Voting for deputies of the ninth State Duma takes place from September 18 to 20, alongside regional and municipal elections. The elections are being held amid the ongoing war and related domestic restrictions. International attention is also focused on voting being conducted in territories of Ukraine that Russia declared part of its territory following the start of the full-scale invasion. The inclusion of these territories in Russia’s electoral process is one of the most controversial aspects of the current elections.

 

Russia began three days of voting on September 18 in elections for deputies to the ninth State Duma. Polling stations will remain open through September 20. These are the first parliamentary elections in Russia since the start of the full-scale war against Ukraine in February 2022.

Voters are electing 450 deputies to the lower house of the Federal Assembly. At the same time, gubernatorial, regional parliamentary and municipal elections are being held in various parts of the country. According to CCBS, gubernatorial elections are taking place in 11 regions, while regional parliamentary elections are being held in 39 regions.

Voting is being conducted over three days — September 18, 19 and 20. The Central Election Commission has also expanded the use of electronic voting. Remote electronic voting is available in Moscow and 32 other regions through federal government information systems, while Moscow also has its own electronic voting system.

The elections feature Russia’s main parliamentary parties, including United Russia, the Communist Party, the Liberal Democratic Party, A Just Russia — For Truth, and New People. In the current State Duma, United Russia holds 321 of the 450 seats. The existing political system gives the ruling party a significant advantage, while opportunities for independent opposition forces remain limited.

Particular attention during the current campaign has been given to candidates with military backgrounds. According to CCBS, around 200 election participants have experience of military service or involvement in the war in Ukraine. Their promotion is viewed by Russian authorities as part of a policy aimed at integrating military personnel and veterans into state and political institutions.

President Vladimir Putin urged Russians to participate in the elections ahead of the vote. In his address, he portrayed voting as a demonstration of national unity, support for Russian servicemen and the defense of the country’s sovereignty. The first official results are expected after voting concludes on September 20.

 

The State Duma elections are taking place amid further narrowing of political competition: most anti-war forces have effectively been excluded from the federal campaign, while the ruling United Russia maintains its dominant position. One feature of the campaign has been the absence of the Yabloko party, which opposes the war, from the federal party ballot. The Supreme Court of Russia excluded the party from the federal list. As a result, the federal ballot is largely composed of parties supporting the Kremlin’s main policy positions.

At the same time, the results will be particularly significant as an indicator of the Russian authorities’ ability to maintain political stability amid the war, economic pressure and the growing costs of the conflict, rather than as evidence of competitive political contestation between alternative policy platforms.

#RUSSIA

#NEWS

18.09.2026 05:51