Russian election officials register Putin to run in March election he’s all but certain to win

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s election commission on Monday formally registered President Vladimir Putin as a candidate for the March presidential election, a vote in which he’s all but certain to win another six-year term in office. Putin, 71, is running as an independent, although he relies on the tight control over Russia’s political system that he has established during 24 years in power. With prominent critics who could challenge him on the ballot either in jail or living abroad and most independent media banned, his re-election in the March 15-17 presidential vote looks all but assured. On Monday, the Central Election Commission formally cleared Putin for the race after reviewing 315,000 signatures his campaign has collected.