This survey took place between 26-29 August 2016 and was conducted throughout all of Russia in both urban and rural settings. The survey was carried out among 1600 people over the age of 18 in 137 localities of 48 of the country’s regions. The survey was conducted as a personal interview in respondents’ homes. The answer distribution is presented as percentages of the number of participants along with data from previous surveys.
The statistical error of these studies for a selection of 1600 people (with a probability of 0.95) does not exceed:
3.4% for indicators around 50%
2.9% for indicators around 25%
2.0% for indicators around 10%
1.5% for indicators around 5%
Attention and interest in upcoming elections
HOW CLOSELY ARE YOU FOLLOWING THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN?
| Oct.03 | Nov.03 | Dec.03 | Oct.07 | Nov.07 | Nov.07 | Nov.11 | Aug.16 | |
| Very closely | 15 | 14 | 17 | 13 | 13 | 18 | 13 | 9 |
| Not very closely | 52 | 51 | 52 | 48 | 53 | 52 | 55 | 46 |
| Not at all | 32 | 33 | 29 | 37 | 32 | 28 | 31 | 43 |
| It is difficult to say | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ABOUT THE MEDIA (TELEVISION, NEWSPAPERS, RADIO) IN THE CURRENT ELECTION CAMPAIGN? (one answer)
|
Nov. 99 |
Nov. 07 |
Nov. 11 |
Aug. 16 |
|
| I don’t watch, listen to, or read these programs/articles because I’m not interested in politics | 13 | 16 | 11 | 23 |
| They don’t influence me at all | 16 | 20 | 23 | 15 |
| They draw my attention to the upcoming elections | 21 | 16 | 16 | 13 |
| I don’t pay attention to these programs/articles because I don’t believe television, newspapers, radio | 13 | 12 | 11 | 12 |
| They help me decide if it’s worth voting, and if so, for which party | 11 | 10 | 13 | 10 |
| They give me insight into the pre-election situation | 20 | 15 | 12 | 10 |
| They just confuse and make it harder to make a decision | 13 | 10 | 12 | 9 |
| Other | <1 | <1 | 1 | 1 |
| It is difficult to say | 7 | 3 | 4 | 7 |
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN THE UPCOMING STATE DUMA ELECTIONS IN SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR?
|
Oct. 03 |
Oct. 03 |
Nov. 03 |
Dec. 03 |
Oct. 07 |
Jan. 11 |
Apr. 11 |
Aug. 11 |
Nov. 11 |
Feb. 16 |
May. 16 |
Aug. 16 |
|
| Definitely yes | 16 | 19 | 19 | 23 | 21 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 22 | 10 | 15 | 13 |
| Probably yes | 32 | 28 | 33 | 33 | 34 | 31 | 33 | 30 | 38 | 33 | 29 | 33 |
| Probably not | 31 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 26 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 26 | 30 | 32 | 33 |
| Definitely not | 18 | 22 | 14 | 12 | 15 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 11 | 21 | 18 | 16 |
| It is difficult to say | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 5 |
Motivation to participate in elections
WHAT MOTIVATES YOU/COULD MOTIVATE YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ELECTIONS? (multiple answers)
| Oct.07 | Nov.11 | Mar.16 | Jun.16 | Aug.16 | |
| Civic duty | 61 | 59 | 43 | 39 | 36 |
| Desire to express personal political position (even if it doesn’t help any parties) | 20 | 20 | 17 | 14 | 15 |
| Habit | 16 | 15 | 16 | 21 | 14 |
| It’s customary to vote in my circle of friends and relatives | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 10 |
| It’s almost the only opportunity to participate in the country’s life | 16 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 10 |
| Desire to help my party get into the Duma/increase the number of seats they could have | 11 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 9 |
| Desire to prevent a party which I don’t trust from getting into the Duma/receiving more seats | 5 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 |
| Other | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 5 |
| It is difficult to say | 3 | 1 | 12 | 16 | 18 |
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS MOST REFLECTS YOUR INTENTION TO VOTE IN THE UPCOMING STATE DUMA ELECTIONS? (one answer)
|
Nov. 95 |
Nov. 99 |
Nov. 03 |
Nov. 07 |
Nov. 11 |
Feb. 16 |
Mar. 16 |
Apr. 16 |
May. 15 |
Jun. 16 |
Jul. 16 |
Aug. 16 |
|
| I’m sure that I won’t vote in the state Duma elections | 13 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 16 |
| I doubt that I will vote | 10 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 12 |
| I don’t know if I will vote or not | 15 | 7 | 13 | 10 | 17 | 20 | 22 | 25 | 26 | 20 | 25 | 20 |
| I will probably vote in the State Duma elections | 19 | 20 | 24 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 32 | 26 | 25 | 27 | 26 | 28 |
