Russians are voting for governors and regional legislators in 83 regions and cities, including Moscow and St. Petersburg, but many opposition candidates barred by the electoral authorities won't be on the ballot. Governors will be elected in 21 regions, while four regions, including the illegally annexed Crimea in Ukraine, will elect regional parliaments. A group defending voters rights, Golos, dubbed the vote an "imitation" of elections, saying it lacks genuine competition. According to Golos, 35 percent of nominees, including all three candidates from the liberal opposition party, Yabloko, were denied registration. In some regions, elections that began on September 6 will last for three days. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.
Russians Vote In Regional Elections With Many Opposition Candidates Barred
A local election commission member counts votes at a Russian polling station in 2022.