Medvedev wins 70 percent of Russia vote

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080307/ap_on_re_eu/russia_presidential_election&printer=1

Dmitry Medvedev has won Russia's presidential election with over 70 percent of the vote, according to final results released Friday.

Russia's Central Election Commission said Medvedev won Sunday's election with 70.28 percent of the vote. Turnout was 69.81 percent.

Communist Party chief Gennady Zyuganov trailed with 17.72 percent, while ultranationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky had 9.35 percent and little-known candidate Andrei Bogdanov captured 1.3 percent.

Medvedev's landslide victory was virtually assured by a blessing from Vladimir Putin, the popular incumbent who said he would retain clout by becoming Medvedev's prime minister. Medvedev has repeatedly pledged to pursue Putin's policies.

Putin captured about 53 percent of the vote in 2000 and won a second four-year term in 2004 with more than 71 percent, just above Medvedev's result. But the turnout in those elections — 60 and 64 percent, respectively — was significantly lower than a hefty 70 percent on Sunday.

While Putin won about 49.5 million votes in the 2004 election, Medvedev was backed by more than 52.5 million voters, according to the final tally released Friday by Central Election Commission.

The election was tainted by lopsided state media coverage favoring Medvedev and accounts of pressure on voters. Across Russia, voters said they were pushed, cajoled and pressured to cast ballots as part of a Kremlin campaign to ensure a strong victory for Putin's protege.

Election officials have dismissed the criticism.

(This version CORRECTS the turnout figure)
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