In Irkutsk, the campaign for the youth mayor election has started, 30 polling stations have been set up, and staff from four territorial election commissions are taking part in voting and vote counting. Experts call this race indicative, candidates use different strategies from active work in the media and social networks to meetings at universities and local campaigning. Among the leaders are Dmitry Yakovlev and Andrey Akhmadullin, whose programs are tied to city projects, environmental initiatives, and the creation of the Irkutsk Mayor Labor Squads.

In universities, schools, and children’s creativity centers, 30 polling stations have been organized; ballot boxes have been installed there, and employees of the four district territorial election commissions of the city of Irkutsk will take part in the voting and vote-counting procedures. Irkutsk City Duma deputy Sergei Yudin noted that the candidacy of the youth mayor is of great importance for the city. For example, the deputy has developed working relations with the youth parliament and many joint projects, in particular proposals to improve the environmental situation in the center of Irkutsk (Deputy Yudin’s electoral district). The initiatives of the youth deputies will later be included in the program for improving the private sector in Irkutsk.
Experts consider the election campaign of the candidates for the position of youth mayor of Irkutsk to be very interesting and revealing. After all, the young participants are demonstrating all possible strategies for promoting themselves. For example, Dmitry Yakovlev, nominated by Young Guard, is being actively “promoted” in the media. The candidate uses the traditional “resource” method of promotion and relies on internet media loyal to the “party of power.” Leonid Zakharevich is conducting his election campaign on social networks. Andrey Akhmadullin, the oldest and most experienced participant in the election race, is trying to make a name for himself through “field” methods: meetings at universities, distribution of campaign literature. Several candidates nominated by representatives of universities (VSGAO, IrGUPS) are actively working in “their” territory, where they plan to attract the maximum number of their supporters and gain a large share in the citywide voting picture.
The voting results will show the effectiveness of the various strategies used by the candidates; for now, experts consider two candidates to be the leaders. In public speeches, Dmitry Yakovlev says that the youth of Irkutsk should be involved in projects such as the “Let’s Do It” campaign (the event is organized with the participation of the administration of the city of Irkutsk) and tree planting on the Lower Embankment (the event was organized by Young Guard of United Russia). The second leader, Andrey Akhmadullin, intends to form “Mayor of Irkutsk Labor Squads” in Irkutsk, similar to those operating in Krasnoyarsk and some other cities. According to Andrey Akhmadullin, organizing such squads requires funds to pay young people, uniforms with the inscription “Mayor of Irkutsk Labor Squads,” and transport for work in remote districts of the city. The effectiveness of such solutions is very high and has been proven in practice.
Based on materials from the press service of the administration of the city of Irkutsk