Анализ влияния электоральной активности на конкурентность выборов в России

Abstract

The paper presents the results of a study on the election turnout of citizens in the Russian regions. The main objective of the study is to analyze how electoral behavior affects the distribution of votes among candidates who implement passive suffrage. It is necessary to determine whether there is a rela-tionship between the competitiveness of election and election turnout. Besides, it is important to ex-plain the reasons for the possible dependence, i.e. to show how this relationship affects the distribu-tion of forces in the pre-election race. The study focuses on the Russian presidential election of 2018. Election turnout is expressed through the percent-age of voter turnout, and the voter percentage in favor of candidates nominated for the highest state office is regarded as a result of the election cam-paign. The study revealed the peculiarities of elec-toral behavior during the voting period and outlined the relevant aspects of the electoral branch func-tioning in Russia. The trend in the high percentage of votes for the incumbent president at polling sta-tions and, at the same time, the high percentage of voter turnout prove that the fewer people vote, the more the competition of election is, and vice versa. The low competition and the lack of the alternative to the incumbent government demonstrate that, nowadays, Russia is in need of new political leaders who could prove themselves and, at least, get vot-ers’ attention that implies full involvement in politics during the election period.