the agricultural cooperative organisation "Erv" walks in front of a helicopter which was carrying local electoral commission members.
. Nenets Autonomous District, Russia. Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin

A herder of the agricultural cooperative organisation "Erv" walks in front of a helicopter which was carrying local electoral commission members.

A sledge covered with reindeer skin.
. Nenets Autonomous District, Russia. Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin

A sledge covered with reindeer skin.

Children from the indigenous community "Yamb To" (Long Lake).
. Nenets Autonomous District, Russia. Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin

Children from the indigenous community "Yamb To" (Long Lake).

Pieces of reindeer meat.
. Nenets Autonomous District, Russia. Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin

Pieces of reindeer meat.

Members of the indigenous community "Yamb To" (Long Lake) greet a helicopter carrying local electoral commission officials.
. Nenets Autonomous District, Russia. Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin

Members of the indigenous community "Yamb To" (Long Lake) greet a helicopter carrying local electoral commission officials.

Herders of the agricultural cooperative organisation "Erv".
. Nenets Autonomous District, Russia. Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin

Herders of the agricultural cooperative organisation "Erv".

Members of the indigenous community "Yamb To" (Long Lake) look through a broadsheet with information about presidential candidates.
. Nenets Autonomous District, Russia. Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin

Members of the indigenous community "Yamb To" (Long Lake) look through a broadsheet with information about presidential candidates.

Memebers of indigenous community "Yamb To" (Long Lake) sit inside a tent.
. Nenets Autonomous District, Russia. Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin

Memebers of indigenous community "Yamb To" (Long Lake) sit inside a tent.

A herder of the agricultural cooperative organisation "Harp" rests inside a tent.
. Nenets Autonomous District, Russia. Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin

A herder of the agricultural cooperative organisation "Harp" rests inside a tent.

Herders of the agricultural cooperative organisation "Erv" wait as a local electoral commission member fills out documents.
. Nenets Autonomous District, Russia. Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin

Herders of the agricultural cooperative organisation "Erv" wait as a local electoral commission member fills out documents.

A herder of the agricultural cooperative organisation "Harp" casts his vote.
. Nenets Autonomous District, Russia. Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin

A herder of the agricultural cooperative organisation "Harp" casts his vote.

A herder of the agricultural cooperative organisation "Harp" feeds reindeer.
. Nenets Autonomous District, Russia. Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin

A herder of the agricultural cooperative organisation "Harp" feeds reindeer.

A member of the indigenous community "Yamb To" (Long Lake) walks with a dog.
. Nenets Autonomous District, Russia. Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin

A member of the indigenous community "Yamb To" (Long Lake) walks with a dog.

A reindeer camping ground owned by the agricultural cooperative organisation "Erv".
. Nenets Autonomous District, Russia. Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin

A reindeer camping ground owned by the agricultural cooperative organisation "Erv".