Votians

For the process of ballot-casting, see Vote.

Flag of the Votes

Votes are people of Votia in Ingria (part of modern day northwestern Russia, roughly (south)west of Saint Petersburg, near, and east of the Estonian border-town of Narva). Their own ethnic name is Vadjalain (plural: Vadjalaizõt). The Finno-Ugric Votic language spoken by Votes is close to extinction.

As a distinct people, Votes have become practically extinct after Stalinist dispersion to Soviet provinces far away — as punishment for alleged disloyalty and cowardice during the war. In 1989 there were still 62 known Votes left, the youngest of whom was born in 1930.

Along with the Izhorians, they are generally Orthodox, while the other Finnic inhabitants of Ingria, the Ingrian Finns, are Lutheran.

External links

• Virtual Votia
• The Red Book of the Peoples of the Russian Empire - The Votes