# 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.

## 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 [ru] | 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 [ru] (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. |