On 12 December 2004, at the initiative of Russian President Vladimir Putin, gubernatorial elections were abolished throughout the country. These were the last gubernatorial elections in Russia until September 2012.
Governor of Bryansk OblastYury Lodkin was going on his third term in 2004 (fourth if 1993–96 tenure as Head of Administration counted), but was removed from registration "for abuse of office". The application to the regional court was submitted by the candidate from the People's Party Alexander Zhdanov. Lodkin, considered one of the favorites of the campaign, linked his removing from ballot with his Communist Party membership. He accused the United Russia party of “unwillingness to win legally”.[10]
Samara Oblast
The elections were set up by the regional court on 19 September 2004,[11] after the court recognized that the 5-year term limit, introduced into the Samara Oblast Charter during the 2000 elections, can come into force only after next elections and that Konstantin Titov's term expired on July 2. However, the elections were later canceled by the Supreme Court at the suit of the Central Election Commission.
Nenets Autonomous Okrug
Gubernatorial elections in Nenets Autonomous Okrug were held on 23 January 2005, the second round was held on February 6. Incumbent governor Vladimir Butov[ru], in office from 1996, could not be nominated due to the two-term limit (the Supreme Court of Russia overturned regional act passed shortly before the elections that allowed Butov to run for a third term). In addition he was convicted for beating a traffic police officer.[12]
Alexey Barinov, President of a charitable foundation, former chief federal inspector for Nenets AO, ex-employee of LUKoil
Viktoria Bobrova, assistant of Nenets AO Regional Prosecutor
Vladimir Butov, relative and namesake of incumbent governor
Igor Koshin, member of Nenets AO legislature; former secretary of the political council of United Russia's regional branch, expelled from the party after self-nominating for governorship
Leonid Sablin, member of Nenets AO legislature, chairman of local executive committee (1985–90)
Source: Election Commission of Nenets Autonomous Okrug[14][15]
Aftermath
On 18 February 2005, Alexey Barinov officially took office. In May 2006 he was arrested on charges of committing fraud.[16] On June 2 of the same year, President Vladimir Putin removed Barinov from the governorship and appointed the chief federal inspector for the region, Valery Potapenko as the interim governor of NAO. Later, in 2007, Barinov was acquitted.[17]
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