Abstract
The 2023 elections are the largest regional elections in a five-year cycle. Yet, for many Russian citizens, these elections went almost unnoticed. The authorities tried to divert public attention from them, demobilizing ordinary voters and mobilizing their core electorate. Centralized propaganda, censorship, suppression of dissent, and direct use of administrative resources to coerce voting in favor of “United Russia” were employed.
Nevertheless, in Russia, there are opposition candidates who are ready to fight for their place in Russian politics, improve their cities and regions, and convey democratic values to voters. Projects supporting candidates, observers, and voters continued to operate. Coalitions were being formed and evolving, uniting politicians with different viewpoints around common goals and tasks.
In this brief, we examine which elections were the most closed and which were relatively competitive, how voting took place in annexed territories, and how the war influenced pre-election campaigns. Special attention is given to the motivations and strategies of opposition candidates, and who and how monitors the elections. In conclusion, we analyze the past elections in terms of preparation for the presidential elections in March 2024.
Authors
- Sergey Ross (Collective Action think tank)
- Elisaveta Dorrer (Collective Action think tank)
- Vitaly Bovar (Collective Action think tank)
