1996 Russian gubernatorial elections

Gubernatorial elections in 1996 took place in 51 regions of the Russian Federation. President of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaymiyev as well as mayors of Moscow and Saint Petersburg Yury Luzhkov and Anatoly Sobchak (all three elected in 1991) went to the re-election, while other regions held their first gubernatorial elections that year. All these campaigns were held after the 1996 Russian presidential election.

1996 Russian gubernatorial elections

← 1995 24 March – 29 December 1996 1997 →
51 Heads of Federal Subjects from 89
Leader Gennady Zyuganov Sergey Filatov Alliance People's Patriotic Union of Russia All-Russian Coordination Council Seats won 23 17
1996 Russian regional elections:   Gubernatorial   Gubernatorial (of another subject)   Two gubernatorial elections (including one of another subject)   Legislative   Legislative (of another subject)   Gubernatorial and legislative   Gubernatorial and legislative (both of another subject)   Referendum, gubernatorial and legislative

Background

In August 1996, two coalitions were presented, which formally became the main participants in the countrywides election campaign. Our Home – Russia, Democratic Choice of Russia, Party of Russian Unity and Accord and 16 other parties and movements loyal to re-elected Boris Yeltsin were united through representation in the All-Russian Coordination Council (OKS). It was opposed by the People's Patriotic Union of Russia (NPSR) associated with the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and its allies. Former Kremlin Chief of Staff Sergei Filatov was appointed the head of OKS, while NPSR was headed by Gennady Zyuganov, leader of CPRF.

NPSR initially announced the lists of approved candidates publicly and centrally, but by the end of the campaign it gave a significant part of the initiative to the localities. In some cases, the support was unilateral (without public commitment of the candidate). Among the candidates supported by NPSR were three incumbent governors, and in three regions the alliance observed neutrality. OKS supported mainly the incumbent governors. As a result of the autumn-winter electoral marathon, 22 out of 49 running incumbents re-elected. The second tours in Mari El and Tyumen Oblast moved to 1997, as well as recall elections in Amur Oblast, Agin-Buryat and Evenk Autonomous Okrugs.

Results

Federal Subject	Date	Incumbent	First elected	Candidates
Tatarstan	24 March	Mintimer Shaymiyev	1991	Y Mintimer Shaymiyev 97.14%
Saint Petersburg	19 May, 2 June	Anatoly Sobchak	1991	Y Vladimir Yakovlev 21.58% / 47.49% Anatoly Sobchak 29.02% / 45.76% Yury Boldyrev 17.09% Yuri Sevenard 10.02% Alexander Belyakov 9.82%
Moscow	16 June	Yury Luzhkov	1991	Y Yury Luzhkov / Valery Shantsev 88.49% Olga Sergeyeva / Stanislav Terekhov 4.94% Aleksandr Krasnov / Nikolay Moskvichyov 3.31%

