Putin urges Russians to vote in elections

Russian President Vladimir Putin calls on the people to make their own, independent choice at the March 2 presidential poll to elect his successor.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday called on the people to make their own, independent choice at the March 2 presidential poll to elect his successor.

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Putin called on all Russians "to turn out for Sunday's elections and to vote for our future, Russia's future".

"Each of your votes will be important on March 2. The opinion of each of you is important," Putin said in a televised address

Four candidates are vying for the highest post of the country.

They are First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, nominated by the ruling United Russia party, Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov, and Liberal Democratic Party leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky and Andrei Bogdanov, the leader of the Democratic Party.

Putin is barred from a third consecutive term according to Russian constitution.

He backs Medvedev as his successor and said he will take the post of prime minister if Medvedev is elected.