( Itar-Tass ) - Vladimir Churov, 54, was elected new chairman of Russia's Central Election Commission.
Thirteen of the 15 new CEC members voted for his candidacy. The results of the secret ballot were announced by CEC member Valery Kryukov.
Churov is a graduate of the departments of journalism and physics of the Leningrad State University.
He was a member of the committee for external relations of St. Petersburg's Town Hall.
In 2003, he was elected a State Duma deputy. He is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party faction in the lower house of the Russian parliament.
The State Duma appointed him a member of the new Central Election Commission on March 9, 2007.