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A combo photo of Moscow mayoral candidates Aleksei Navalny (left) and incumbent Sergei Sobyanin
A combo photo of Moscow mayoral candidates Aleksei Navalny (left) and incumbent Sergei Sobyanin

Russia's Regional Elections: Liveblog

The upstart candidacy of Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny has shaken up the first Moscow mayoral election in a decade. Although Kremlin-backed incumbent Sergei Sobyanin was widely expected to win easily, Navalny supporters hoped he could get enough support to force a runoff. Throughout Russia, thirty-three provinces were voting on September 8 to elect eight governors, 16 regional assemblies, and the mayors of 11 regional capitals.

14:17 8.9.2013
From our Russian Service liveblog. There have been several reports online of people being sent to different polling stations than the ones they have gone to in the past.
14:22 8.9.2013
Navalny's campaign manager speaks to media and says there's no question that if the votes are counted fairly there will be a second round. Also says official numbers on turnout have not been published in three hours - a first sign of impending fraud.
14:33 8.9.2013
Yevgeny Roizman, Yekaterinburg opposition candidate, declares victory:

"That's it. Finished. According to all exit polls (our, others, the election commission's) I won. Now, the question is how it's counted. But for me, it's obvious. Huge thanks to Yekaterinburg and to all for your trust and support."
14:51 8.9.2013
Navalny press release, which reiterates concern about low turnout and lack of official information on numbers of voters since 3PM. Says this is the building blocks for fraud.

15:01 8.9.2013
Moscow Elections Commission publishes voter turnout as of 6 PM MSK: 26%. That is extraordinarily low, compared with previous years, although Navalny's campaign manager says the numbers appear reasonable.
15:09 8.9.2013
With Roizman looking likely to win in Yekaterinburg, here's a good profile of the opposition candidate and the controversies that surround him.

15:19 8.9.2013
15:25 8.9.2013
Masha, a 35 year-old corporate events manager told Tom Balmforth, our Moscow correspondent, she wasn't voting today. Here's why:

"Even if you go and take your ballot and vote, it will change nothing. I think that the position of many citizens, Muscovites like me, is not to waste their time. Many live in different places to where they are registered, which means driving to the polling station for people like me. It's a shame to give your Sunday to this. I prefer to go to the park with my child."
15:33 8.9.2013
Our Russian Service quoting Aleksei Venediktov, the Editor-in-Chief of Echo Moskvy: "These are the most clean elections we've had in recent memory."
15:39 8.9.2013
Official statement from Navalny team coming at 8:15 PM MSK (12:15 EST). They will discuss exit polls.

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