Moscow Polls Open for Second Day of Russia's Parliamentary Election

Polling stations in Moscow opened on Saturday for the second day of voting in Russia's parliamentary election, with the ballot spread across three days in an effort to lift turnout.

Voting began across the country's 11 time zones on Friday and is scheduled to end on Sunday. Authorities have also permitted electronic balloting alongside in-person voting.

At one Moscow polling station, workers stood for the national anthem before the start of proceedings. Roman Sukhov, chairperson of the precinct election commission, told colleagues and observers that the station was open for its second day and wished them a calm day of work.

Voters are casting two separate ballots. One determines half of the State Duma's 450 seats through party lists, while the remaining seats are decided in single-seat constituencies where voters choose individual candidates.

United Russia, the main Kremlin-aligned party, is widely expected to retain its dominance in the lower house of parliament alongside a small number of other parties.

Among those voting in the capital was Emma Kuznetsova, an 89-year-old pensioner, who said she hoped the election would bring a positive mood to the nation and that the war would end as soon as possible. Maria Kazakova, a 33-year-old Moscow resident, said she voted out of a sense of duty and expected reasonableness from the outcome, adding that safety for herself and her family was her top priority.

Roughly 111 million people are eligible to take part in the election.