Last Sunday, 15 March, local government elections were held in three Russian regions. Deputies were elected to three representative bodies of municipal formations, and heads of two municipalities were chosen.
Dagestan: re-electing absentees
Early elections of deputies to the assemblies of the Natsinsky and Tsvetkovsky rural settlements took place in Dagestan.
In November, the republic’s parliament adopted a decision to dissolve the local representative bodies on the basis of court rulings. It was established that their deputies had not held sessions for more than three consecutive months.
Before the dissolution, the assembly of the Natsinsky rural settlement consisted of four deputies from United Russia and three independent candidates. Tsvetkovsky’s consisted of ten independent candidates and one deputy from United Russia. The main elections for the assembly in the Natsinsky rural settlement were due to be held on the single voting day in 2026, and in Tsvetkovsky — in 2028.
It is worth noting that the early termination of powers of village councils in Dagestan due to deputies’ failure to attend sessions is a fairly widespread phenomenon. Thus, in addition to Natsinsky and Tsvetkovsky, the republic’s parliament dissolved village councils in Stalsky and the village of Gelbakh for inactivity.
And the previous convocation of the Tsvetkovsky rural settlement assembly, for the same reason, did not serve until the calling of the main elections in 2023 either.
In the 15 March elections in the Tsvetkovsky rural settlement, 16 registered candidates competed for mandates: 11 from United Russia and five independent candidates.
Following the voting results, seven mandates went to candidates from United Russia and four to independent candidates.
Nine registered candidates took part in the deputy elections in the Natsinsky rural settlement: seven from United Russia and two independent candidates.
Following the voting results, all mandates went to candidates from United Russia.
Altai Krai: the return of a village head
Early elections of the heads of the Verkh-Payvinsky and Srednesibirsky village councils were held in Altai Krai.
In the Verkh-Payvinsky village council, the tradition of early resignation at one’s own request was started by Lyubov Solovyova. Having been elected from United Russia at the main elections in September 2022 for a second term, she worked for just over a year — until October 2023. Her successor, independent candidate Sergei Klimov, was elected at the early elections in September 2024, but resigned at his own request as early as November 2024.
The baton was taken up by Konstantin Zaika from United Russia — at the early elections in March 2025 he received 97% of the voters’ votes. He submitted his resignation statement as early as June.
At the current elections here, four candidates were registered: one from United Russia, one from the LDPR, and two independent candidates, including ex-head Sergei Klimov.
Following the voting results, independent candidate Sergei Klimov won again.
The election of the head of the Srednesibirsky village council was also called after the head’s resignation at his own request.
Two candidates were registered here — one from United Russia and one from the LDPR.
Following the voting results, the position of head went to the candidate from United Russia.
Sakhalin: a replacement in the ranks of United Russia
A by-election of a deputy to the assembly of the Dolinsky municipal district was held in Sakhalin Oblast. The mandate became vacant after the resignation at his own request of United Russia representative Manuchekhr Mukhuddinov.
Four candidates were registered for the election — from the United Russia, LDPR, CPRF and Communists of Russia parties.
Following the voting results, the deputy mandate went to the candidate from United Russia.
15 March in Russia
Six candidates competed for the positions of heads of two municipalities.
29 candidates competed for 19 deputy mandates of the representative body of three municipalities in majoritarian electoral districts.
Total since the start of the new electoral cycle
After the single voting day on 14 September 2025, 19 electoral campaigns for the election of heads of municipalities have taken place. 50 candidates took part in them.
Elections of deputies to 71 local representative bodies have taken place, with 313 deputy mandates being filled. 626 candidates were registered in majoritarian districts.
