MOSCOW - Russians voted Sunday in regional ballots marred by complaints that Kremlin opponents are increasingly sidelined ahead of national parliamentary elections in December and a vote to replace President Vladimir Putin next year.
The elections were held under new rules critics say restrict the ability of voters to voice discontent and featured a new party that casts itself as the opposition but is widely seen as a tool aimed to channel public anger at authorities while broadening the Kremlin's support base.
While a total of 14 political parties and their candidates competed for seats in the legislative assemblies of 14 of Russia's 86 administrative regions, critics said the appearance of genuine pluralism was only superficial.
"I don't want to vote because I don't trust any of these parties," said Viktor Krylov, 38, a manager at a St. Petersburg shipping company. "It's clear that any elections just define who will have access to the state's money and use it as they wish."
Voters casting ballots for the St. Petersburg city legislature expressed dismay that some parties had been barred from the ballot -- notably Yabloko, a liberal party that was shut by a ruling that more than 10 percent of the signatures it gathered to enter the race were invalid.
Yabloko called the ruling a farce and claimed the city governor, a Putin ally, was bent on keeping the party out of the legislature because of its vocal criticism.
"I did not like the fact that Yabloko and some other parties were not allowed on the ballot in St. Petersburg," said Anna Vyborova, a 33-year-old tour guide. "It didn't look good. It looked rather artificial that they were not allowed."
The liberal Union of Right Forces, known by its Russian acronym SPS, was barred from the ballot in four regions -- in some cases, its leader said, because candidates withdrew under pressure from threats or promises of jobs.
Sunday's vote is seen as the opening of a year of elections that promise to be choreographed to ensure a smooth succession of power and enable Putin to maintain influence after he steps down.
Barred by the constitution from seeking a third term in March 2008, Putin has hinted he will choose a favored successor and he evidently wants to leave little to chance: The electoral system has been shaped by the Kremlin in ways that critics say have rolled back democracy.
State-controlled television networks celebrated the reach of Russian democracy with reports of cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin voting from the international space station.
Back on Earth, Kremlin critics say legislation initiated in recent years by Putin or United Russia -- the Kremlin-controlled party that dominates the national parliament and politics across Russia -- aims to discourage pluralism and silence dissent.
Voters could no longer cast ballots "against all," and in most regions there was no longer a minimum turnout required to make the election valid.
In a few elections, all voting was by party rather than individual candidates, and in several the threshold parties needed to clear to gain seats was increased to 7 percent -- all changes that will be in place for the December parliamentary elections.
With outlets for opposition sentiment limited, some Kremlin opponents see no alternative but to take to the streets. Last weekend, police in St. Petersburg violently dispersed one of the largest opposition demonstrations in Russia in years. Among the main complaints of the thousands of demonstrators was that opposition parties were being blocked from the ballot.
"I got frustrated last week when I saw how police were breaking up the opposition march. I think Russia needs some strong opposition," Vyborova said.
Vyborova said she voted for the new party, Just Russia, because she believes it "represents at least some kind of opposition."
The left-leaning Just Russia appears aimed to broaden the Kremlin's support base and help ensure the authority of Putin's successor by serving as a lightning rod for widespread distrust of United Russia and siphoning protest votes from other groups.
Just Russia's performance Sunday will help the Kremlin determine whether voters view it as a legitimate alternative to United Russia.
One man was shot and wounded in a fight outside a polling place in the violence-plagued Dagestan region, officials said. Police spokeswoman Anzhela Martirosova said the conflict was not linked to the elections.