Federal Subject	Date	Incumbent	Incumbent status	Candidates	Result
Saratov Oblast	1 September	Dmitry Ayatskov	Appointed 1996	▌Y Dmitry Ayatskov (OKS) 80.19% ▌Anatoly Gordeyev (CPRF/NPSR) 16.06%		Incumbent elected to full term.
Amur Oblast	22 September	Yury Lyashko	Appointed 1996	▌Anatoly Belonogov [ru] (NPSR) 41.10% ▌Yury Lyashko (OKS) 41.02% ▌Pavel Stein 9.34%		Election results annulled.
Leningrad Oblast	29 September	Alexander Belyakov	Appointed 1991	▌Y Vadim Gustov (NPSR) 53.37% ▌Alexander Belyakov (OKS) 31.66%		Incumbent lost election. New governor elected. NPSR gain.
Rostov Oblast	29 September	Vladimir Chub	Appointed 1991	▌Y Vladimir Chub (OKS) 62.16% ▌Leonid Ivanchenko (NPSR) 31.60%		Incumbent elected to full term.
Vologda Oblast	6 October	Vyacheslav Pozgalyov	Appointed 1996	▌Y Vyacheslav Pozgalyov 80.69% ▌Mikhail Surov 4.21% ▌Mikhail Beznin (CPRF/NPSR) 3.22% ▌Nikolay Podgornov 3.18%		Incumbent elected to full term.
Kaliningrad Oblast	6 October, 20 October	Yuri Matochkin	Appointed 1991	▌Y Leonid Gorbenko (NPSR) 22.29% / 49.56% ▌Yuri Matochkin (OKS) 31.33% / 40.44% ▌Yuri Semyonov 21.65%		Incumbent lost election. New governor elected. NPSR gain.
Kirov Oblast	6 October, 20 October	Vasily Desyatnikov [ru]	Appointed 1991	▌Y Vladimir Sergeyenkov [ru] 39.64% / 50.46% ▌Gennady Shtin 30.54% / 45.45% ▌Vasily Desyatnikov (OKS) 18.20%		Incumbent lost election. New governor elected. NPSR gain.
Yamalo-Nenets AO	13 October	Yury Neyolov [ru]	Appointed 1994	▌Y Yury Neyolov [ru] 68.88% ▌Vladimir Goman 22.77%		Incumbent elected to full term.
Kursk Oblast	20 October	Vasily Shuteyev	Appointed 1991	▌Y Alexander Rutskoy (Derzhava/NPSR) 76.85% ▌Vasily Shuteyev (OKS) 17.55%		Incumbent lost election. New governor elected. NPSR gain.
Pskov Oblast	20 October, 3 November	Vladislav Tumanov	Appointed 1992	▌Y Yevgeny Mikhailov (LDPR) 22.71% / 56.46% ▌Vladislav Tumanov (supported by OKS, Yabloko) 30.92% / 36.89% Vladimir Sidorenko (APR) 14.93% ▌Ivan Komar (CHiR) 14.09% ▌Vitaly Pushkaryov 10.94%		Incumbent lost election. New governor elected. LDPR gain.
Sakhalin Oblast	20 October	Igor Farkhutdinov	Appointed 1995	▌Y Igor Farkhutdinov (OKS) 39.47% ▌Anatoly Chyorny (NPSR) 27.20% ▌Nikolay Dolgikh 9.44% ▌Vladimir Bersenev (Yabloko) 7.21%		Incumbent elected to full term.
Jewish AO	20 October	Nikolay Volkov	Appointed 1991	▌Y Nikolay Volkov (supported by OKS, Yabloko) 70.09% ▌Sergey Leskov 16.28%		Incumbent elected to full term.
Krasnodar Krai	27 October	Nikolai Yegorov	Appointed 1996	▌ Nikolai Kondratenko (NPSR) 57.17% ▌Nikolai Yegorov 24.75% ▌Viktor Krokhmal (CHiR) 7.79% ▌Boris Vavilov (LDPR) 2.33% ▌Yevgeny Kharitonov (OKS) 2.00%		Election results annulled.
Stavropol Krai	27 October, 17 November	Pyotr Marchenko	Appointed 1995	▌Y Alexander Chernogorov (CPRF/NPSR) 47.80% / 55.10% ▌Pyotr Marchenko (NDR, supported by OKS, Yabloko) 37.63% / 40.15%		Incumbent lost election. New governor elected. NPSR gain.
Kaluga Oblast	27 October, 9 November	Oleg Savchenko	Appointed 1996	▌Y Valery Sudarenkov (supported by NPSR and Yabloko) 45.76% / 63.51% ▌Oleg Savchenko (OKS) 39.63% / 30.48% ▌Gennady Pushkin (LDPR) 3.57%		Incumbent lost election. New governor elected. NPSR gain.
Chita Oblast	27 October	Ravil Geniatulin	Appointed 1996	▌Y Ravil Geniatulin (OKS) 30.76% ▌Yaroslav Shvyryayev 22.89% ▌Vladimir Bogatov (LDPR) 19.55% ▌Viktor Kurochkin (supported by DR and Yabloko) 10.98% ▌Viktor Kolesnikov (APR/NPSR) 7.14%		Incumbent elected to full term.
Agin-Buryat AO	27 October	Bolot Ayushiyev	Appointed 1996	▌Bolot Ayushiyev 46.71% ▌Yury Dondokov 46.16%		Election results annulled.
