Soviet Union legislative election, 1984
Encyclopedia
On 4 March 1984, elections
were held to the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union
.
The Supreme Soviet was made up of two chambers, each of 750 deputies
: the Soviet of the Union
(one deputy per 300,000 citizens) and the Soviet of Nationalities
(32 deputies from each union republic
, 11 from each autonomous republic
, 5 from each autonomous oblast, and 1 from each autonomous okrug
).
In the elections for the Soviet of the Union, a total of 183,897,278 ballots (99.94%) were cast in favor of the officially endorsed candidates; 109,072 ballots (.06%) were cast against the official candidates; and 17 ballots were declared invalid. In the elections for the Soviet of Nations, a total of 200,352,091 ballots (99.95%) were cast in favor of the officially endorsed candidates; 114,102 ballots (.05%) were cast against the official candidates; and 18 ballots were declared invalid. All 750 deputies of the Soviet of the Union were elected; only 749 of the Soviet of Nations were, as the candidate for Dzhambul
died before the election and his replacement was elected in a later by-election
.
Among the total list of elected members were 527 workers (35.2%) and 242 collective farmers (16.1%). 1,071 (71.4%) were Communist Party of the Soviet Union
members and 428 (28.6%) were non-members. 492 (32.8%) were women. 331 (22%) were younger than 30.
The 1984 elections were the last in the Soviet Union to be held before Mikhail Gorbachev
's policies of perestroika
and demokratizatsiya
resulted in partially free, and then free, elections later in the decade. They were also the last elections to the Supreme Soviet; with the following elections, deputies were elected to the Congress of People's Deputies, who then elected a smaller Supreme Soviet from among them.
Elections in the Soviet Union
The electoral system of the Soviet Union was based upon Chapter XI of the Constitution of the Soviet Union and by the Electoral Laws enacted in conformity with it. The Constitution and laws applied to elections in all Soviets, from the Supreme Soviets of the USSR, the Union republics and ...
were held to the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
The Supreme Soviet was made up of two chambers, each of 750 deputies
Deputy (legislator)
A deputy is a legislator in many countries, particularly those with legislatures styled as a 'Chamber of Deputies' or 'National Assembly'.-List of countries:This is an list of countries using the term 'deputy' or one of its cognates....
: the Soviet of the Union
Soviet of the Union
Soviet of the Union , was one of the two chambers of the Supreme Soviet of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, elected on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage by secret ballot in accordance with the principles of Soviet democracy, and with the rule that there be one deputy for...
(one deputy per 300,000 citizens) and the Soviet of Nationalities
Soviet of Nationalities
The Soviet of Nationalities , was one of the two chambers of the Supreme Soviet of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, elected on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage by secret ballot in accordance with the principles of Soviet democracy...
(32 deputies from each union republic
Republics of the Soviet Union
The Republics of the Soviet Union or the Union Republics of the Soviet Union were ethnically-based administrative units that were subordinated directly to the Government of the Soviet Union...
, 11 from each autonomous republic
Autonomous republics of the Soviet Union
Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republics of the Soviet Union were administrative units created for certain nations. The ASSRs had a status lower than the union republics of the Soviet Union, but higher than the autonomous oblasts and the autonomous okrugs....
, 5 from each autonomous oblast, and 1 from each autonomous okrug
Autonomous okrugs of Russia
Autonomous okrug is a type of federal subject of Russia and simultaneously a type of administrative division of some federal subjects. As of 2008, the Russian Federation is divided into 83 federal subjects, of which four are avtonomnyye okruga Autonomous okrug (district, area, region) is a...
).
In the elections for the Soviet of the Union, a total of 183,897,278 ballots (99.94%) were cast in favor of the officially endorsed candidates; 109,072 ballots (.06%) were cast against the official candidates; and 17 ballots were declared invalid. In the elections for the Soviet of Nations, a total of 200,352,091 ballots (99.95%) were cast in favor of the officially endorsed candidates; 114,102 ballots (.05%) were cast against the official candidates; and 18 ballots were declared invalid. All 750 deputies of the Soviet of the Union were elected; only 749 of the Soviet of Nations were, as the candidate for Dzhambul
Taraz
Taraz , is a city and a center of the Jambyl Province in Kazakhstan. It is located in the south of Kazakhstan, near the border with Kyrgyzstan, on the Talas River...
died before the election and his replacement was elected in a later by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
.
Among the total list of elected members were 527 workers (35.2%) and 242 collective farmers (16.1%). 1,071 (71.4%) were Communist Party of the Soviet Union
Communist Party of the Soviet Union
The Communist Party of the Soviet Union was the only legal, ruling political party in the Soviet Union and one of the largest communist organizations in the world...
members and 428 (28.6%) were non-members. 492 (32.8%) were women. 331 (22%) were younger than 30.
The 1984 elections were the last in the Soviet Union to be held before Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev is a former Soviet statesman, having served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991, and as the last head of state of the USSR, having served from 1988 until its dissolution in 1991...
's policies of perestroika
Perestroika
Perestroika was a political movement within the Communist Party of the Soviet Union during 1980s, widely associated with the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev...
and demokratizatsiya
Demokratizatsiya
Democratisation in the Soviet Union was proposed by General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev in January 1987. He was calling for the infusion of "democratic" elements into the Soviet Union's single-party government. Gorbachev's democratisation meant the introduction of multi-candidate-not...
resulted in partially free, and then free, elections later in the decade. They were also the last elections to the Supreme Soviet; with the following elections, deputies were elected to the Congress of People's Deputies, who then elected a smaller Supreme Soviet from among them.