Today the election to the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, takes place in Russia. 14 parties participate in these elections, twice more than in 2011. The voting started at 8AM and will last up to 8PM local time. 111.6 million citizens are entitled to vote. This year's elections are dominated by president Vladimir Putin's supporters. In the elections to the Russian parliament, 450 deputies will be elected and their term will last five years. The mixed electoral system has been used for that elections. 225 deputies will be chosen from party lists and the other half from single-mandate constituencies. 

Observers suggest that the party United Russia will win, and three other parties dependent from the Kremlin will remain in the State Duma.

Elections in 2011 were strongly protested, as many shortcomings, frauds, and corruption were found there.

Today's elections are a breakthrough as for the first time people living in the Crimea, which was annexed in 2014, are able to vote for Russian parliament. The Central Election Commission accredited approx. 700 international observers, among others from the Community of Independent States and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). Since Vladimir Putin took power in Russia in 2000, no elections were considered as free and democratic.

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