Sobyanin Declared Winner In Moscow Vote; Navalny Alleges Fraud

The Moscow Election Commission has announced that Kremlin-backed incumbent Sergei Sobyanin won that city's mayoral race in the first round, with more than 51 percent of the vote.

Opposition leader Aleksei Navalny has accused authorities of falsifying the election.

The commission said Sobyanin received 51.37 percent of the vote to Navalny's 27.24 percent.

Navalny had already said he believed the vote count was manipulated, and  threatened to lead mass protests if authorities did not acknowledge that Sobyanin polled less than 50 percent. Navalny said a second round must be held (see video below).

"We regard what's happening as a falsification which is being orchestrated by the Moscow mayor's office and Sergei Sobyanin's electoral headquarters," Navalny said. "We demand an immediate publication of the turnout figures."

Navalny added: "I once again call on the Kremlin and on the Moscow mayor's office to stop falsification and enter the second round, which is required after this marvelous first round."

Sobyanin has praised what he called the most fair election in Moscow's history.

Turnout in the vote has been put at about 30 percent.

Exit polls released immediately after voting ended showed Navalny with between 29 and 32 percent of the vote. The Navalny campaign's own polling put his support at 36 percent.

Tens of thousands of Sobyanin supporters gathered for a concert and rally late on September 8 on Moscow's Bolotnaya Square.

Sobyanin briefly addressed the crowd, praising the election in the Russian capital.

"We will win anyway!" he announced to cheers. "We have much to be proud of. We arranged the fairest, the most competitive, the most open election in the history of Moscow! Now, the future of our beloved city depends on every vote, on each Muscovite."

Navalny participated in the election following his conviction for corruption in July. He was sentenced to five years in prison but is currently free on bail pending an appeal.

Some analysts have speculated that a show of strong voter support for Navalny could make it more difficult for authorities to imprison him on the charges, which are widely seen as politically motivated.

Nationwide, Russians voted for eight governors, along with 16 regional legislatures, eight mayors, and five city councils.

Politicians from the ruling United Russia party were expected to secure wins in most contests.

In Russia’s fourth-largest city of Yekaterinburg, however, results showed opposition anti-drugs campaigner Yevgeny Roizman was narrowly leading pro-Kremlin candidate Yakov Silin in the vote for mayor.