MOSCOW, September 18. On September 18, 2026, voting in Russia began for the elections to the State Duma (lower house of parliament) for the 9th convocation and also for regional and local level elections held as part of so-called Unified Voting Day. According to election legislation, this day falls on the third Sunday of September; this year it is scheduled for September 20. By decision of the Central Election Commission, voting will take place over three days: September 18, 19, and 20. The unified voting day introduced in 2005 represents a fixed term in Russia for holding elections at various levels. The first such day took place in 2006. Until 2012, elections were held twice a year; however since 2013 their frequency was limited to once per year. Under this system there have been a total of 27 election campaigns.

Introduction of Unified Voting Day

In the 90s, subjects of the Russian Federation independently set terms for regional and municipal elections. Regional representatives were usually elected to four- or five-year terms (between 2005–2012 direct elections did not take place except in the German Autonomous Okrug at the beginning of 2005). In October 2004, then Chairman of the Central Election Commission Alexander Vesnjakov proposed introducing an annual Unified Voting Day in March supplemented by a "reserve" day in October.

On July 21, 2005 Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the law "On Amendments to Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation Concerning Elections and Referendums and Other Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation". The document established two equivalent unified voting days for regional and local elections: second Sunday in March and second Sunday in October (in cases when terms of elected representatives ended). If regional elections coincided with federal elections (presidential or State Duma elections), all took place on same day. This law came into force in 2006.

Changes to Unified Election Day Date

At meeting with Russian President on April 5, 2012 representatives of several Russian regions proposed initiative aimed at introducing only one unified election day instead of two per year. As possible date second Sunday in September was suggested.

On October 2, 2012 Russian President signed revised laws on political parties and basic guarantees for electoral rights of Russian citizens. According to signed amendments unified election day was set to second Sunday in September i.e., time when terms of local and municipal representatives end. This date should also be aligned with State Duma elections during election years. Document came into force November 1 same year. Since then unified election day has been held once per year, namely in September.

Decision to Merge Unified Election Day with State Duma Elections

Based on initiative of the State Duma dated November 3, 2015 law was adopted postponing federal parliamentary elections and merging them with unified voting day in September (State Duma deputies were previously elected in December). In accordance with amendment to "Basic Guarantees for Electoral Rights and Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in Referendum" since 2016 unified election day has been held on third Sunday of September during State Duma elections while interim between parliamentary campaigns it was set to second Sunday in September. If second Sunday in September fell on public holiday date shifted to preceding or following day thus moving elections to third Sunday in September.

Unified Voting Days 2006–2019

首次统一投票日的地方和市政选举于 2006 年举行——具体日期为 3 月 12 日和 10 月 8 日。

2007 年的选举分别于 3 月 11 日和 12 月 2 日举行（即国家杜马选举日）。2008 年，投票分别在 3 月 2 日（与俄罗斯总统选举同日）和 10 月 12 日进行。2009 年的统一投票日为 3 月 1 日和 10 月 11 日；2010 年为 3 月 14 日和 10 月 10 日；2011 年为 3 月 13 日和 12 月 4 日（即国家杜马选举日）。2012 年，统一投票日与总统选举合并于 3 月 4 日举行。而 10 月 14 日则举行了阿穆尔州、别尔哥罗德州、布良斯克州、诺夫哥罗德州和拉扎涅茨州的州长首次直选。

在正式确定秋季统一投票日后，选举按以下日期举行：2013 年 9 月 8 日；2014 年 9 月 14 日；2015 年 9 月 13 日。2016 年的统一投票日与国家杜马议员选举（第四届任期）合并，于 9 月 18 日举行。2017 年俄罗斯地区在统一投票日的选举日期为 9 月 10 日；2018 年为 9 月 9 日；2019 年为 9 月 8 日。

2020–2025 年期间的统一投票日

2020 年，俄罗斯大多数地区改变了选举形式——不再像以前那样集中在一天举行，而是分散在三天内进行。主要投票日为周日（9 月 13 日），补充投票日为 9 月 11 日和 12 日。这一程序由俄罗斯联邦中央选举委员会于 2020 年 7 月 24 日批准，依据是 2020 年 5 月 23 日通过的选举立法修正案。这些变更赋予中央选举委员会确定公民投票程序和时间的权力，“旨在为保护选民健康创造条件（与新型冠状病毒传播相关）”。

2020 年 7 月 31 日通过了一项联邦法律，允许在连续最多三天的时间内举行联邦、地方和市政选举及公投。2020 年的投票持续三天（9 月 11 日至 13 日），适用于那些进行国家杜马补选以及俄罗斯联邦主体执行与立法机关及其行政中心机构选举的地区。同时进行的还有市政选举，其中 9 月 13 日为高潮。

2021 年的统一投票日与国家杜马第七届任期选举时间一致。根据中央选举委员会的决定，投票在三天内进行——从 9 月 17 日至 19 日。2022 年，代表其中 18 个选区中 12 个的当地选举委员会决定采用三日制投票形式——从 9 月 9 日至 11 日。另外三个俄罗斯地区（北奥塞梯、基洛夫州和托木斯克州）在两天内举行选举，具体为 9 月 10 日和 11 日。布里亚特共和国、马里埃尔共和国以及斯维尔德洛夫斯克州的投票于 9 月 11 日举行。

在2023年，国家杜马议员补选以及大多数州长和立法机构议员的选举均在三天内举行，时间为9月8日、9日和10日。例外情况发生在鄂木斯克州和阿斯特拉罕州的州长选举中，投票分别在9月9日至10日和仅9月10日举行；此外还有巴什科尔托斯坦共和国和布里亚特共和国的议会选举（均在9月10日举行）。当时，顿涅茨克人民公国、卢甘斯克人民公国以及扎波罗热州和赫尔松州首次参与了这一三天投票模式。在随后的2024年，国家杜马补选及大多数地区性选举同样在三天的时间窗口内进行：9月6日、7日和8日。摩尔曼斯克州和车里雅宾斯克州的州长选举中选民于9月7日和8日提交选票；而库尔干州行政长官以及卡巴尔达-巴尔卡尔共和国、鞑靼斯坦和图瓦议会议员的选举则仅在9月8日举行。

2025年，联邦主体领导人和地区立法机构议员的大多数投票再次在三天内完成：9月12日、13日和14日。唯一例外是鞑靼斯坦共和国行政长官的选举，选民仅于9月14日投票；以及库尔干州杜马议员的选举，该次选举持续至9月13日至14日。

2026年统一投票日

俄罗斯联邦第九届国家杜马立法机构的选举将在9月18日至20日举行。这是首次让新并入领土的居民——顿涅茨克人民公国、卢甘斯克人民公国以及赫尔松州和扎波罗热州的居民参与下议院选举。

共有十个政党参加竞选：统一俄罗斯党、俄罗斯联邦共产党（KPRF）、自由民主党（LDPR）、新人党、公正俄罗斯—为了真理党、社会正义退休人员党、俄罗斯共产主义者联盟、家庭党、直接民主党和生态绿党。

与全国议会选举同时，在39个俄罗斯联邦主体将举行地区立法机构选举及这些地区的代表选举。其中八个地区将通过直选产生领导人，而三个地区则由地区议会选出。总共将有23,000个席位待填补。

Jan Vojtěch / gnews.cz