Over 4.2Mln Russians to Vote Outside Permanent Residence - Election Commission

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian Central Election Commission (CEC) has received more than 4.2 million applications from the Russians, who want to cast their ballots at the voting stations located away from their permanent residences, CEC chairwoman Ella Pamfilova said Monday.

"As of today, we have received over 4.2 million such applications," Pamfilova told reporters, speaking about people, who want to vote at polling stations located near their de facto residence rather than those close to their registered address after submitting the relevant applications.

The CEC chairwoman recalled that the Russian citizens were able to file such applications before the end of Monday.

The presidential election in Russia will be held on March 18.

The eight people running for president are Sergey Baburin from the All-People's Union party, Communist Party candidate Pavel Grudinin, head of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia Vladimir Zhirinovsky, incumbent Russian leader Vladimir Putin, who is running as an independent, Civil Initiative party candidate Ksenia Sobchak, Communists of Russia party Chairman Maxim Suraykin, business ombudsman Boris Titov, and co-founder of the Yabloko Party Grigory Yavlinsky.

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According to Russia's legislation, any voter is able to vote at polling stations located near their de facto residence. Starting from January 31, local election commissions, Russia's Public Services Portal and Public Services Centers started receiving such requests.