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Thus, the voting is over. Although most keep insisting and will probably do so there was no difference between these and the previous elections, the difference seems obvious – cases of violence significantly decreased. Some would consider that as non-essential, yet let us simply accept that excluding violence is prerequisite for holding proper elections.
     
The second important element is the free will to be exercised by a voter in the electoral booth, out of others’ sight. On the election day, numerous reports were received related to the layout of polling stations, proper installment of web cameras or other reasons that could endanger the privacy of voting, yet no instance was registered about a citizen with respective complaint. (Some will certainly assert people didn’t complained for being uninformed about their rights which remains a problem for other participants of the electoral process to think over). The fact remains that regardless of voters’ motivations (some subjected to administrative abuses, others –for money or whatever reasons) the voter had an opportunity to make own decision in the electoral booth without any compulsion, not to speak about violence.

Now the participants of the process are to stay consistent to accurately reflect the citizens’ votes in the protocols of district commissions and sum up respectively in the central electoral commission. 

Most will obviously not like the results with anticipated statements about people being misled, bribed, failed to understand or so on. All these appear to be irreverent, since each representative of the people was ultimately free in the electoral booth to make one’s own decision.  

If open questions remain about motivations, the parties should quit accusations and better focus on the fact that elections are not merely about campaign but also about informing, educating, and motivating the voters for the past and the coming five years alike. 

Armen Minasyan
Political Scientist