Moscow’s upcoming mayoral race will reportedly be modeled on Putin’s March re-election

Sources close to Moscow City Hall say the city’s mayoral election on September 9 will be modeled on Russia’s March presidential election, meaning that officials will aim for turnout around 60 percent — almost double the percentage of voters who turned out in 2013, when incumbent Sergey Sobyanin narrowly defeated Alexey Navalny and several other candidates.

Moscow plans to set up extra polling stations outside the city, so summer vacationers can cast ballots more easily, and voting booths will be open an extra two hours, until 10 p.m. The city is also planning a major public information campaign to promote the election, and Internet users have already noticed the spread of pro-Sobyanin hashtags on social media.

Moscow election officials are also expected to choose several “rivals” for Sobyanin. According to the newspaper Vedomosti, the city is considering the businessman Mikhail Balakin to mobilize entrepreneurial-minded voters, and it’s planning to allow an “opposition representative,” as well — possibly Anton Krasovsky.

To run in Moscow’s mayoral race, candidates must overcome the so-called “municipal filter,” which requires them to win endorsements from at least one municipal deputy in 110 different districts. Given the current balance of power in Moscow, it’s impossible for anyone to become a mayoral candidate without assistance from United Russia.

Moscow’s self-described democratic opposition has struggled to nominate a single politician to seek mayoral candidacy. Krasnoselsky Municipal District deputy Ilya Yashin and former State Duma Deputy Dmitry Gudkov both say they want the job.