Putin seeks big voter turnout to help successor

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Vladimir Putin appealed to Russians to vote in large numbers on Sunday in a presidential election he hopes will hand his chosen successor a convincing victory and rebuff opponents who call his democracy a sham.

First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who enjoys blanket media coverage and the popular Putin's endorsement, seems certain to triumph. But low turnout could tarnish his authority in the eyes of foreign and domestic skeptics.

Analysts say the Kremlin is anxious to ensure a turnout of at least 70 percent.

"We all understand what a great and responsible role the leader of a state such as Russia is," Putin said in a brief televised address.

"And how important it is for him to have the faith of his citizens. He needs it for effective and confident work in his presidential post, to ensure stability in the country."

Putin has made it clear he expects to retain strong political influence under Medvedev. Sunday's election is in many ways a test of the durability of his popularity.

Medvedev has refused to campaign against three weaker rivals. The other candidates, by contrast, have held livelier campaigns and television debates.

To boost turnout numbers, mobile phone operators are sending messages urging subscribers to vote. Posters and adverts along streets and colorful badges distributed by workers are also meant to remind people of the forthcoming election.

"I appeal to you to go to the election on Sunday and vote for our future, for Russia's future," said Putin, popular for presiding over an economic boom fuelled by oil exports and for restoring stability and national pride after the chaotic post-Soviet years.

Putin steps down as president after the maximum permissible two consecutive four-year terms.

SCREAMING RIVALS

Opponents accuse the Kremlin of running a one-sided election by allowing Medvedev fulsome coverage on television while harassing rivals and warning state workers to vote for Medvedev or risk losing their job.

The Communist party candidate, Gennady Zyuganov, told a small vote monitoring team of European parliamentarians that the vote was unfair.

"There was simply no equality among candidates," Interfax news agency quoted Zyuganov as saying. Opinion polls give him 10 to 16 percent of the vote -- Medvedev's closet rival -- but he estimated that in a free vote he would win double that figure.

Europe's chief human rights watchdog withdrew from monitoring the elections, complaining that it was not being given the facilities or the time it needed to cover voting in a land stretching from the Baltic Sea to the Pacific Ocean.

Central election chief Vladimir Churov has agreed television coverage had not been entirely equal but said news channels had a responsibility to cover Medvedev on his official trips.

"That's a problem not only for our country but I can agree that not all candidates have an equal number of news items," he told the BBC.

Medvedev has not officially campaigned, except for one day, and has instead increased his work engagements.

Media are focused on his activities and television channels often show him by Putin's side, making speeches, announcing economic data or visiting foreign governments.

Russia's main opposition groups have refused to compete in the election but three Kremlin-friendly candidates did register and have argued over policy in often chaotic live debates.

Last week, one of the candidates pushed a political analyst off his chair and then threatened to shoot dead an opposing candidate. On Thursday another candidate walked out of a debate with his rival screaming for his arrest.

(Writing by James Kilner, editing by Ralph Boulton)