Russia starts early parliamentary polls

Russia has started early parliamentary polls for distant regions, ITAR-TASS reports.

The Russian CEC says there will be early polls in 34 regions with about 150,000 voters, about 1% of all people included in voting lists.

Early polls were organized for people in distant regions such as deer-herding nomads, lighthouse staff and polar explorers. They cannot reach the polling stations on the voting day of December 4.

Constantine Bocharov, Chairman of the Electoral Commission of Krasnodar Territory, says that realization of voting processes for distant regions costs 52 million, over double the sum spent in 2007. Most of the sum will be spent on flight tickets. Members of electoral commissions will spend 18 hours a day in the air.

Siyabakh Shapiyev, a member of the Russian CEC, says that the average expense for realization of voting is 557 rubles per voter, compared with 451 at the previous elections. The sum in the Archangelsk Region is about 69 rubles per voter, while Sakhalin, Khanty-Mansiysk, the Baikal Region and Chukotka will need 3,000-4,000 rubles per person.

Early elections will continue until December 3. It will also be organized in over 60 foreign states. Russian citizens in 13 Eastern states will vote. Sunday is not a weekend in Islamic states. Most Russians abroad will vote on December 2, in Kuwait - December 3. About 376 polling stations will be opened in 146 states.