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Mar 15, 2018Russian voting starts early for reindeer herders

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.
Why bother, just give it Putin again.

A woman from the indigenous community "Yamb To" (Long Lake) looks out a tent at a reindeer camping ground, about 450 km northeast of Naryan-Mar, in Nenets Autonomous District, Russia, March 1, 2018. SERGEI KARPUKHIN/REUTERS

A herder of the agricultural cooperative organisation "Erv" pets a reindeer at a reindeer camping ground, about 250 km north of Naryan-Mar, in Nenets Autonomous District, Russia, March 8, 2018. SERGEI KARPUKHIN/REUTERS

People are seen near a tent at a reindeer camping ground owned by the agricultural cooperative organisation "Erv", about 250 km north of Naryan-Mar, in Nenets Autonomous District, Russia, March 8, 2018. SERGEI KARPUKHIN/REUTERS

Local electoral commission members leave a weather station during the early voting in remote areas ahead of the presidential election, in the settlement of Cape Konstantinovsky, about 250 km north of Naryan-Mar, in Nenets Autonomous District, Russia, March 8, 2018. SERGEI KARPUKHIN/REUTERS

A dog walks by a tent at a reindeer camping ground owned by the agricultural cooperative organisation "Erv", about 250 km north of Naryan-Mar, in Nenets Autonomous District, Russia, March 8, 2018. SERGEI KARPUKHIN/REUTERS

A member of the indigenous community "Yamb To" (Long Lake) walks with a dog at a reindeer camping ground, about 450 km northeast of Naryan-Mar, in Nenets Autonomous District, Russia, March 1, 2018. SERGEI KARPUKHIN/REUTERS

A herder of the agricultural cooperative organisation "Erv" walks in front of a helicopter at a reindeer camping ground, about 250 km north of Naryan-Mar, in Nenets Autonomous District, Russia, March 8, 2018. The helicopter was carrying local electoral commission members during the early voting in remote areas ahead of the presidential election. SERGEI KARPUKHIN/REUTERS

A sledge covered with reindeer skin stands at a reindeer camping ground owned by the agricultural cooperative organisation "Erv", about 250 km north of Naryan-Mar, in Nenets Autonomous District, Russia, March 8, 2018. SERGEI KARPUKHIN/REUTERS

A herder of the agricultural cooperative organisation "Harp" takes part in the early voting in remote areas ahead of the presidential election, at a reindeer camping ground, about 250 km south of Naryan-Mar, in Nenets Autonomous District, Russia, March 4, 2018. SERGEI KARPUKHIN/REUTERS

A herder of the agricultural cooperative organisation "Harp" casts his vote into a mobile ballot box during the early voting in remote areas ahead of the presidential election, at a reindeer camping ground, about 250 km south of Naryan-Mar, in Nenets Autonomous District, Russia, March 4, 2018. SERGEI KARPUKHIN/REUTERS

Children from the indigenous community "Yamb To" (Long Lake) are seen at a reindeer camping ground, about 450 km northeast of Naryan-Mar, in Nenets Autonomous District, Russia, March 1, 2018. SERGEI KARPUKHIN/REUTERS

Herders of the agricultural cooperative organisation "Erv" are seen during the early voting in remote areas ahead of the presidential election, at a reindeer camping ground, about 250 km north of Naryan-Mar, in Nenets Autonomous District, Russia, March 8, 2018. SERGEI KARPUKHIN/REUTERS

Members of the indigenous community "Yamb To" (Long Lake) look through a broadsheet with information about presidential candidates during the early voting in remote areas ahead of the presidential election, at a reindeer camping ground, about 450 km northeast of Naryan-Mar, in Nenets Autonomous District, Russia, March 1, 2018. SERGEI KARPUKHIN/REUTERS

