Susanna Riva The upcoming State Duma election will be the first nationwide election since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine. It will take place from September 18 to 20, 2026, covering the country's 11 time zones and including the four Ukrainian regions that Moscow considers annexed. In addition to traditional paper ballot boxes, electronic voting will be available in 33 regions, with the process spread over three days.
These changes, supported by the government, have been criticized as potential tools to facilitate manipulation of the results.
Schedule and Voting Mechanics for the 2026 Duma
The three-day timeframe was introduced to allow for greater participation, but also to dilute the authorities' direct control over the flow of voters.
Across the Federation, voters will elect 450 MPs, a figure unchanged from previous rounds. The system provides for two options: national list voting (where voters select a party) and single-member constituencies (single candidates). However, access to the lists has been limited: only parties already represented in Parliament or with significant regional results can submit a list without collecting the 200.000 signatures required by law.
Electronic voting in 33 regions
The regions that will adopt e-voting include both areas with a strong government presence and strategic areas for national security. The Ministry of the Interior has assured that the technology will be monitored to prevent fraud, but the now depleted number of independent observers fear the opaqueness of the IT processes. The decision to expand e-voting has been presented as a step toward modernization, but the lack of international oversight makes it difficult to assess actual transparency.
Party landscape: United Russia leads, Yabloko excluded
The ruling party, United Russia, currently holds 321 of the 450 seats and is expected to maintain its absolute majority. Competing alongside it are the Communist Party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR), A Just Russia, New People, and Yabloko. All but Yabloko support the Kremlin's policies; Yabloko is the only one to advocate an anti-war platform, but it was excluded from the national list race for alleged violations related to foreign funding and the use of prohibited platforms. Despite its exclusion, the party retains candidates in single-member constituencies, but their presence has often been hampered by legal proceedings.
Decline of competition: reductions in parties, candidates and freedoms
Over the past ten years, the number of registered parties has dropped from 75 to 17, according to experts at Election Atlas. The 200.000 signature threshold has excluded numerous smaller movements, leaving room only for those already entrenched in the system. The total number of registered candidates for all elections has decreased by approximately 20% compared to 2022, a figure that reflects both popular disinterest and the growing risk of legal retaliation. Individuals linked to the Communist Party, the LDPR, and even United Russia have faced pressure, fines, or investigations during the primaries, prompting many potential candidates to withdraw.
The most recent restrictions include a ban on so-called "foreign agents" from holding elected office and the removal of the independent monitoring organization Golos, which was closed after the arrest of its co-chairman. These measures were justified by the Kremlin as a response to "growing public outcry" and attempts by candidates like Alexei Navalny to launch presidential campaigns in 2018. In practice, the law was used to further restrict the opposition's room for maneuver.