View source for 2011 Russian legislative election

{{Short description|none}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox election
| country = Russian Federation
| type = parliamentary
| turnout = 60.10% ({{decrease}} 3.61[[percentage point|pp]])
| previous_election = 2007 Russian legislative election
| previous_year = 2007
| next_election = 2016 Russian legislative election
| next_year = 2016
| seats_for_election = All 450 seats in the [[State Duma]] | majority_seats = 226
| election_date = 4 December 2011

| image1 = Vladimir Putin and Elias Jaua, December 2011 (cropped).jpeg
| leader1 = [[Vladimir Putin]]
| party1 = United Russia
| last_election1 =  64.30%, 315 seats
| seats1 = '''238'''
| seat_change1 = {{decrease}}77
| popular_vote1 = '''32,379,135'''
| percentage1 = '''49.32%'''
| swing1 = '''{{decrease}} 14.98[[Percentage point|pp]]'''

| image2 = Gennady Zyuganov (2012-05-01) (cropped).jpg
| leader2 = [[Gennady Zyuganov]]
| party2 = Communist Party of the Russian Federation
| last_election2 =  11.57%, 57 seats
| seats2 = 92
| seat_change2 = {{increase}}35
| popular_vote2 = 12,599,507
| percentage2 = 19.19%
| swing2 = {{increase}}7.62[[Percentage point|pp]]

| image4 = Nikolay Levichev IF 09-2013 (1).jpg
| leader4 = [[Nikolai Levichev]]
| party4 = A Just Russia
| last_election4 =  7.74%, 38 seats
| seats4 = 64
| seat_change4 = {{increase}}26
| popular_vote4 = 8,695,522
| percentage4 = 13.24%
| swing4 = {{increase}} 5.50[[Percentage point|pp]]

| image5 = Wladimir Schirinowski cropped.jpg
| leader5 = [[Vladimir Zhirinovsky]]
| party5 = Liberal Democratic Party of Russia
| last_election5 =  8.14%, 40 seats
| seats5 = 56
| seat_change5 = {{increase}}16
| popular_vote5 = 7,664,570
| percentage5 = 11.67%
| swing5 = {{increase}} 3.53[[Percentage point|pp]]

| map_image = 2011 Russian legislative election map.svg
| map_caption = Results by constituency

| title = [[Chairman of the State Duma|Chairman]]
| before_election = [[Boris Gryzlov]]
| before_party = United Russia
| after_election = [[Sergey Naryshkin]]
| after_party = United Russia
}}

'''Legislative elections''' were held in [[Russia]] on 4 December 2011.<ref>{{cite news |title=Russian political parties to kick off pre-election debates |url=http://en.ria.ru/russia/20111108/168513644.html |agency=[[RIA Novosti]] |date=8 November 2011 |access-date=4 December 2011}}</ref> At stake were the 450 seats in the [[6th State Duma of the Russian Federation|6th]] [[State Duma]], the [[lower house]] of the [[Federal Assembly (Russia)|Federal Assembly]] (the legislature). [[United Russia]] won the elections with 49.32% of the vote, taking 238 seats or 52.88% of the Duma seats.

This result was down from 64.30% of the vote and 70% of the seats in the 2007 elections. 
The [[Communist Party of the Russian Federation]] received 19.19% of the vote and 92 seats, its best result since [[1999 Russian legislative election|1999]], while [[A Just Russia]] received 13.24% and 64 seats, with the [[Liberal Democratic Party of Russia]] getting 56 seats with 11.67% of the vote. [[Yabloko]], [[Patriots of Russia]] and [[Right Cause (political party)|Right Cause]] did not cross the 7% election threshold. The list of parties represented in the parliament did not change.

United Russia lost the [[Two-thirds majority|two-thirds]] constitutional majority it had held prior to the election, but it still won a majority of seats in the Duma, even though it had slightly less than 50% of the popular vote. The Communist Party, Liberal Democratic Party and A Just Russia all gained new seats compared to the previous [[2007 Russian legislative election|2007 elections]].

