MOSCOW, December 4 (RIA Novosti) - Elections to the Moscow City Council and by-elections to the State Duma (the parliament's lower house) in two electoral districts of Moscow are being held this Sunday in the Russian capital.
Moscow polling stations opened at 08:00 a.m. Moscow time (05:00 a.m. GMT) and will close at 8:00 p.m. (5:00 p.m. GMT).
Muscovites are electing 35 deputies to the Moscow City Council, of whom 15 deputies will be elected in single-mandate constituencies and 20 deputies - on party lists.
All major Russian political parties are participating in the Moscow elections, including the pro-Kremlin United Russia party, the Liberal Democratic Party, the Communist Party, and the liberal Yabloko and Union of Right Forces, which are offering a single list of candidates.
The nationalist Rodina (Motherland) party was barred from the election by the Moscow City Court for running a TV campaign ad that appeared to instigate ethnic strife. The Supreme Court of Russia upheld the court's decision.
The political parties have to clear the 10% barrier to win seats in the Moscow City legislature.
