ST. PETERSBURG -- One Communist and zero Zhirinovskyites made it through the first round of local elections here, officials said Wednesday.


But that was about all that was clear as Elections Commission officials met to survey the wreckage of voting for the 50-seat City Assembly.


The overall election squeaked by, with 25.6 percent of the electorate voting, just over the 25 percent total required to make the elections valid, even though the voting was extended by a day. In individual districts, however, only 25 of 50 broke the legal threshold.


That means 25 seats will be empty. Since 34 votes are needed for a quorum, the assembly will be unable to pass legislation. That situation will probably last until fall, when new elections can be held, officials said.


Meanwhile, in those 25 districts that made it through the first round, voters will be asked to again turn out April 3 for runoff elections to choose between the top two vote-getters.


Among those who survived the first stage of voter indifference, the Democratic Union of Petersburg -- a watered-down version of Russia's Choice -- placed 18 candidates in the runoffs.


Zhirinovsky's Liberal Democrats had been expected to do well, leading pre-election polls with 23 percent. Their failure to place any candidates was just one of many surprises.