Russia's Regional Elections: Liveblog

The Tweet below sums up the general feeling about Navalny's performance today. Rule of thumb throughout the day was that low turnout was bad for Navalny. Instead, it appears that city authorities failed to use their administrative resources to get "their" people to the polls. Sobyanin still wins -- perhaps squeaks by without a runoff--but surely not the result he was hoping for.

Another state-connected pollster, the All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center, gives Navalny 32% to Sobyanin's 53%. Reports that Sobyanin's team internal exit polls had him below 50%. Runoff or not, Navalny has beaten expectations. The most recent polling, from the independent Levada Center, had him at 18%.

Here's video of Navalny announcing his numbers right after 8 PM MSK (12 PM EST).

Here it goes. Navalny's team says he got 36% and Sobyanin 46%, forcing a runoff. Other exit polls, however say 56% for Sobyanin and 29% for Navalny.

Polls have closed in Moscow.

Here's the story so far on Moscow elections, by Tom Balmforth and Robert Coalson:

Apathy The Main Winner As Low Turnout Mars Moscow Vote

Official statement from Navalny team coming at 8:15 PM MSK (12:15 EST). They will discuss exit polls.

Our Russian Service quoting Aleksei Venediktov, the Editor-in-Chief of Echo Moskvy: "These are the most clean elections we've had in recent memory."

Masha, a 35 year-old corporate events manager told Tom Balmforth, our Moscow correspondent, she wasn't voting today. Here's why:

"Even if you go and take your ballot and vote, it will change nothing. I think that the position of many citizens, Muscovites like me, is not to waste their time. Many live in different places to where they are registered, which means driving to the polling station for people like me. It's a shame to give your Sunday to this. I prefer to go to the park with my child."