The northernmost rural settlement in Tomsk Oblast — Alexandrovskoye — remains without a head.
Last May, Denis Pyankov, who held the post, stepped down after winning the competition for the position of head of the Alexandrovskoye District administration.
The election subsequently scheduled for the single voting day did not take place because no one came forward to run. Moving the vote to 8 February did not help: no candidates were nominated and the election was postponed again — this time to 19 April.
The reason for this situation may be low salaries, which, according to current heads, range from 18,000 to 30,000 roubles. For example, in Tomsky District three rural settlements — Malinovskoye, Kopylovskoye and Zarechnoye — are also without heads. Direct elections there have been abolished and candidates must take part in competitions.
It should be noted that the region currently retains a two-tier system of municipal self-government. To fill the posts of heads of administration, either direct elections are called or competitive procedures are held, in which the candidates are voted on by deputies of the representative bodies.