[Not_Who_U_Think]

I remember elections in many troubled countries, but I don’t remember the American media ever referring to them as a “sham”. Even in Zimbabwe, Iraq and Libia, they never disparaged the democratic process.

I can only conclude it’s because their favored side is going to lose.

[NorseViking]

Pew and other recognizes pollsters do not poll Crimeans and East Ukrainians much. You know why.

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

I remember elections in many troubled countries, but I don’t remember the American media ever referring to them as a “sham”.

Your memory is about as reliable as a Russian referendum. Here's a 2013 article referring to Robert Mugabe's 2013 election in Zimbabwe as a "sham".

https://www.cfr.org/blog/zimbabwe-elections-sham

Here's an article referring to the 2002 Iraqi referendum that gave Saddam another 7 year term as a "farce".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/2331951.stm

And Ghaddafi was never actually elected to anything.