In the early chilly winter dawn, many Russians walked across snow-covered sidewalks to nearby polling booths to cast their ballots for parliament deputies, hoping to select legislators who will lead them to a still better life initiated under President Vladimir Putin.
"My entire family have come to vote. We think it's crucial, because we choose our future both for ourselves and for our children. If we don' come, who will?" Russia Today television channel quoted one of the voters as saying.
Of the 10.4 million Muscovites in the largest voting area, some7 million are registered voters. Putin himself cast his ballot later on Sunday.
So far, all the 96,000 polling stations have opened across the vast country which spans over 11 time zones. The Central Election Commission has expected some 60 percent of the 108 million eligible voters to cast their ballots.
Voter turnout in the ongoing elections in all Russian regions is higher than the 2003 elections, the Interfax news agency cited Central Elections Commission Chairman Vladimir Churov.
In Russia's far eastern regions, polling stations have been setup on the mainland, islands and even fishing fleets. They will, along with other polling stations, be monitored by some 300 international observers.
The Primorye Krai region, with Russia's major Pacific port city Vladivostok as its capital, even prepared gifts for young voters: a gift card which gives a chance to win mobile phone top-up cards worth up to 1,000 roubles (40 U.S. dollars), said local election commission chairman Sergei Knyazev.
"We live in this country and we can make it better. Our votes can bring changes. If everybody comes and votes, something may change in this country," one of the marines said.
"Remember what we began with eight years ago, the pit from which we had to drag our country," Putin said in a television address on the last day of election campaign.
Source: Xinhua
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