Russia begins three-day State Duma elections

Russia has begun voting in elections for the ninth State Duma, with polling taking place from Sept. 18 to 20.

Polling stations across the country are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time during the three-day vote, according to RBC.

Voters will elect all 450 members of the lower house of parliament under a mixed electoral system. Half of the seats, or 225, will be allocated through party lists, while the remaining 225 will be contested in single-member constituencies. Ten parties are included on the federal party-list ballot, including United Russia, the Communist Party, the Liberal Democratic Party, A Just Russia and New People.

A total of 333 polling stations have been opened outside Russia across 152 countries. The new State Duma will serve a five-year term.

The elections extend beyond the federal parliament. Russian voters are also electing the heads of 10 federal subjects, as well as members of regional legislatures, city councils and district and settlement councils.

A group of Azerbaijani Milli Majlis deputies will also observe the elections. Azer Amiraslanov, Fatma Yildirim, Anar Mammadov and Eyvaz Gurbanov are due to monitor the electoral process in Moscow, while Sabir Hajiyev will observe the vote in St. Petersburg. The Azerbaijani lawmakers are expected to examine conditions at polling stations and observe voting and ballot-counting procedures.

By Tamilla Hasanova