Russians brave cold, vote in swimsuits

MOSCOW, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- Members of a Siberian swimming club say they went straight from the pool to the polls to vote in Sunday's Russian elections.

All 10 of the swimmers were allowed to cast their ballots when election officials decided they were dressed appropriately for voting if not for the brutal winter conditions.

"Despite the fact that it is minus 9 degrees Celsius (16 Fahrenheit) outside and every one comes to vote in hats and fur coats, we came in swimming trunks and bikinis," club spokesman Alexander Zelenetsky told the RIA Novosti news agency.

The intrepid swimmers were among the early participants in Sunday's voting. Polling officials told RIA Novosti the turnout among younger voters started out light but was likely to pick up later as late-night partiers rolled out of bed.