On 26 October, deputies of local councils were elected in eight municipalities of Khakassia and Zabaykalsky Krai.
Khakassia: the struggle between the governor and the Supreme Council also affected municipal elections
In Khakassia, a conflict between the Communist governor and the republic’s parliament, which is controlled by United Russia, has been going on for two years now. First, the governor vetoed a bill passed by the Supreme Council of Khakassia that envisaged a transition to a single-tier system of local self-government. Recently, a court declared unlawful a law that had been passed despite the governor’s veto — it regulates inter-budgetary relations in the republic. Under this law — which, incidentally, violated the Budget Code of Russia — the powers of the executive branch to manage the republic’s budget were restricted, heads of municipal formations could violate agreements with the republic without consequences and, among other things, take decisions to raise their own salaries. Now the governor can dissolve the regional parliament.
Against the backdrop of this months-long uncertainty, competition in local elections in the republic on the 2025 single voting day turned out to be extremely low. Only 1,512 candidates contested the posts of heads of 40 municipalities and 807 seats of deputies of local councils — that is, fewer than two candidates per seat. As a result, voting had to be postponed in individual multi-member districts in the elections of deputies of 11 village councils.
Where voting did take place in September, turnout was low. In the region it averaged 26.4%, and in the Priiskovy Village Council of Ordzhonikidzevsky District seats remained vacant because some candidates received no votes at all — neither they themselves, nor their family members, nor their neighbours voted for them. As a result, repeat elections were called there.
All of this led to the postponed elections of 27 deputies of the councils of seven rural settlements being held in Khakassia on 26 October. A total of 44 candidates were registered: 13 from United Russia, four from the LDPR, two from the Communist Party (CPRF), one from the New People party and 24 self-nominees.
Following the voting, ten seats went to United Russia candidates, two to the CPRF, one to the LDPR and 14 to self-nominees.
Zabaykalsky Krai: elections of deputies of a newly formed okrug took place
In June of this year, deputies of the regional legislative assembly passed a package of bills that transformed the krai’s last four districts into okrugs: Shilkinsky, Chernyshevsky, Tungiro-Olyokminsky and Sretensky. Shilkinsky and Sretensky okrugs will be formed from 1 January 2027, when the terms of office of the district council deputies expire. Tungiro-Olyokminsky okrug — from 1 January 2026. And Chernyshevsky okrug — already this year, 2025, since the district council there is currently not functioning by court order.
Although the municipal reform is now practically complete, its proponents in the region have encountered palpable resistance. In February, nine United Russia deputies of the Chernyshevsky District Council had to resign when they were unable to persuade other deputies to vote for its transformation. This allowed the head of the district, Alexander Podoynitsyn, to file a lawsuit seeking to have the composition of the representative body declared illegitimate, and thereby to secure re-elections of the dissenting deputies — while the voters who had given them a mandate for a fixed term found themselves deceived.
As a result, last Sunday residents of what is now Chernyshevsky Municipal Okrug elected their new deputies. Twenty seats were up for election. Fifty-four candidates were registered: 18 from United Russia, 17 from A Just Russia, 12 from the LDPR, five from the CPRF and two self-nominees. According to the election results, 15 seats went to United Russia candidates, three to A Just Russia and two to the CPRF.
26 October in Russia
Ninety-eight candidates contested 47 seats of deputies of the representative bodies of eight municipalities in majoritarian electoral districts.
Total since the start of the new electoral cycle
After the single voting day on 14 September 2025, five electoral campaigns for heads of municipalities have taken place.
Elections of deputies of 32 local representative bodies have taken place; 168 deputy seats were up for election.
