Parliamentary polls are being held in nine regions - the North Caucasus republics of Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Circassia, the Volga Republic of Tatarstan, the Republic of Khakassia in southern Siberia, the Nenets Autonomous Area in West Siberia, and also in the northwestern Arkhangelsk Region, the western Bryansk Region, the central Vladimir Region and the southern Volgograd region.
All candidates in these regions have to negotiate the 7% barrier to be elected to local legislatures, except for Khakassia where the threshold is 5%.
By-elections to local legislations are also being held in another 15 Russian regions while citizens in 10 Russian cities are voting in mayoral elections.
According to the Central Election Committee, a total of 20 million Russians are expected to participate in local elections seen as a popularity test for the Russian authorities and the ruling United Russia party amid the financial crisis.
