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.Gubernatorial elections — 1996, politika.su
Results First half of the year Federal subject Incumbent Incumbentsince Election day Candidates Result Tatarstan (snap election) Mintimer Shaymiyev 1991 24 March Mintimer Shaymiyev 97.14%(ran unopposed) Incumbent re-elected.Saint PetersburgAnatoly Sobchak 1991 19 May (first round) Incumbent lost re-election.New governor elected. 2 June (runoff) Moscow Yury Luzhkov 1992 16 June Incumbent elected to full term.
September–November Federal subject Incumbent Incumbentsince Election day Candidates Result Saratov Oblast Dmitry Ayatskov 1996 1 September Incumbent elected to full term. Amur Oblast Yury Lyashko 1996 22 September Election results annulled.Revote called for 23 March 1997 (see 1997 elections). Leningrad Oblast Aleksandr Belyakov 1991 29 September Incumbent lost election.New governor elected. Rostov Oblast Vladimir Chub 1991 29 September Incumbent elected to full term. Vologda Oblast Vyacheslav Pozgalyov 1996 6 October Incumbent elected to full term.Kaliningrad Oblast Yuri Matochkin 1991 6 October (first round) Incumbent lost election.New governor elected. 20 October (runoff)Kirov Oblast 1991 6 October (first round) Incumbent lost election.New governor elected. 20 October (runoff) Yamalo-Nenets AO 1994 13 October Incumbent elected to full term. Kursk Oblast Vasily Shuteyev 1991 20 October Incumbent lost election.New governor elected.Pskov Oblast Vladislav Tumanov 1992 20 October (first round) Incumbent lost election.New governor elected. 3 November (runoff) Sakhalin Oblast Igor Farkhutdinov 1995 20 October Incumbent elected to full term. Jewish AO Nikolay Volkov 1991 20 October Incumbent elected to full term. Krasnodar Krai Nikolai Yegorov 1996 27 October Election results annulled.Revote called for 22 December 1996 (see below).Stavropol Krai Pyotr Marchenko 1995 27 October (first round) Incumbent lost election.New governor elected. 17 November (runoff)Kaluga Oblast Oleg Savchenko 1996 27 October (first round) Incumbent lost election.New governor elected. 9 November (runoff) Chita Oblast Ravil Geniatulin 1996 27 October Incumbent elected to full term. Agin-Buryat AO Bolot Ayushiyev 1996 27 October Election results annulled.Revote called for 23 February 1997 (see 1997 elections). Khanty-Mansi AO Alexander Filipenko 1991 27 October Incumbent elected to full term. Magadan Oblast Viktor Mikhailov 1991 3 November Incumbent lost election.New governor elected.Altai Krai Lev Korshunov 1994 17 November (first round) Incumbent lost election.New governor elected. 1 December (runoff)Kamchatka Oblast Vladimir Biryukov 1991 17 November (first round) Incumbent elected to full term. 1 December (runoff)Murmansk Oblast Yevgeny Komarov 1991 17 November (first round) Incumbent lost election.New governor elected. 1 December (runoff) Komi-Permyak AO Nikolay Poluyanov 1991 17 November Incumbent elected to full term. Koryak AO 1991 17 November Incumbent lost election.New governor elected. Ust-Orda Buryat AO 1991 17 November Incumbent lost election.New governor elected.Independent gain.Kurgan Oblast 1995 24 November (first round) Incumbent lost election.New governor elected. 8 December (runoff)
December Federal subject Incumbent Incumbentsince Election day Candidates ResultKhakassia Yevgeny Smirnov 1992 1 December (first round) Incumbent lost election.New premier elected. 22 December (runoff) Ivanovo Oblast Vladislav Tikhomirov 1996 1 December Incumbent elected to full term. Samara Oblast Konstantin Titov 1991 1 December Incumbent elected to full term.Nenets AO Vladimir Khabarov 1996 1 December (first round) Incumbent lost election.New governor elected. 13 December (runoff) Khabarovsk Krai Viktor Ishayev 1991 8 December Incumbent elected to full term.Arkhangelsk Oblast Anatoly Yefremov 1996 8 December (first round) Incumbent elected to full term. 22 December (runoff) Astrakhan Oblast Anatoly Guzhvin 1991 8 December Incumbent elected to full term. Bryansk Oblast Aleksandr Semernyov 1996 8 December Incumbent lost election.New governor elected. Vladimir Oblast Yury Vlasov 1991 8 December Incumbent lost election.New governor elected. Voronezh Oblast Aleksandr Tsapin 1996 8 December Incumbent lost election.New governor elected.Kostroma Oblast Valery Arbuzov 1991 8 December (first round) Incumbent lost election.New governor elected. 22 December (runoff)Perm Oblast Gennady Igumnov 1996 8 December (first round) Incumbent elected to full term. 22 December (runoff)Ryazan Oblast Igor Ivlev 1996 8 December (first round) Incumbent lost election.New governor elected. 22 December (runoff)Mari ElVladislav Zotin 1991 22 December (first round) Incumbent lost re-election.New president elected. 4 January 1997 (runoff) Sakha (Yakutia) Mikhail Nikolayev 1991 22 December Incumbent re-elected. Krasnodar Krai(revote) Nikolai Yegorov 1996 22 December Incumbent lost election.New governor elected.Volgograd Oblast Ivan Shabunin 1991 22 December (first round) Incumbent lost election.New governor elected. 29 December (runoff)Tyumen Oblast Leonid Roketsky 1993 22 December (first round) Incumbent elected to full term. 12 January 1997 (runoff) Ulyanovsk Oblast Yury Goryachev 1992 22 December Incumbent elected to full term. Chelyabinsk Oblast Vadim Solovyov 1991 22 December Incumbent lost election.New governor elected. Taymyr AO Gennady Nedelin 1991 22 December Incumbent elected to full term. Chukotka AO Aleksandr Nazarov 1991 22 December Incumbent elected to full term. Evenk AO Anatoly Yakimov 1991 22 December Election results annulled.Revote called for 23 March 1997 (see 1997 elections).
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