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This paper examines Russian voters’ behaviour and attitudes over the twenty-year period since the removal of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union’s monopoly on power in the USSR. In the first part, it examines voting behaviour since 1993. In the absence of stable party loyalties, how consistent have been the Russian electorate’s voting patterns and what accounts for the recent rise of the ‘parties of power’? Second, the political efficacy of Russians is examined. Whilst turnout has increased in the most recent electoral cycle, Russians still see a disconnect between the electoral process and political influence. Finally, how do Russian voters view ‘democracy’ and the electoral process?
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