2020 Russian regional elections

The 2020 Russian regional elections took place across three days from 11 to 13 September 2020 in 28 out of the 85 federal subjects of Russia. Elected were 18 directly-elected governors, 2 indirectly-elected governors and 11 regional parliaments.[1] The elections also coincided with local elections in many cities. A total of 156,000 candidates stood for 78,000 positions at regional, local and municipal levels. The vote was extended over three days in a move the government said was to avoid over-crowding and reduce the risk from COVID-19.[2]

2020 Russian regional elections
13 September 2020
Map showing location of Russian regional elections in 2020
  Governor
  Governor and regional parliament
  Regional parliament

Candidates for the ruling United Russia party and their allies won all 20 governorships with more than 50% of the vote, meaning they would not need to hold a second round run-off.[3] However, the party lost their majority in the regional parliaments of Tomsk, Novosibirsk and Tambov.[4]

The elections were seen as a dress rehearsal for the 2021 State Duma elections.[3]

Campaign

The election was led by incumbent candidates from the governing United Russia party competing against the "systemic opposition" parties including the Liberal Democratic Party, A Just Russia and the Communist Party. Opposition leader Alexei Navalny called on opposition voters to use "Smart Voting" by voting for candidates most likely to win against United Russia. Navalny fell ill three weeks before the election with Novichok poisoning while campaigning in Tomsk.

The campaign in Archangelsk Oblast came after the governor had proposed fully integrating the Nenets Autonomous Okrug into the Oblast. This had provoked demonstrations until the proposals were withdrawn.[1]

Results

All incumbent governors were re-elected.

Governors
Russian subject Position Previous Governor Party Elected Governor Party Votes Received
Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhaev United Russia Mikhail Razvozhaev United Russia 85.7%[1]
Tatarstan President Roustam Minnikhanov United Russia Roustam Minnikhanov United Russia 85.4%[1]
Chuvashia Head Oleg Nikolaev A Just Russia Oleg Nikolaev A Just Russia 75.6%[5]
Komi Republic Head Vladimir Uyba Independent Vladimir Uyba Independent[6] 73.2%
Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov United Russia Vladimir Solodov United Russia 80.5%[5]
Krasnodar Governor Veniamin Kondratyev United Russia Veniamin Kondratyev United Russia 85%[7]
Perm Governor Dimitri Makhonin Independent Dmitry Makhonin Independent 75.7%[4]
Jewish Autonomous Oblast Governor Rostislav Goldstein United Russia Rostislav Goldstein United Russia 82.5%[1]
Arkhangelsk Governor Alexander Tsybulsky United Russia Alexander Tsybulsky United Russia 69.6%[5]
Bryansk Governor Alexander Bogomaz United Russia Alexander Bogomaz United Russia 71.7%[5]
Kaluga Governor Vladislav Shapsha United Russia Vladislav Shapsha United Russia
Kostroma Governor Sergei Sitnikov United Russia Sergei Sitnikov United Russia 65.1%[8]
Irkutsk Governor Igor Kobzev Independent Igor Kobzev Independent 60.7%[1]
Leningrad Governor Aleksandr Drozdenko United Russia Aleksandr Drozdenko United Russia 83.6%[5]
Penza Governor Ivan Belozertsev United Russia Ivan Belozertsev United Russia 78.7%[5]
Rostov Governor Vasily Golubev United Russia Vasily Golubev United Russia 65.6%[5]
Smolensk Governor Alexey Ostrovsky Liberal Democratic Party Alexey Ostrovsky Liberal Democratic Party 58%[9]
Tambov Head Alexander Nikitin United Russia Alexander Nikitin United Russia 86.5%[1]
Nenets Governor Youri Bezdoudny United Russia Youri Bezdoudny United Russia 87.5%[10]
Khanty-Mansi Governor Natalya Komarova United Russia Natalya Komarova United Russia 76.3%[11]

Foreign Interference

The Federation Council of Russia has stated that there has been an attempt by the United States to interfere in the 2020 regional elections.[12] Leading to the regional elections in Russia, the United States was involved in the 2020 presidential election in Belarus, by threatening to impose sanction on members on the Belarusian government who it believes were "involved in falsifying the election results."[13] According to the Russian Government this "was intended to destabilize the political situation in Russia and create another crisis near its borders.” [12]

References
  1. "Everybody's a winner! Russia's new three-day voting scheme delivers huge victory margins for incumbent governors, while Navalny's coalition succeeds in two municipal races". meduza.io. 2020-09-14. Retrieved 2020-09-15.
  2. "Big country, big vote: Russians choose governors & local councils in THOUSANDS of elections held on single day". RT International. Retrieved 2020-09-15.
  3. Noble, Ben (2020-09-14). "The Meaning of Victory in Russia's Sept. 13 Elections". The Moscow Times. Retrieved 2020-09-15.
  4. "Итоги выборов: поражение "ЕР" в 3 городах, успех штабов Навального". Радио Свобода (in Russian). Retrieved 2020-09-15.
  5. ""Einiges Russland" gewinnt Gouverneurswahlen – verliert aber Kommunalwahlen gegen Kandidaten von Nawalny in Tomsk und Nowosibirsk – russland.NEWS" (in German). Retrieved 2020-09-15.
  6. "Избирком Коми зарегистрировал для участия в выборах главы региона четверых кандидатов (The Komi Election Commission has registered four candidates for participation in the elections of the head of the region)". ТАSS. 2020-08-08. Retrieved 2020-09-17.
  7. News, Bloomberg (2020-09-14). "Putin Critic Navalny's Wins Mar Kremlin Sweep in Regional Vote - BNN Bloomberg". BNN. Retrieved 2020-09-15.
  8. "Предварительные результаты: за Сергея Ситникова — 65%, но за "Единую Россию" — только 32%". kostroma.mk.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2020-09-16.
  9. "Pro-Kremlin regional heads leading in Russian elections, Navalny allies & far-right win city council seats in Siberia & Tambov". RT International. Retrieved 2020-09-15.
  10. "Врио стал главой: озвучены результаты выборов губернатора НАО". tsargrad.tv (in Russian). 2020-09-13. Retrieved 2020-09-15.
  11. "Наталью Комарову переизбрали губернатором Югры". РИА Новости (in Russian). 2020-09-13. Retrieved 2020-09-15.
  12. Klimov, Andrei. "Andrei Klimov: There have been signs of outside interference in Russia's internal affairs during preparations for the single voting day". Federation Council. Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  13. Mohammed, Arshad; Landay, Jonathan. "U.S. faces hurdles in trying to nudge Belarus toward democracy". Reuters. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
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