Russia Goes to Polls as Regional and Parliamentary Elections Begin

Russia has begun a three-day voting period from September 18 to 20, 2026, with voters choosing members of the State Duma alongside governors, regional legislators and local representatives in elections taking place across the country. The vote is the first Russian parliamentary election since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022.

State Duma Election Takes Centre Stage

The main national contest is for all 450 seats in Russia's State Duma, the lower house of parliament.

Polling stations opened first in Russia's Far East because of the country's multiple time zones, with voting then moving westward. Electronic voting is also being used in a number of regions.

More than 111 million people are eligible to vote, according to Associated Press reporting.

The election is taking place against the backdrop of the continuing Russia-Ukraine war, economic pressures and heightened security concerns.

Regional Leaders Also Face Elections

Alongside the parliamentary vote, Russia is holding elections for regional leadership.

Eight regions are holding direct gubernatorial elections: Mordovia, Tuva, Chechnya, Belgorod, Bryansk, Penza, Tver and Ulyanovsk. In North Ossetia and Karachay-Cherkessia, regional legislatures will select the heads of the republics.

Regional parliamentary and municipal elections are also being held during the same voting period.

Russia's unified voting period covers elections for government bodies at several levels, with voting taking place across numerous regions.

First Parliamentary Vote Since 2022 Invasion

The 2026 State Duma election is significant because it is the first parliamentary election since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

President Vladimir Putin has described the election as an opportunity for citizens to demonstrate national unity. He has also accused Ukraine of attempting to interfere with the vote, while Kyiv has rejected Russia's electoral process in territories it considers occupied.

Opposition Participation Under Scrutiny

The political environment surrounding the election has attracted international attention.

Reuters and other international reporting have noted that anti-war candidates face significant restrictions, while the liberal Yabloko party was barred from presenting a national party list. OVD-Info has separately documented pressure and restrictions affecting candidates and observers during the election period.

Russian authorities have rejected allegations that the election process is illegitimate and continue to present the vote as part of the country's regular constitutional electoral process.

Voting in Russian-Controlled Ukrainian Territories

Another major point of controversy is voting in Ukrainian territories that Russia claims to have annexed.

Russia is allowing voting connected to the State Duma election in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, as well as Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. The international community does not recognize Russia's annexation of the four Ukrainian regions in 2022.

Ukraine has condemned the elections in those areas as illegal, while the European Union has also criticized Russia's decision to conduct elections there.

Security Concerns During Voting

Security remains a major concern during the three-day election.

Russian authorities have reported drone incidents in several areas, while officials have increased security around polling locations. The continuing war has also affected election preparations in some regions.

Authorities are simultaneously promoting electronic voting as part of the country's expanded digital election system.

What the Election Will Decide

The results will determine the composition of Russia's 450-member State Duma and establish new regional legislatures and leadership structures in participating regions.

Initial results are expected after polling closes on September 20, with further counting continuing afterward.

The election is therefore being watched both for its domestic political consequences and for what it reveals about Russia's political system during the continuing war in Ukraine.

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