Preliminary results have shown that Russia’s ruling United Russia party is leading in the State Duma election with more than 40 percent of votes.

People vote at Russian Federation General Consulate in Narva, Estonia, Sept. 18, 2016. The election of the 7th State Duma of Russia started on early Sunday, the Russian news agency TASS reported. (Xinhua/Sergei Stepanov)

Russia’s Central Election Commission said the ruling party is followed by the party called “A Just Russia,” which currently is taking more than 6 percent of votes.

Russia’s Central Election Commission said it has counted nearly 7 percent of the total ballots in the country’s lower house election.

Duma elections are held every five years. The United Russia party won nearly 50 percent of votes in the 2011 election.