Election results declared null and void in 15 polling stations, says top Russian official

Ella Pamfilova

MOSCOW, September 25. /TASS/: The results of the September 8 election have been declared invalid in 15 voting stations across six Russian regions, Central Election Commission (CEC) Chairperson Ella Pamfilova said at a CEC meeting on Wednesday.

"As of now, the election results in 15 polling stations in six Russian regions have been declared null and void. These regions include Crimea, the Tuva, Primorsky, Moscow and Oryol Regions, as well as the city of St. Petersburg," she specified.

According to Pamfilova, 12 investigations have so far been opened into irregularities committed during the election campaign. "However, as far as I know, there may be more. I think we will have full information by the next meeting, and some of the investigations may even be over by then," the top election official pointed out.

On September 8, more than 5,000 elections took place in 85 Russian regions at various levels. Among them were 13 legislative assembly elections, 16 gubernatorial elections, 22 city council elections and three municipal elections. In addition, by-elections to the State Duma (the lower house of parliament) were held in four single-mandate districts (in the Khabarovsk, Novgorod, Sverdlovsk and Oryol regions).