| I will definitely vote in the elections (of course as long as nothing happens to me before then) | 42 | 47 | 36 | 40 | 31 | 21 | 19 | 21 | 19 | 21 | 20 | 20 |
| It is difficult to say | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
WHY DO YOU NOT WANT TO VOTE/DOUBT THAT YOU WILL VOTE IN THE STATE DUMA ELECTIONS? (as a percentage of those respondents who don’t plan to participate in the Duma elections or doubt that they will participate)
|
Oct. 95 |
Jul. 99 |
Sept. 03 |
Aug. 07 |
Aug. 11 |
Feb. 16 |
Mar. 16 |
Jun. 16 |
Aug. 16 |
|
| My vote won’t make a difference | 23 | 30 | 24 | 29 | 34 | 31 | 24 | 30 | 26 |
| I don’t believe in any of today’s politicians, I don’t want to vote for any of them | 31 | 27 | 26 | 36 | 23 | 27 | 18 | 31 | 21 |
| United Russia will win anyway* | – | 1 | 1 | 8 | 14 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 20 |
| I’m tired of politics | 13 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 11 |
| I don’t understand politics/ am not interested in politics, the struggle at the top of the political pyramid | 11 | 11 | 8 | 10 | 6 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 10 |
| Duma deputies only look after themselves | – | 9 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 10 |
| The elections won’t be fair, votes will be manipulated | 10 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 8 |
| I haven’t decided for whom to vote yet | – | 13 | 11 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 8 |
| The State Duma is a useless body which creates only scandals | 9 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 5 |
| The State Duma has no real power | – | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 4 |
| Other | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| It is difficult to say | 8 | 5 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 12 |
| I don’t see a single party that reflects my interests | 13 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
* From May 1999 to September 2003: “the communists will win anyway.”
Belief in possibility for change
DO YOU THINK THAT THE UPCOMING STATE DUMA ELECTIONS COULD CHANGE YOUR LIFE OR THE LIVES OF THOSE AROUND YOU FOR THE BETTER?
| Oct.03 | Oct.03 | Nov.03 | Dec.03 | Oct.07 | Nov.11 | Feb.16 | May.16 | Aug.16 | |
| Definitely yes | 3 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 5 |
| Probably yes | 18 | 19 | 24 | 29 | 23 | 26 | 18 | 21 | 19 |
| Probably not | 43 | 38 | 42 | 36 | 38 | 35 | 36 | 34 | 36 |
| Definitely not | 26 | 28 | 21 | 17 | 23 | 23 | 28 | 26 | 26 |
| It is difficult to say | 9 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 14 | 14 | 13 |
WOULD YOU LIKE FOR THE MAKEUP OF STATE DUMA DEPUTIES AFTER THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS TO BE…
| Aug.11 | Aug.16 | |
| Significantly reformed | 38 | 43 |
| Almost completely changed | 26 | 27 |
| Practically the same as now | 10 | 11 |
| It is difficult to say | 26 | 20 |
DO YOU THINK THAT, AFTER THESE ELECTIONS, THERE WILL BE A PARTY IN THE STATE DUMA WHICH REPRESENTS YOUR VIEWS AND INTERESTS?
| Nov.11 | Jun.16 | Jul.16 | Aug.16 | |
| Yes | 47 | 43 | 37 | 47 |
| No | 29 | 32 | 41 | 30 |
| It is difficult to say | 24 | 26 | 22 | 23 |
The Ideal Deputy
WHICH TRAITS, IN YOUR OPINION, SHOULD A STATE DUMA DEPUTY POSSESS ABOVE ALL ELSE? (multiple answers)
| Nov.11 | Mar.16 | Aug.16 | |
| Honesty, integrity | 59 | 56 | 50 |
| Professionalism, competency, education | 63 | 49 | 45 |
| Closeness to the people, approachability, openness | 41 | 37 | 39 |
| Activeness, energy, initiative | 44 | 25 | 28 |
| Fairness, adherence to principles | 40 | 33 | 28 |
| Foresight, strategic thinking | 29 | 24 | 25 |
| Wisdom, experience, knowledge of life | 26 | 24 | 24 |
| Kindness, humanity, caring for people | 38 | 21 | 23 |
| Intelligence, intellect, ability to express ideas | 26 | 27 | 23 |
| Legislative experience | 36 | 26 | 21 |
| Firmness, toughness, strong character | 26 | 17 | 21 |
| Administrative skills, meticulousness | 34 | 22 | 19 |
| Decisiveness, purpose, will, perseverance | 30 | 17 | 18 |
| Ability to handle, master a situation | 18 | 15 | 17 |
| Authority, leadership | 20 | 17 | 15 |
| Diplomacy, flexibility, ability to compromise | 20 | 13 | 14 |
| Restraint, moderation, balance | 18 | 8 | 11 |
| Bravery | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Attractive appearance, decorum | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| Other | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| It is difficult to say | 3 | 2 | 3 |
Translated by Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (formerly Monterey Institute of International Studies).