Voting in Russia's parliamentary election appeared to be running smoothly on Sunday, with electoral authorities saying voter turnout some eight hours into the election was slightly lower than in the last polls in 2007. The ruling United Russia party is expected win the election and pave the way for current Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to return to the Kremlin, according to a report of DPA. In each of the country's nine time zones, polls have opened on schedule since approximately 2300 GMT Saturday to allow some 110 million eligible voters to cast their ballots for the seven parties vying for the 450-seat Duma, or lower house of parliament. Data published by the Central Election Committee on Sunday showed voter turnout slightly lower than in the 2007 elections. President Dmitry Medvedev and his wife Svetlana cast ballots at a school in central Moscow. Surveys published six days before the vote predicted Medvedev's United Russia would win some 55 per cent of the vote, which will leave it with around 50 fewer seats than the 315 seats it currently holds in the Duma.