The election received various assessments from abroad: positive from the [[Commonwealth of Independent States]] observers, mixed from the [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe]] and critical from some [[European Union]] representatives and the [[United States]]. Reports of election fraud and voter discontent with the current government led to [[2011 Russian protests|major protests]] particularly in [[Moscow]] and [[Saint Petersburg]]. The government and United Russia were in their turn supported by rallies of the youth organizations [[Nashi (youth movement)|Nashi]] and [[Young Guard of United Russia]]. Later, the actions of anti-government protesters sparked the fear of a [[colour revolution]] in Russian society, and a number of the [[2011 Russian protests#Anti-Orange protests|"anti-Orange" protests]] were set up<ref>[http://ria.ru/society/20120204/556495673.html Антиоранжевый митинг проходит на Поклонной горе] [[RIAN]] {{in lang|ru}}</ref> (the name alludes to the [[Orange Revolution]] in [[Ukraine]], the most widely known color revolution to Russians) including one on the [[Poklonnaya Hill]] in Moscow, the largest protest action of all the protests so far according to the police.<ref name=interfax-poklonnaya>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |script-title=ru:Путин: На митинге на Поклонной мог быть задействован адмресурс, но только на нем собрать так много людей невозможно |url=https://www.interfax.ru/russia/229319 |agency=Interfax |location=Rosa village |date=4 February 2012 |language=ru |access-date=1 April 2019}}</ref><ref>[http://www.vz.ru/onlinetext/2012/2/4/558902.html Померились цифрами] vz.ru {{in lang|ru}}</ref><ref>[http://www.politonline.ru/comments/10432.html Как митинг на Поклонной собрал около 140 000 человек] politonline.ru {{in lang|ru}}</ref>

The Central Electoral Commission issued a report on 3 February 2012, in which it said that it received a total of 1686 reports on irregularities, of which only 195 (11.5%) were confirmed true after investigation, a third (584) actually contained questions about the unclear points of electoral law, and only 60 complaints claimed falsifications of the elections results.<ref name=Lenta-ninety/> On 4 February 2012 the Investigation Committee of the [[Office of the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation]] announced that the majority of videos allegedly showing falsifications at polling stations were falsified themselves.<ref name=lenta-montage>[http://lenta.ru/news/2012/02/04/montage/ СКР объявил ролики с нарушениями на выборах смонтированными] [[Lenta.ru]] {{in lang|ru}}</ref>

Statistical analysis of poll data have shown [[#Statistics|massive abnormalities]] that most researchers explain by
mass-scale [[electoral fraud]].<ref name=math/><ref name=cambridge/><ref name=shpilkin/><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Enikolopov|first1=Ruben|last2=Korovkin|first2=Vasily|last3=Petrova|first3=Maria|author3-link=Maria Petrova (economist)|last4=Sonin|first4=Konstantin|last5=Zakharov|first5=Alexei|date=8 January 2013|title=Field experiment estimate of electoral fraud in Russian parliamentary elections|journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences|language=en|volume=110|issue=2|pages=448–452|doi=10.1073/pnas.1206770110|issn=0027-8424|pmc=3545790|pmid=23267093|bibcode=2013PNAS..110..448E|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Bader|first1=Max|last2=Ham|first2=Carolien van|date=2015|title=What explains regional variation in election fraud? Evidence from Russia: a research note|journal=Post-Soviet Affairs|volume=31|issue=6|pages=514–528|doi=10.1080/1060586X.2014.969023|s2cid=154548875|issn=1060-586X|url=https://ris.utwente.nl/ws/files/276252005/Bader2015what.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Moser|first1=Robert G.|last2=White|first2=Allison C.|date=2017|title=Does electoral fraud spread? The expansion of electoral manipulation in Russia|journal=Post-Soviet Affairs|volume=33|issue=2|pages=85–99|doi=10.1080/1060586X.2016.1153884|s2cid=54037737|issn=1060-586X}}</ref>

==Electoral system==
The threshold for eligibility to win seats is 7.0 percent. In addition, a party which receives between 5.0 and 6.0 percent will get 1 seat in the Duma and those which receive between 6.0 and 7.0 percent will get 2 seats.<ref>{{in lang|ru}} [http://www.cikrf.ru/law/federal_law/zakon_51/gl11.html FEDERAL LAW ON THE ELECTION OF DEPUTIES OF THE STATE DUMA FEDERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120106093535/http://www.cikrf.ru/law/federal_law/zakon_51/gl11.html |date=6 January 2012 }} –  Article 82.1. Point 2 and 3</ref>

[[File:Bulleten Gosduma 2011.jpg|150px|thumb|right|Ballot to the 2011 State Duma election with list of [[Political parties in Russia|Political parties]].]]

