PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, October 24 (RIA Novosti, Oksana Guseva) - Regional elections committees announced Monday that, according to the preliminary results of a referendum on merging Russia's far-eastern Kamchatka region and Koryak Autonomous Area, the overwhelming majority of voters were in favor of the merger.
The regional election committee of Kamchatka said 84.8% had voted for and 14.3% against the unification after 99.4% of the ballots had been checked. In Koryakia, 100% of referendum ballots had been checked, with 88.9% voting for and 10.1% against the unification.
The preliminary voter turnout was 76.71% in the Koryak Autonomous Area and 52.23% in Kamchatka.
The new Russian Federation member will have a population of about 400,000.
