Final voting day begins in Russia-backed self-proclaimed republics in Ukraine

Voting has kicked off in the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics (DPR, LPR), the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions on the final day of their referendums on joining Russia.

For security reasons, mobile election commissions conducted the voting process on the first four days of the vote but on September 27 voters have the opportunity to come to polling stations to cast their ballots. Polling stations open at 8:00 am and will close at 4:00 pm (Russia time), TASS reports. Right after that, the vote count will begin and the results of exit polls will be announced.

DPR residents can vote at 450 polling stations across the republic and at over 200 polling stations in Russia. The LPR election authority set up 461 stations in the republic and another 201 in Russia. The Zaporizhzhia Region’s authorities opened 394 polling stations across the region and another 102 in Russia, the DPR, the LPR and the Kherson Region. Eight territorial and 198 district election commissions were created in the Kherson Region, whose residents can also vote in Crimea, Moscow and a number of other Russian cities.

The referendums have been recognized as valid in all four regions as the overall voter turnout has exceeded 50%. A total of 86.89% of voters cast their ballots in the DPR as of September 26 night. Voter turnout currently stands at 83.61% in the LPR, 63.58% in the Kherson Region and 66.43% in the Zaporizhzhia Region.