Khanty-Mansi AO	27 October	Alexander Filipenko	Appointed 1991	▌Y Alexander Filipenko (OKS, NPSR) 71.49% ▌Gennady Korepanov 11.18%		Incumbent elected to full term.
Magadan Oblast	3 November	Viktor Mikhailov	Appointed 1991	▌Y Valentin Tsvetkov (NPSR, Yabloko) 45.96% ▌Viktor Mikhailov (OKS) 41.31%		Incumbent lost election. New governor elected. NPSR gain.
Altai Krai	17 November, 1 December	Lev Korshunov	Appointed 1994	▌Y Alexander Surikov (NPSR) 46.92% / 49.36% ▌Lev Korshunov (OKS) 43.39% / 46.14%		Incumbent lost election. New governor elected. NPSR gain.
Kamchatka Oblast	17 November, 1 December	Vladimir Biryukov	Appointed 1991	▌Y Vladimir Biryukov (OKS) 47.67% / 60.96% ▌Boris Oleynikov 10.65% / 27.80% ▌Mikhail Kulak 9.36% ▌Nikolay Tokmantsev 8.02%		Incumbent elected to full term.
Murmansk Oblast	17 November, 1 December	Yevgeny Komarov	Appointed 1991	▌Y Yury Yevdokimov (NPSR in 2nd round) 20.10% / 43.45% ▌Yevgeny Komarov (OKS) 31.09% / 40.64% ▌Mikhail Zub 13.92% ▌Boris Vorobyov (LDPR) 10.15% ▌Vasily Kalayda (NPSR) 7.14% ▌Igor Lebedev (Yabloko) 4.93%		Incumbent lost election. New governor elected. NPSR gain.
Komi-Permyak AO	17 November	Nikolay Poluyanov	Appointed 1991	▌Y Nikolay Poluyanov (OKS) 69.63% ▌Anatoly Fedoseyev (Constitutional Party) 15.26%		Incumbent elected to full term.
Koryak AO	17 November	Sergey Leushkin [ru]	Appointed 1991	▌Y Valentina Bronevich (endorsed by NPSR nominee) 47.13% ▌Sergey Leushkin (OKS) 25.58% ▌Nikolay Savelyev 9.92%		Incumbent lost election. New governor elected. NPSR gain.
Ust-Orda Buryat AO	17 November	Aleksey Batagayev [ru]	Appointed 1991	▌Y Valery Maleyev [ru] 37.34% ▌Aleksey Batagayev (OKS) 26.84% ▌Ivan Ivanov (CPRF) 25.70%		Incumbent lost election. New governor elected. Independent gain.
Kurgan Oblast	24 November, 8 December	Anatoly Sobolev [ru]	Appointed 1995	▌Y Oleg Bogomolov (NPSR) 40.87% / 66.29% ▌Anatoly Koltashov (Yabloko) 33.14%, withdrew from 2nd round ▌Anatoly Sobolev (OKS) 12.92%		Incumbent lost election. New governor elected. NPSR gain.
Khakassia	1 December, 22 December	Yevgeny Smirnov	Premier since 1992 (nonelected)	▌Y Aleksey Lebed (CHiR) 42.10% / 71.85% ▌Yevgeny Reznikov 17.00% / 19.77% ▌Yevgeny Smirnov 11.06%... ▌Nikolay Bulankin (OKS) 4.76%		New prime minister elected. Honor and Homeland gain.
Ivanovo Oblast	1 December	Vladislav Tikhomirov	Appointed 1996	▌Y Vladislav Tikhomirov (OKS) 50.12% ▌Sergey Sirotkin (LDPR) 23.86% ▌Nikolay Lobayev (DVR) 9.41% ▌Ivan Pimenov (CPRF/NPSR) 7.11%		Incumbent elected to full term.
Samara Oblast	1 December	Konstantin Titov	Appointed 1991	▌Y Konstantin Titov (NDR/OKS, Yabloko) 63.39% ▌Valentin Romanov (CPRF/NPSR) 29.86%		Incumbent elected to full term.
Nenets AO	1 December, 13 December	Vladimir Khabarov	Appointed 1996	Y Vladimir Butov [ru] 21.99% / 48.46% ▌Vladimir Khabarov (OKS) 40.64% / 40.27% ▌Yury Komarovsky 15.30%		Incumbent lost election. New governor elected. Independent gain.
Khabarovsk Krai	8 December	Viktor Ishayev	Appointed 1991	▌Y Viktor Ishayev (OKS/local NPSR) 76.93% ▌Valentin Tsoi 7.23%		Incumbent elected to full term.
Arkhangelsk Oblast	8 December, 22 December	Anatoly Yefremov	Appointed 1996	▌Y Anatoly Yefremov (OKS) 34.54% / 8.67% ▌Yury Guskov (CPRF/NPSR) 28.85% / 33.24%		Incumbent elected to full term.
Astrakhan Oblast	8 December	Anatoly Guzhvin	Appointed 1991	▌Y Anatoly Guzhvin (OKS) 52.45% ▌Vyacheslav Zvolinsky (CPRF/NPSR) 39.79%		Incumbent elected to full term.
Bryansk Oblast	8 December	Aleksandr Semernyov	Appointed 1996	▌Y Yury Lodkin (CPRF/NPSR) 54.54% ▌Aleksandr Semernyov (OKS) 25.81% ▌Vladimir Barabanov 5.57%		Incumbent lost election. New governor elected. NPSR gain.
