United Russia secures 355 Duma seats in parliamentary election with 57.8% of vote

Seat count and preliminary results

The Central Election Commission reported preliminary results on Monday after counting more than 95% of ballots cast between 18 and 20 September. United Russia obtained 355 of the 450 seats in the State Duma, securing 57.83% of the party-list vote. This total exceeds the party's previous high of 343 seats in 2016 and improves on the 324 seats held in the outgoing legislature. Russia uses a mixed electoral system where 225 seats are allocated by proportional representation and 225 through single-member districts. The Communist Party of the Russian Federation placed second with 13.81% of the list vote and 40 total seats, followed by the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia with 25 seats and New People with 20 seats. A Just Russia secured four constituency seats after recording 4.95% on party lists.

United Russia355

Communist Party40

Liberal Democratic Party25

New People20

A Just Russia4

United Russia

355 seats

Communist Party

40 seats

Liberal Democratic Party

25 seats

New People

20 seats

A Just Russia

4 seats

Data from the article text

Regional ballots and candidate performance

Central Election Commission head Ella Pamfilova reported total voter turnout above 59%, representing more than 62.2 million participating citizens. Turnout reached approximately 80% in the annexed Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. Alongside the State Duma vote, United Russia candidates won nine gubernatorial elections held across the federation. Incumbent governors Alexandr Shuvaev in Belgorod, Yegor Kovalchuk in Bryansk, and Vitali Koroliov in Tver secured 65.97%, 76.05%, and 69.69% of the vote respectively. Ramzan Kadyrov won reelection in Chechnya with 99.85%, while Vladislav Khovalyg received 90.95% in Tuva. Alexey Russkikh of the Communist Party retained the governorship in Ulyanovsk with 76.65%.

“It is the highest turnout rate ever recorded in elections of this level.”

Ukrainian strikes during the three-day vote

The final day of voting coincided with Ukrainian drone and missile strikes across Russian regions. The Russian Defense Ministry reported that Ukrainian forces launched more than 1,950 drones and eight cruise missiles, including 450 drones directed toward the Moscow area. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin stated that falling debris damaged an oil refinery, while regional officials recorded three deaths and more than twenty injuries. In the Russian-controlled Kherson region, an incoming drone struck a passenger bus, killing two people including an election commission staff member. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed strikes against Russian oil facilities and logistics networks, while the Russian Defense Ministry promised increased strikes on military targets in Kyiv.

International reactions and political exclusion

The Russian Supreme Court excluded the anti-war party Yabloko from the ballot prior to the election, leaving no anti-conflict parties on the national party list. Dmitry Medvedev, the leader of United Russia, stated following early counts that the election demonstrated public trust in the state leadership. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted on Monday that the cross-border strikes had no effect on the normal progression of voting. European Union officials stated that the election demonstrated growing authoritarianism in the country, while Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun congratulated Moscow on the vote. Final validated results will be released on Friday, 25 September.

“China congratulates Russia on the successful State Duma elections.”