CONTRADICTIONS AND TRENDS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF RUSSIAN ELECTORAL LAW IN THE LIGHT OF LEGISLATIVE REFORMS, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PUBLIC PROCESSES

Russia’s electoral law is undergoing a period of transformation due to both legislative reforms and the introduction of digital technologies. The specificity of the current stage consists in the growing contradiction between the constitutional principles of democracy and the practice of their implementation, which is manifested, in particular, in the imbalance between the federal unification of regulation and taking into account regional specifics. The research presented in the article is highly purposeful and relevant for the period 2024–2026. The electoral legislation of the Russian Federation is undergoing a stage of intensive transformation, adapting to digitalization, new geopolitical conditions and public security requirements. Issues related to the digitalization of the electoral process are becoming particularly acute. Remote electronic voting, on the one hand, increases the accessibility of the expression of will, on the other hand, creates problems of verifying the results and reducing public trust in the absence of a paper ballot. In this regard, the article examines the risks that arise when using remote electronic voting (REV), and suggests measures to ensure its verifiability. The question of the relationship between centralization and regional discretion in the electoral legislation remains debatable. The article analyzes the practice of using the “municipal filter” in gubernatorial elections and the consequences of the transition to a single-tier system of local government. Attention is drawn to the fact that excessive detailing of federal regulations, which replaces regional variability with “managed uniformity,” creates risks of administrative discretion and reduces the adaptability of the electoral system. The problems of judicial protection of electoral rights in conditions of exclusion from the jurisdiction of the ECHR also deserve attention. The Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation opposes excessive formalism in a number of decisions, however, the lack of independent verification mechanisms, especially when using REV, remains an unavoidable conflict. In this regard, the need to preserve paper ballots, verify electronic voting, and strengthen institutional guarantees for election transparency is justified.

electoral law, legislative reforms, electoral integrity, democratic participation of citizens, digitalization of elections, law enforcement, political pluralism, centralization, guarantees of electoral rights, ballot, voting, active passive suffrage, passive suffrage

Inalkaev A. A. Contradictions and trends in the development of Russian electoral law in the light of legislative reforms, law enforcement and public processes. Biznes. Obrazovanie. Pravo = Business. Education. Law. 2026;2(75):231—235. DOI: 10.25683/VOLBI.2026.75.1623.