Vladimir Oblast	8 December	Yury Vlasov	Appointed 1991	▌Y Nikolay Vinogradov (CPRF/NPSR) 62.29% ▌Yury Vlasov (OKS) 21.71%		Incumbent lost election. New governor elected. NPSR gain.
Voronezh Oblast	8 December	Aleksandr Tsapin	Appointed 1996	▌Y Ivan Shabanov (CPRF/NPSR) 48.97% ▌Aleksandr Tsapin (OKS) 41.02%		Incumbent lost election. New governor elected. NPSR gain.
Kostroma Oblast	8 December, 22 December	Valery Arbuzov	Appointed 1991	▌Y Viktor Shershunov (CPRF/NPSR) 41.72% / 64.10% ▌Valery Arbuzov (NDR/OKS, Yabloko) 27.33% / 30.24%		Incumbent lost election. New governor elected. NPSR gain.
Perm Oblast	8 December, 22 December	Gennady Igumnov	Appointed 1996	▌Y Gennady Igumnov (OKS) 42.38% / 63.86% ▌Sergey Levitan 26.89% / 29.08% ▌Vladimir Ilyinykh 7.79% ▌Yury Perkhun (CPRF) 4.89%		Incumbent elected to full term.
Ryazan Oblast	8 December, 22 December	Igor Ivlev	Appointed 1996	▌Y Vyacheslav Lyubimov [ru] (CPRF/NPSR) 38.29% / 56.06% ▌Igor Ivlev 29.55% / 38.36% ▌Valery Kalashnikov 14.03%		Incumbent lost election. New governor elected. NPSR gain.
Mari El	22 December 1996, 4 January 1997	Vladislav Zotin	Elected 1991	▌Y Vyacheslav Kislitsyn (CPRF/NPSR) 47.37% / 58.89% ▌Leonid Markelov (LDPR) 29.21% / 36.24% ▌Vladislav Zotin (OKS) 9.77%		Incumbent lost election. New president elected. NPSR gain.
Sakha (Yakutia)	22 December	Mikhail Nikolayev	Elected 1991	▌Y Mikhail Nikolayev (OKS) 58.96% ▌Artur Alexeyev (CPRF) 25.46%		Incumbent re-elected.
Krasnodar Krai (revote)	22 December	Nikolai Yegorov	Appointed 1996	▌Y Nikolai Kondratenko (CPRF/NPSR) 82.00% ▌Viktor Krokhmal (CHiR) 7.18% ▌Nikolai Yegorov 4.83%... ▌Vasily Dyakonov 1.13%		Incumbent lost election. New governor elected. NPSR gain.
Volgograd Oblast	22 December, 29 December	Ivan Shabunin	Appointed 1991	▌Y Nikolay Maksyuta (NPSR) 28.51% / 50.96% ▌Ivan Shabunin (OKS) 37.64% / 44.15% ▌Yury Chekhov (OKS) 25.22%		Incumbent lost election. New governor elected. NPSR gain.
Tyumen Oblast	22 December 1996, 12 January 1997	Leonid Roketsky	Appointed 1993	▌Y Leonid Roketsky (OKS) 42.01% / 58.83% ▌Sergey Atroshenko 23.87% / 32.94% ▌Gennady Raikov 8.45% ▌Anatoly Cherepanov (RCWP) 8.44%		Incumbent elected to full term.
Ulyanovsk Oblast	22 December	Yury Goryachev	Appointed 1992	▌Y Yury Goryachev [ru] (supported by NDR and Yabloko) 42.48% ▌Alexander Kruglikov (CPRF/NPSR) 33.71%... ▌Yury Cheburov (OKS) 7.62%		Incumbent elected to full term.
Chelyabinsk Oblast	22 December	Vadim Solovyov	Appointed 1991	▌Y Pyotr Sumin (NPSR) 50.79% ▌Vadim Solovyov (OKS) 15.99% ▌Vladimir Grigoriadi 8.58% ▌Vladimir Golovlyov (DVR) 6.49%		Incumbent lost election. New governor elected. NPSR gain.
Taymyr AO	22 December	Gennady Nedelin	Appointed 1991	▌Y Gennady Nedelin (OKS) 65.70% ▌Gennady Subbotkin 11.30%		Incumbent elected to full term.
Chukotka AO	22 December	Aleksandr Nazarov	Appointed 1991	▌Y Aleksandr Nazarov (OKS) 65.18% ▌Vladimir Yetylin 21.04%		Incumbent elected to full term.
Evenk AO	22 December	Anatoly Yakimov	Appointed 1991	▌ Aleksandr Bokovikov (NPSR) 35.52% ▌Anatoly Yakimov [ru] (OKS) 34.62% ▌Viktor Gayulsky (NDR) 13.12%		Election results annulled.

Notes

1. Belyakov, then-governor of Leningrad Oblast, was nominated in Saint Petersburg promoting the idea of two regions' reunification. However, he lost both campaigns.
2. As vice mayor for Gavriil Popov.
3. Sumin was first elected in April 1993 and removed from office by president Yeltsin. He contested Solovyov's governorship until October 1993.

Sources

• Ivanov, Vitaly (2019). Глава субъекта Российской Федерации. История губернаторов [Head of the subject of the Russian Federation. History of governors] (in Russian). ISBN 978-5-907250-14-7.