==Political parties==
All seven registered political parties were approved to participate in the elections. Parties which were present in the [[State Duma]] (United Russia, Communist Party, Liberal Democratic Party and A Just Russia) were automatically eligible to participate in the elections. Other parties needed to present at least 150,000 signatures (with a maximum of 5000 signatures per region) to the Central Electoral Commission before 19 October.<ref>{{cite news |script-title=ru:"Яблоко" сдало на проверку в Центризбирком 150 тысяч подписей |url=http://ria.ru/politics/20111017/462206310.html |agency=[[RIA Novosti]] |language=ru |date=17 October 2011 |access-date=4 December 2011}}</ref><ref>[http://www.ncnews.su/2011-10-18/yabloko-sdalo-v-cik-podpisi-dlya-registracii-na-vyborax/ «ЯБЛОКО» сдало в ЦИК подписи для регистрации на выборах] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426041849/http://www.ncnews.su/2011-10-18/yabloko-sdalo-v-cik-podpisi-dlya-registracii-na-vyborax/ |date=26 April 2012 }} –  NSNews</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
! style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|  Ballot<br /> number  
! style="text-align:center;"|  Party
!  style="text-align:center;"| Party leader
!  style="text-align:center"| No. 1 in party list
! style="text-align:center;"|Conventions date<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cikrf.ru/banners/duma_2011/polit_part/info.html|title=Предварительная информация о проведении съездов политических партий по вопросу выдвижения федеральных списков кандидатов на выборы в Государственную Думу Федерального Собрания Российской Федерации шестого созыва|date=8 September 2011|publisher=Electoral Commission|access-date=21 October 2011}}</ref>
!  style="text-align:center"| Ideology
|-
|1 
|style="background: {{party color|A Just Russia}};"| 
|<!--[[File:A Just Russia.svg|border|16px]]--> [[A Just Russia]] 
|[[Nikolai Levichev]]
|[[Sergey Mironov]] 
|24 September 2011
|[[Social democracy]] [[Democratic Socialism]]
|-
|2 
|style="background: {{party color|Liberal Democratic Party of Russia}};"|  
|<!--[[File:Ldpr.png|border|20px]]--> [[Liberal Democratic Party of Russia]]
|[[Vladimir Zhirinovsky]] 
|[[Vladimir Zhirinovsky]] 
|13 September 2011 
|[[Right-wing populism|Right-wing nationalism]] [[Anti-Communism]]
|-
|3 
|style="background: {{party color|Patriots of Russia}};"|  
|<!--[[File:Patriotsofrussia.jpg|border|25px]]--> [[Patriots of Russia]]
|[[Gennady Semigin]]
|[[Gennady Semigin]] 
|10 September 2011
|[[Democratic Socialism]] [[Left-wing Nationalism]]
|-
|4 
|style="background: {{party color|Communist Party of the Russian Federation}};"|  
|<!--[[File:KPRF.svg|border|20px]]--> [[Communist Party of the Russian Federation]]
|[[Gennady Zyuganov]]
|[[Gennady Zyuganov]] 
|24 September 2011
|[[Communism]] / [[Left-wing nationalism]]
|-
|5 
|style="background: {{party color|Yabloko}};"|  
|<!--[[File:Партия Яблоко logo.jpg|border|20px]]-->[[Yabloko]] 
|[[Sergey Mitrokhin]]
|[[Grigory Yavlinsky]]
|10–11 September 2011 
|[[Social liberalism]] [[pro-Europeanism]]
|-
|6 
|style="background: {{party color|United Russia}};"|  
|<!--[[File:United Russia logo.png|border|18px]]--> [[United Russia]]
|[[Vladimir Putin]]
|[[Dmitry Medvedev]] 
|23–24 September 2011
|[[Statism]] / [[Centrism]]
|-
|7 
|style="background: {{party color|Right Cause (political party)}};"|  
|<!--[[File:Правое дело.jpg|border|12px]]--> [[Right Cause (political party)|Right Cause]]
|[[Andrey Dunaev]]
|[[Andrey Dunaev]] 
|20 September 2011
|[[Neoliberalism]] / [[economic liberalism]]
|}

==Campaign==
There was relatively little sign of campaign activity on the ground: few posters, few street [[agitators]], and few people gathering at non-United Russia campaign rallies. [[Candidates debate]]s were often brief and aired at odd times of day (such as 7 a.m. on First Channel) and typically featured strange pairings of parties and not always the top figures on their party lists.