Members the indigenous community "Yamb To" (Long Lake) take part in the early voting in remote areas ahead of the presidential election, at a reindeer camping ground, about 450 km northeast of Naryan-Mar, in Nenets Autonomous District, Russia, March 1, 2018. SERGEI KARPUKHIN/REUTERS

Members the indigenous community "Yamb To" (Long Lake) look through a broadsheet with information about presidential candidates during the early voting in remote areas ahead of the presidential election, at a reindeer camping ground, about 450 km northeast of Naryan-Mar, in Nenets Autonomous District, Russia, March 1, 2018. SERGEI KARPUKHIN/REUTERS

Herders of the agricultural cooperative organisation "Erv" wait as a local electoral commission member fills documents during the early voting in remote areas ahead of the presidential election, at a reindeer camping ground, about 250 km north of Naryan-Mar, in Nenets Autonomous District, Russia, March 8, 2018. SERGEI KARPUKHIN/REUTERS

Memebers of indigenous community "Yamb To" (Long Lake) sit inside a tent during the early voting in remote areas ahead of the presidential election, at a reindeer camping ground, about 450 km northeast of Naryan-Mar, in Nenets Autonomous District, Russia, March 1, 2018. SERGEI KARPUKHIN/REUTERS

A herder of the agricultural cooperative organisation "Harp" rests inside a tent at a reindeer camping ground, about 250 km south of Naryan-Mar, in Nenets Autonomous District, Russia, March 4, 2018. SERGEI KARPUKHIN/REUTERS

A herder of the agricultural cooperative organisation "Harp" rests inside a tent at a reindeer camping ground, about 250 km south of Naryan-Mar, in Nenets Autonomous District, Russia, March 4, 2018. SERGEI KARPUKHIN/REUTERS

A child from the indigenous community "Yamb To" (Long Lake) is seen at a reindeer camping ground, about 450 km northeast of Naryan-Mar, in Nenets Autonomous District, Russia, March 1, 2018. SERGEI KARPUKHIN/REUTERS

Members the indigenous community "Yamb To" (Long Lake) take part in the early voting in remote areas ahead of the presidential election, at a reindeer camping ground, about 450 km northeast of Naryan-Mar, in Nenets Autonomous District, Russia, March 1, 2018. SERGEI KARPUKHIN/REUTERS

A herder of the agricultural cooperative organisation "Harp" feeds reindeer at a reindeer camping ground, about 250 km south of Naryan-Mar, in Nenets Autonomous District, Russia, March 4, 2018. SERGEI KARPUKHIN/REUTERS

A herder of the agricultural cooperative organisation "Erv" stands in front of a traditional tent at a reindeer camping ground, about 250 km north of Naryan-Mar, in Nenets Autonomous District, Russia, March 8, 2018. SERGEI KARPUKHIN/REUTERS

Pieces of reindeer meat hang at a reindeer camping ground owned by the agricultural cooperative organisation "Erv", about 250 km north of Naryan-Mar, in Nenets Autonomous District, Russia, March 8, 2018. SERGEI KARPUKHIN/REUTERS

A herder of the agricultural cooperative organisation "Harp" walks with reindeer at a reindeer camping ground, about 250 km south of Naryan-Mar, in Nenets Autonomous District, Russia, March 4, 2018. SERGEI KARPUKHIN/REUTERS

Members of the indigenous community "Yamb To" (Long Lake) greet a helicopter carrying local electoral commission officials during the early voting in remote areas ahead of the presidential election, at a reindeer camping ground, about 450 km northeast of Naryan-Mar, in Nenets Autonomous District, Russia, March 1, 2018. SERGEI KARPUKHIN/REUTERS

Children from the indigenous community "Yamb To" (Long Lake) run to a helicopter carrying local electoral commission officials during the early voting in remote areas ahead of the presidential election, at a reindeer camping ground, about 450 km northeast of Naryan-Mar, in Nenets Autonomous District, Russia, March 1, 2018. SERGEI KARPUKHIN/REUTERS
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