United Russia, backed by President Vladimir Putin, is well ahead in the nation’s parliamentary election, taking more than 40%, exit polls suggest.
However its vote, if confirmed, would be down on the 49% won in 2011.
The nationalist LDPR and the Communist party are way behind, with 14-16% each.
Liberal opposition parties appear to have failed to pass the 5% threshold needed for party-list representation, the polls say, though they could still get seats in individual constituencies.
A VTsIOM exit poll gave United Russia, led by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, 44.5%, with the Public Opinion Foundation putting its total higher, at 48.7%.
The two polls differed on whether the LDPR or Communists were second, but both were well behind.
A Just Russia was fourth on about 8%.
These four parties had dominated the last Duma.
Allegations of fraud after the last election had sparked large-scale protests against Mr Putin in Moscow and the authorities were anxious to oversee trouble-free polls this time.
Mr Putin has enjoyed 17 years in power as either president or prime minister, and does not belong to any designated party.
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