LUGANSK, September 24. /TASS/. The Lugansk People’s Republic has started the second day of the referendum to join Russia, Yelena Kravchenko, head of the LPR’s Central Elections Commission, told reporters on Saturday.

"We are starting the second day of voting. Today we have opened 461 polling stations. They are operating normally. It’s planned to send out 621 mobile groups, which will conduct voting outside the polling stations," she said.

Almost 300,000 residents voted in the LPR on Friday, the first day of the referendum on joining Russia. Another 73,000 citizens of the republic cast their votes at polling stations in Russia. By 20:00 Moscow time on September 23, voter turnout in the republic reached 21.97%.

Referendums to join Russia as a federation constituent kicked off on September 23 in the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics, as well as in the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions. They will last through September 27. For security reasons, until Monday these regions will hold the voting in the areas near homes and by sending election officials going door to door, rather than at polling stations.