NEW YORK, March 10. /TASS/. Early voting for Russia’s president is taking place in the Cultural Center for Russian Speakers in Sacramento, California.

The voting place opened at 09.00 and will close at 14.00 local time on Saturday, a spokesperson for Russia’s consulate general in Seattle, Washington told TASS.

On March 11, Russia’s consulate general organized early voting in San Francisco, San Jose and Los Angeles. The Diplomatic Security Service had been notified of the venue and time in advance.

On March 18, voting places will be set up at Russian diplomatic missions, which are the embassy in Washington, consulates general in New York, Seattle (Washington) and Houston (Texas).

Russia will elect president on March 18, 2018. Eight contenders are running for Russia’s presidency. Among them are incumbent Russian President Vladimir Putin, who will participate as an independent candidate, LDPR leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky, and businessman Pavel Grudinin nominated by the CPRF. Other candidates include Yabloko party co-founder Grigory Yavlinsky, leader of the Party of Growth business ombudsman Boris Titov, head of the Russian People’s Union party and former Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Sergey Baburin, TV host Ksenia Sobchak (nominated by Civil Initiative) and head of the Communists of Russia Maxim Suraikin.