13 Sep 2014 21:49

Crimean authorities expect high voter turnout in local elections

SIMFEROPOL. Sept 13 (Interfax) - The turnout in the September 14 elections of Crimea's parliament and municipal councils will be over 75%, according to the leader of the republic.

"I think (the turnout) will be above 75%," Crimea's acting governor Sergei Aksyonov told reporters in Simferopol on Friday.

For his part, Crimean State Council Speaker Vladimir Konstantinov said he estimates the turnout to be over 80%.

The last time the Crimeans went to polls was on March 16, 2014, to decide the status of the peninsula. Back then, the turnout topped 83%.

Aksyonov thinks the election campaign was the least rigged in Crimea's history.

"This campaign is probably the cleanest in the past 20 years. No sleaze, no compromising evidence," he said.