Penza, 13 September 2015. PenzaNews. The voter turnout by 15.00 of the Penza region gubernatorial election was calculated at 42.98%, a regional election committee officer informed PenzaNews agency.

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This constitutes a total of 469,965 voters, the committee officer clarified.

Earlier, the overall turnout in the Penza region reached 9.72% by 10.00 and 26.09% by 12.00.

In the days before the election, the forecast of the regional election committee featured a figure of 45-50% by the end of the voting day. According to some observers, this level can be surpassed as early as by 18.00.

However, as no minimum turnout level was set beforehand, the election will be deemed valid regardless of the eventual constituent turnout.

As PenzaNews agency reported earlier, September 13 is the day of the Penza region gubernatorial election, as well as special elections of deputies for local government bodies of several municipalities.

All 1,105 polling stations in the Penza region for the gubernatorial election opened at 8.00. They will remain operational until 20.00, at which point vote counting will begin.

The five officially registered candidates for the Penza region gubernatorial election are Vladimir Simagin (CPRF), Zhigansha Tuktarov (LDPR), Ivan Belozertsev (United Russia), Gennady Yeroshin (“A Just Russia”) and Vladimir Popkov (“Rodina”).