Some 1 percent of election protocols from polling places following Sunday’s parliamentary vote in Russia have been declared invalid, the country’s Central Election Commission (CEC) said on Monday.
“About 1 percent of protocols are invalid,” a CEC spokesman said.
With more than 85 percent of the election protocols from local polling places counted, United Russia garnered 50.16 percent, and their closest rival, the Communist Party (KPRF), 19.13 percent.
United Russia has cleared the psychologically important 50-percent mark several times during the night, hovering around it as ballots were being counted. At some points it had about 49.9%, going above the mark and back again.
The moderate A Just Russia party got 12.99 percent and the nationalist Liberal Democrats (LDPR), 11.66 percent, according to preliminary results. Voter turnout was about 60 percent.
This time the ruling party seems unlikely to get a constitutional majority of over two-thirds. Earlier United Russia was able to impose its will on the national legislature with or without the support of other political parties. Now, in order to change the Constitution, it will have to seek coalition agreements with other parties.
The three other parties failed to clear the 7-percent election threshold. Parties gaining 5 percent would get one seat and those that have six to seven percent are entitled for two seats in the State Duma.
But the closest candidate, the Yabloko party, gained 3.01 percent, way less than required to get at least one seat, so it will have no representation in the lower house of parliament.
Patriots of Russia and Right Cause are even further behind, with 0.96 and 0.58 percent respectively.