Supreme Soviet elections were held in the Russian SFSR on 18 February 1951, as part of regional elections across the Soviet Union.
Background
The elections took place amidst a series of purges of figures disliked by the government, including the anti-cosmopolitan campaign, the Trophy Affair [ru], as well as deportations (including the deportation of the Soviet Greeks) and persecution of religions (including Operation North). The Cold War had also begun, including incidents such as the Berlin Blockade, Battle of Korea Strait and the Tito–Stalin split.
Electoral system
The elections were held in accordance with the Regulations on Elections to the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR, which had been approved by the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the RSFSR on 11 December 1950.
Conduct
Soviet propaganda actively covered the elections in news publications, emphasising their supposed transparency and fairness and contrasting them with the elections of Western Europe and North America.
Soviet elections began to be a ritual to show loyalty to the government and some voters attended as early as possible to demonstrate their loyalty, with some queueing up early in the night, as the first person to vote was included in the report for the regional committee. The elections were classed as a holiday, with buffets with sandwiches, sweets and scarce goods provided, while there were also concerts, including jazz.
References
- ^ "Сегодня — выборы в Верховный Совет РСФСР. Товарищи избиратели! Все на выборы!" (PDF). Stalinets (in Russian). 1951-02-18. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2023-02-08. Retrieved 2023-02-08.
- ^ "18 февраля 1951 года — день выборов в Верховный Совет РСФСР" (PDF). Stalinets (in Russian). 1951-01-01. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2023-02-08. Retrieved 2023-02-08.
- Положение о выборах в Верховный Совет РСФСР: утверждено указом Президиума Верховного Совета РСФСР от 11 дек. 1950 г. ; с изменениями и дополнениями, внесенными Указами Президиума Верховного Совета РСФСР от 29 дек. 1958 г., от 28 марта 1961 г., от 9 янв. 1963 г. Гос. изд-во юрид. лит-ры. 1963. p. 44.
- Anna Kimerling (2013). "Кто портит бюллетени, тот в союзе недовольных" (PDF). Otechestvennyye zapiski (in Russian). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2023-04-17.
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