Starting Friday and lasting through Sunday, Russians will elect members of the lower house, the State Duma. They will also cast ballots in local elections.
Voters in 11 regions will elect their governors, and 39 regions will elect members of regional legislatures.
Voting is spread over three days to boost turnout among the 111 million eligible voters.
The vote comes as Russians face a slowing economy as well as Ukrainian drone strikes on refineries and warehouses far from the front line.
United Russia, the governing party that backs President Vladimir Putin, is expected to keep its dominant position, Al Jazeera reported.
The authorities are presenting the election as a chance for voters to have their say.
MNA