Электоральная активность молодёжи в качестве кандидатов в депутаты Законодательного собрания Новосибирской области 2005-2020 гг

Abstract

The object of the study was the Novosibirsk Region, which has the status of a border area, characterized by a high level of economic development and political competition among other Siberian regions. The study analyzed information about young candidates for deputies to the Legislative Assembly of the Novosibirsk Region, who participated in election campaigns in the period 2005-2020. A young candidate is a person under the age of 35 having the passive voting right. At the present stage, the majority of Russian researchers acknowledge the political passivity of young people. The analysis of the data posted on the official website of the Electoral Commission of the Novosibirsk Region allows to draw the following conclusions: the number of candidates, including young ones, nominated by political parties is growing; the number of young self-nominated candidates is decreasing with each electoral cycle. This fact may be explained by difficulties of signature collection process for non-partisan candidates. It is at this stage that a significant number of candidates drop out of the electoral race. At the same time, the number of young people elected to deputies over the course of four electoral cycles has consistently been 7-9 people from different political parties (in single-mandate constituencies and on party lists). Meanwhile, the number of vacant deputy mandates decreased from 98 to 76. Over the course of four electoral cycles, the LDPR has attracted the greatest number of young people as candidates for deputies in single-mandate constituencies and party lists. The United Russia party has the smallest percentage of young candidates in its ranks. Such a personnel policy of the ruling party is connected with the presence of a great number of well-known and trusted candidates. Other parties are experiencing a shortage of personnel and during the election campaign they run young candidates. Thus, young people have a real opportunity to be elected from different parties (the ruling party, parliamentary opposition parties).