State Duma election voters’ turnout exceeds 32.58% as of 2:00 p.m. Moscow time — CEC

MOSCOW, September 19. /TASS/. Voters’ turnout in the elections of deputies to the State Duma, the parliament’s lower house, at the line of federal districts as of 2:00 p.m. Moscow time (11:00 a.m. GMT) stood at 32.58%, Russia’s Central Election Commission said in a statement on Saturday.

"The voting turnout in federal districts stands at 32.58%," the statement reads.

The single voting day to elect lawmakers to the 9th Russian State Duma takes place on September 18-20. For the first time ever, residents of the recently incorporated Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, as well as the Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions, are participating in legislative elections for the lower house of the Russian parliament.

A total of ten parties are taking part in the election: United Russia, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF), the Liberal Democratic Party of the Russian Federation (LDPR), New People, A Just Russia - For Truth, the Party of Pensioners for Social Justice, the Communists of Russia, Rodina, the Party of Direct Democracy, as well as the Greens Ecological Party.

Elections for regional legislative bodies are also be held in 39 Russian constituent entities, alongside elections for regional leaders. In eight regions, the leaders will be elected directly, while in three regions, they will be chosen by the regional parliaments. A total of 23,000 seats will be filled.