PETROPAVLOVSK KAMCHATSKY, December 26 (RIA Novosti) - Pro-government party United Russia won a landslide victory in Sunday's legislative elections in the northeastern Russian autonomy of Chukotka with nearly 70% of the vote, regional election officials said Monday.
According to preliminary results, United Russia garnered 69.2% of the vote. Ultranationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) came in second with 16.9%. An estimated 12.4% of the ballots were cast against all candidates.
Five United Russia candidates and one LDPR candidate won in three single-mandate precincts.
About 53% of Chukotka's registered voters turned out for the elections, which were held, for the first time in the region's history, under the majority and proportional representation system.
Chukotka has witnessed a rise in its international profile in recent years thanks to Governor Roman Abramovich, the Russian billionaire who bought London's Chelsea soccer club in July 2003.
