Exit-polls: 67.4% of Russians voted for Dmitri Medvedev to lead them after Putin steps down

Presidential elections are over in Russia as the polling stations closed on Sunday evening. According to exit-polls by the Foundation for public opinion studies, the candidate supported by Vladimir Putin, Dmitri Medvedev, is way above his rivals with some 67.4% of the votes. He is followed by Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov with 19.5%, nationalist leader Jirinovski with 10.5%, while pro-Western Andrey Bogdanov only managed to lure 1.4% of the votes.

Russians voted more actively than in the previous parliamentary elections in 2007 or in the presidential elections of four years ago. According to preliminary data, by 7 p.m. Moscow time the turnout at national level stood at over 60%. The most active participation was reported in Chechnya, with a turnout of 91%.

In Siberia, over 80% of the voters showed up to cast their votes as well. Overall, the participation rate is believed to be 3-5% higher than in the December 2007 parliamentary elections, according to central electoral commission officials.