Putin's United Russia takes nearly 58% as Russia counts State Duma vote
Russian President Vladimir Putin's ruling United Russia party was leading the country's State Duma election with nearly 58% of the vote after more than 90% of ballots had been counted, according to figures released by Russia's Central Election Commission.
With 90.43% of protocols processed, United Russia had 57.86%, followed by the Communist Party with 13.84%, the Liberal Democratic Party with 8.90%, New People with 7.94%, and A Just Russia with 4.95%.
United Russia received 49.82% in the previous State Duma election in 2021.
The preliminary results are expected to give the ruling party another constitutional majority in the lower house of Russia's parliament. Russia's election commission is due to announce full preliminary results on Sept. 21, with final results expected on Sept. 25.
The Institute for the Study of War said the Kremlin was presenting the initial results as evidence of broad public support for Russia's war against Ukraine.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the results would confirm voters' support for Putin's foreign policy, while United Russia chairman Dmitry Medvedev said the party would continue supporting Putin's foreign policy goals and efforts to achieve victory over Russia's "enemies."
According to ISW, the Kremlin has sought to portray United Russia as the party responsible for implementing Putin's policies and to frame the election as a referendum on the war in Ukraine.
ISW also cited numerous reports from Russian election observers and other sources of large-scale violations and manipulation during the Sept. 18-20 vote.
The reported violations included ballot stuffing, the detention or removal of hundreds of observers from the Communist Party and the opposition Yabloko party, and threats to dismiss some public-sector employees who did not vote.
In Novosibirsk, people wearing Russian military uniforms reportedly stopped voters at polling stations to issue conscription notices or encourage them to sign contracts with the Russian Defense Ministry.
Voting was also organized by Russia in occupied parts of Ukraine. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry rejected the vote there as illegal, saying Russia's organization of elections in occupied Ukrainian territory does not alter its internationally recognized status.
In one of the single-member constituencies, incumbent State Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin was reported to have received more than 99% of the vote in early results.
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