1966 Soviet Union legislative election

1966 Soviet Union legislative election

←  1962 12 June 1966 1970  →

Soviet of the Union

All 767 seats in the Soviet of the Union

Party Seats +/– Communist Party 573 −31 Independents 194 +7 This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.

Soviet of Nationalities

All 750 seats in the Soviet of Nationalities

Party Seats +/– Communist Party 568 +78 Independents 182 +20 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 Alexei Kosygin CPSU Alexei Kosygin CPSU

Supreme Soviet elections were held in the Soviet Union on 12 June 1966. ^[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 one in the country. ^[3]

Voters could vote against the CPSU candidate if they wished, 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		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Communist Party of the Soviet Union	143,570,976	99.76	573	–31
	Independents			194	+7
Against		345,643	0.24	–	–
Total		143,916,619	100.00	767	–24
Valid votes		143,916,619	100.00
Invalid/blank votes		412	0.00
Total votes		143,917,031	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		144,000,973	99.94
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

Soviet of Nationalities

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Communist Party of the Soviet Union	143,595,678	99.78	568	+78
	Independents			182	+20
Against		320,972	0.22	–	–
Total		143,916,650	100.00	750	+98
Valid votes		143,916,650	100.00
Invalid/blank votes		381	0.00
Total votes		143,917,031	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		144,000,973	99.94
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

References

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