Russian electoral politics after transition: Regional and national assessments

An American political scientist and a Russian geographer, both specialists in Russia's emerging electoral geography, assess the change in Russian electoral behavior before and after the 1996 elections for the Russian Federation presidency in June and July 1996. More specifically, they trace the transition from a polarized political and electoral environment toward a much more complex multifaceted politics. Much of the empirical evidence supporting their argument is based on an analysis of regional voting patterns in Russia's gubernatorial elections in late 1996 through early 1997 and changes in the character of elite politics in Moscow. The paper concludes with some general predictions regarding the configuration of Russia's political landscape during the next round of parliamentary and presidential elections.