1962 Soviet Union legislative election

Elections to the Supreme Soviet were held in the Soviet Union on 18 March 1962.[1]

1962 Soviet Union legislative election

← 1958 18 March 1962 1966 →

All 1,443 seats in the Supreme Soviet
  First party Second party
 
Leader Nikita Khrushchev
Party CPSU Independent
Leader since 13 March 1953
Seats before 1048 330
Seats won 1094 349
Seat change Increase46 Increase19
Percentage 75.8% 24.2%

Chairman of the Council of Ministers before election

Nikita Khrushchev
CPSU

Elected Chairman of the Council of Ministers

Nikita Khrushchev
CPSU

Electoral system

edit

Candidates had to be nominated by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) or by a public organisation.[2] However, all public organisations were controlled by the party and were subservient to a 1931 law that required them to accept party rule.[2] The CPSU itself remained the only legal one in the country.[3]

Voters could vote against the CPSU candidate, but could only do so by using polling booths, whereas votes for the party could be cast simply by submitting a blank ballot.[2] Turnout was required to be over 50% for the election to be valid.[2]

Candidates

edit

CPSU candidates accounted for around three quarters of the nominees, whilst many of the others were members of Komsomol.[4]

Results

edit

Soviet of the Union

edit
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Communist Party of the Soviet Union139,210,43199.47604+41
Independents187+12
Against746,5630.53
Total139,956,994100.00791+53
Valid votes139,956,994100.00
Invalid/blank votes8150.00
Total votes139,957,809100.00
Registered voters/turnout140,022,35999.95
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

Soviet of Nationalities

edit
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Communist Party of the Soviet Union139,391,45599.60490+5
Independents162+7
Against565,6480.40
Total139,957,103100.00652+12
Valid votes139,957,103100.00
Invalid/blank votes7060.00
Total votes139,957,809100.00
Registered voters/turnout140,022,35999.95
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

References

edit
  1. ^ Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1642 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
  2. ^ a b c d Nohlen & Stöver, p1630
  3. ^ Nohlen & Stöver, p1654
  4. ^ Nohlen & Stöver, p1631