1954 Soviet Union legislative election

1954 Soviet Union legislative election

14 March 1954
Soviet of the Union

All 708 seats in the Soviet of the Union
Party Seats +/–
Communist Party

565 −15
Independents

143 +45
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
Soviet of Nationalities

All 639 seats in the Soviet of Nationalities
Party Seats +/–
Communist Party

485 −34
Independents

154 +35
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
Chairman of the Council of Ministers before Chairman of the Council of Ministers after
Georgy Malenkov
CPSU
Georgy Malenkov
CPSU

Supreme Soviet elections were held in the Soviet Union on 14 March 1954.[1]

Electoral system

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 party 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

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

Results

Soviet of the Union

Party or allianceVotes%Seats+/–
BKBCommunist Party of the Soviet Union120,479,24999.79565–15
Independents143+45
Against247,8970.21
Total120,727,146100.00708+30
Valid votes120,727,146100.00
Invalid/blank votes6800.00
Total votes120,727,826100.00
Registered voters/turnout120,750,81699.98
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

Soviet of Nationalities

Party or allianceVotes%Seats+/–
BKBCommunist Party of the Soviet Union120,539,86099.84485–34
Independents154+35
Against187,3570.16
Total120,727,217100.00639+1
Valid votes120,727,217100.00
Invalid/blank votes6090.00
Total votes120,727,826100.00
Registered voters/turnout120,750,81699.98
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

References

  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