The central focus of the EDG-2024 roundtable was the exceptionally low level of violations and incidents during the elections. Political scientist Alexander Asafov, the first deputy chairman of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation Commission for public consideration of draft laws, delivered the keynote at the roundtable titled Elections 2024: main results.
He provided figures to illustrate the breadth of participation: more than 71 thousand individuals represented 14 political parties, over 43 thousand were candidates, and more than 55 thousand belonged to public chambers. These numbers underscored the scale and openness of the electoral process the participants discussed.
Asafov emphasized that high voter turnout serves as a powerful signal of citizens’ confidence in the electoral system and its perceived legitimacy. The roundtable, he suggested, reflects a robust trust in the institution and its governance framework.
Mikhail Mamonov, who leads the Political Research Department at VTsIOM, noted that the course of past elections reflected society’s desire for stability. He recalled that leading sociological organizations had once presented forecasts for those elections, which, in hindsight, aligned with the eventual outcomes.
During the discussion, Mamonov recalled his team’s data for 21 regions showing a strong expectation that incumbents would prevail. He cited that between 76 and 88 percent of voters surveyed anticipated an incumbent victory, and indeed incumbents won decisively across regions. This pattern, he argued, reinforces the legitimacy of the election results.
Another perspective came from Pavel Danilin, associate professor at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation and a member of the Moscow Public Chamber. Danilin pointed out that the election process covered nearly the entire country. He highlighted that parties and candidates demonstrated high levels of activity and that the elections remained competitive.
Danilin shared that more than 73 thousand people registered to vote, with 63.8 thousand affiliates belonging to 20 political parties and 9.3 thousand candidates presenting their own candidacies. This year saw 147 individuals running for governorship posts, including 120 candidates from 20 parties and 27 independents who sought governorship office.
In summary, attendees characterized the elections as conducted in a calm climate, characterized by transparency, competitiveness, and democratic participation. The single voting day results demonstrated a broad social consensus and a strengthening bond between the electorate and government. These conclusions were presented as evidence of a steady and orderly electoral process that contributed to political legitimacy and the consolidation of state institutions.