Penza, 17 September 2016. PenzaNews. Day of silence before the election of deputies to the Russian State Duma scheduled for the coming Sunday, September 18, was officially announced in the region at midnight Moscow time on Saturday, September 17.

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On this day, any campaigning is prohibited: party actions, rallies, marches, distribution of leaflets, political advertising in the media. In addition, no results of public polls, forecasts and ratings that may influence voters can be published.

A similar rule exists in the legislation of many countries. Its main goal is to give voters the opportunity to make an informed choice in a calm atmosphere and without any pressure.

Under Russian law, the previously posted campaign materials can remain in the same place, if they are not located closer than 50 meters from the polling stations. In addition, news agencies and online publications have the right to not delete political advertising, news and analytical materials concerning the election published before September 17.

Publication of information directly concerning the elections themselves is not considered to be impaired on the day of silence, as well as appeals to participate in them and explaining the legislation and the voting procedure. Such activities are usually carried out by election commissions and the media.

Also, any campaigning is prohibited on election day itself.

The exit polls data can be published only after 21.00 Moscow time, when the last polling stations closes in the Kaliningrad region — the most western region of Russia.

Elections to the State Duma of Russia will be held on Sunday, September 18 on a mixed electoral system: 225 deputies of 450 are elected from party lists under a single federal district (proportional system) and another 225 — in single-member constituencies (majority system).

To get into the State Duma, parties are to break the 5-percent barrier, and the candidates in the districts — to receive a relative majority of votes.

In the 146 th Penza single-seat district 8 people are registered as candidates: Sergei Esyakov (United Russia), Georgy Kamnev (CPRF), Lyudmila Kolomytseva (The Just Russia), Pavel Kulikov (LDPR), Anatoly Aleksyutin (The Greens), Sergei Korobov (Patriots of Russia), Andrey Nikiforov (Communists of Russia) and Alexei Pakaev (Rodina).

In the 147 th Lermontov single-seat district 7 people will be political rivals: Alexander Vasiliev (LDPR), Leonid Levin (The Just Russia), Dmitry Filyaev (CPRF), Dmitry Gaynullin (Party of Growth), Victoria Dobrovol'skaya (Communists of Russia), Andrei Mamonov (Rodina), and Vasily Melnichenko (The Greens).