Sep 20·Geo
Follow-up Sep 2213
93%
United Russia wins 355 Duma seats in Russia's first post-2022 parliamentary election
United Russia won 355 of 450 State Duma seats (57.83% of the vote) in Russia's first parliamentary election since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Turnout reached 59.32%, the highest in over a decade, in an election that included annexed Ukrainian territories but excluded the anti-war Yabloko party from the ballot and international observers.
Quick Facts
- Parliamentary election for 450-seat State Duma held over three days
- United Russia secured record 355 seats and 57.83% of vote
- CPRF received 13.81%, LDPR 8.98%, New People 7.96%, A Just Russia 4.96%
- Yabloko removed from party list ballot by Supreme Court on September 9
- Electronic voting encouraged and available in many regions



Russia's Central Election Commission announced preliminary results on September 21, 2026, showing United Russia securing 355 of 450 State Duma seats with 57.83% of the vote—a record high for the party. The three-day election, held September 18–20, marked the first parliamentary poll since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and was the first to include residents of four annexed Ukrainian regions: Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, as well as Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. Kyiv and the international community have not recognized these annexations as legal.
Turnout reached 59.32%, the highest for a parliamentary election in over a decade, surpassing the 51.72% recorded in 2021. The remaining seats were distributed among parties that cleared the 5% threshold: the Communist Party of the Russian Federation with 13.81%; the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia with 8.98%; New People with 7.96%; and A Just Russia with 4.96%. United Russia candidates also led in 208 of 225 single-mandate constituency races. All ten parties on the ballot, including those that entered parliament, have historically supported Kremlin-backed policies.
The election took place in a tightly controlled environment. The liberal Yabloko party—the only registered political entity that publicly opposed the war—was barred from the party list ballot by Russia's Supreme Court on September 9, just 12 days after being registered, though approximately 100 of its candidates ran in individual constituency races. Several Yabloko figures reported restrictions on campaign activities, jailed colleagues, and blocked election observers. Anti-war activists and some opposition politicians were imprisoned or fled the country before the election. Russia did not invite observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, citing disagreement over the group's criticism of Russia.
Electronic voting was widely available and encouraged by authorities, with over 3.6 million votes cast online. Sources reported to media outlets that state employers implemented coordinated turnout campaigns, with managers monitoring employee voting through corporate channels. Some public sector workers reported pressure to vote or disclosure of voting records. Commission Chair Ella Pamfilova stated final results would be announced on September 25.
The Kremlin framed the election as a referendum on its "special military operation" in Ukraine, occurring amid ongoing conflict, economic strain from sanctions, reported fuel shortages, and Ukrainian drone strikes reaching deep into Russian territory. Media and analysts noted the predictable outcome given the controlled opposition landscape, though some observers suggested votes for the Communist Party and New People might reflect silent protest against United Russia despite their alignment with Kremlin policies.
Topics
Why This Matters
Russia's parliamentary composition will determine fiscal, defense, and administrative policy implementation through the next term. The record turnout and dominant United Russia supermajority affect legislative efficiency and opposition representation capacity; the inclusion of annexed Ukrainian territories in voting expands the electorate by millions but remains unrecognized by Kyiv and Western governments, creating competing claims on representation. Electronic voting scale (3.6 million votes) and reported workplace pressure reflect state mobilization techniques with measurable effects on labor autonomy. Ongoing sanctions, fuel shortages, and conflict dynamics continue to shape Russia's economic and military resource allocation.
Timeline & Sources
Jan 1, 2014
WireRussia annexes Crimea from Ukraine
Jan 1, 2021
WirePrevious State Duma election held; turnout 51.72%
Sep 21, 2026
WireCentral Election Commission announces preliminary results: United Russia 57.83%, turnout 59.32%
Sep 25, 2026
WireFinal election results expected to be announced
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Sources
- Rusia Elecciones Kremlin Putin 1be5450c035e0f8164a8dbd038dc91f1apWireSep 21, 2026
- Russia Elections Kremlin Putin 5342c2757623f2e46e94b4c548e94213apWireSep 21, 2026
- Russia's elections had few surprises - but how the Kremlin uses the results is far from clearBBCMediaSep 21, 2026
- United Russia party maintains lead in Duma election with 41.04% of ballots countedtassMediaSep 20, 2026
- United Russia ahead in Duma election with 90.43% of ballots processedtassMediaSep 21, 2026
- IN BRIEF: Preliminary results of Russian elections, United Russia leads, governors electedtassMediaSep 21, 2026
- Russian ruling party wins State Duma election: preliminary resultsxinhuaMediaSep 21, 2026
- Russia election results show Putin’s party winning: What we knowAl JazeeraMediaSep 21, 2026
- Press review: State Duma set to keep five parties while Europe faces record fuel pricestassMediaSep 21, 2026
- Russian ruling party wins State Duma election -- preliminary resultsxinhuaMediaSep 21, 2026
- 俄罗斯举行议会选举 普京所属政党大获全胜zaobaoMediaSep 21, 2026
- Russia: Putin party retains majority in parliamentary votedw.comMediaSep 21, 2026
- Russia’s State Duma election delivered record turnout and a landslide for United Russia. Kremlin insiders say the results were achieved ‘through very dirty means.’MeduzaMediaSep 21, 2026