===United Russia===
The main parliamentary party, the ruling United Russia headed by Vladimir Putin (he is not a member of the party, yet he is its leader), went into the next elections with a renewed platform. Putin announced the [[All-Russia People's Front|creation of a pre-election People's Front]] to allow non-party candidates (up to 25%) to win election on the United Russia ticket. At the party conference which nominated Putin to the presidency and Medvedev to head the party list leader, the pre-election program was published, with 8 basic guidelines:<ref>{{cite web |author=Sras.Org |url=http://www.sras.org/united_russia_program_address |title=United Russia: Election Program, 2011 |publisher=Sras.org |access-date=1 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140906085306/http://www.sras.org/united_russia_program_address |archive-date=6 September 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>  
*'''Modernize the economy, the [[Education in Russia|educational system]], and the [[Defense industry of Russia|technical-military industry]]'''.
*'''Fulfill social obligations'''. Raise salaries, [[pension]]s, and increase grants. Combat [[poverty]] and modernize [[public health]] services.
*Eradicate corruption. Achieve [[Transparency in government|transparency]] in bureaucrat's salaries, state purchases, and measures taken by ministries and departments.
*'''Strengthen the [[Judiciary of Russia|judicial system]] on the principles of independence, [[Transparency in government|transparency]], and [[justice]]'''. Make the [[penal code]] more humane on so-called [[economic crime]]s and toughen punishments for violent [[Crime in Russia|crime]], most of for all crimes committed against children and for [[terrorist act]]s.
*'''Support international and interfaith peace.''' Fight against [[illegal immigration|illegal migration]], ethnic crime, and displays of [[Racism in Russia|xenophobia]] and [[separatism]]. Support the free growth of all cultures and all confessional traditions of the peoples of Russia.
*'''Develop a modern political system''' which will allow everyone including the smallest [[social group]]s to be heard and included in state and [[Social policy|social administration]] processes and to be assured that there are no people without rights or protections in the country.
*'''Ensure our internal and external security''' with an effective [[Russian Police|police force]] and a powerful [[Armed Forces of the Russian Federation|Armed Forces]]. Raise the prestige of serving in the army, the [[Russian Navy|navy]], and [[Law enforcement in Russia|law enforcement agencies]].
*'''An independent and rational domestic policy''' ultimately pursues only one goal: to improve the [[welfare]] of the people and to guarantee their [[safety]]. Our integration projects must create new possibilities for development, for citizens and for business. [[Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia|The customs union between Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan]] is working. A united economic space will become a reality starting 1 January of next year, leading to an even deeper degree of integration. And then we will advance even further to the creation of the [[Eurasian Union]].

This program was reportedly constructed from excerpts taken from speeches previously given by Prime Minister Putin and President Medvedev.

United Russia Party Chairman Putin and [[party list]] leader Medvedev did not participate in them at all. Television campaign ads were not frequently aired, and what ads that ran tended to be of strikingly low production value.<ref>[http://www.eurasiareview.com/23122011-putin-machine-sputters-first-impressions-of-2011-duma-election-campaign-analysis/ Euroasian Review, Putin Machine Sputters: First Impressions Of 2011 Duma Election Campaign, Accessed on 3 March 2012]</ref>

===A Just Russia===
A Just Russia (Russian: Spravedlivaya Rossia) hoped that being  "persecuted by the authorities" will give it a more useful oppositional image. The party managed to turn itself into a credible receptacle for anti-United Russia votes through an aggressive campaign attacking the party. While some of its critical ads were blocked, it still managed to air others that blasted official corruption and declared that "swindlers and thieves" (a clear implicit reference to United Russia) were not needed.<ref>ad broadcast on First Channel, 29 November 2011, 07:25, after a debate and before the popular morning pro- gram "Dobroe Utro Rossii."</ref>

===The Communist Party===
In its programme entitled "The majority is destined to win. Return the Motherland stolen from us!", the CPRF promoted a stronger role of the state in the political and social sphere and the [[nationalization]] of mineral resources and other raw materials. It called for a re-appraisal of [[Foreign relations of Russia|Russia's foreign policy]] posture, the creation of a 'Union of Brotherhood' on the territory of the former [[Soviet Union]], a stronger role for the [[United Nations]] and the dissolution of [[NATO]]. The CPRF demanded 'genuine democratisation' of the Russian political system including a stronger role for the [[Federal Assembly of Russia|parliament]], the restoration of regional elections, and the confiscation of property acquired through [[corruption]]. It tasked itself with representing the 'patriotic majority' of the population in the parliament and with making sure that executive power is being exercised for the sake of the common good.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iss.europa.eu/fr/publications/detail-page/article/state-duma-elections-2011-and-the-marginal-role-of-russian-parties-part-2/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120909095022/http://www.iss.europa.eu/fr/publications/detail-page/article/state-duma-elections-2011-and-the-marginal-role-of-russian-parties-part-2/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 September 2012 |title=State Duma elections 2011 and the marginal role of Russian parties. Part 2 |publisher=Iss.europa.eu |access-date=1 April 2012 }}</ref>

===The Liberal Democratic party===
In the run-up to this election, the party had been highlighting the need to defend the interests of ethnic Russians, although it had generally been careful not to cross the line into openly nationalist rhetoric.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15939801 |title=Russia parliament elections: How the parties line up | publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=6 March 2012 |access-date=20 April 2021}}</ref>

==Opinion polls==
[[File:Opinion polling for the 2011 Russian legislative election.svg|thumb|800px|centre| {{columns-list|colwidth=18em|
 {{Legend-line|{{party color|United Russia}} solid 5px|[[United Russia]]}}
 {{Legend-line|{{party color|Communist Party of the Russian Federation}} solid 5px|[[Communist Party of the Russian Federation|CPRF]]}}
 {{Legend-line|{{party color|Liberal Democratic Party of Russia}} solid 5px|[[Liberal Democratic Party of Russia|LDPR]]}}
 {{Legend-line|{{party color|A Just Russia}} solid 5px|[[A Just Russia]]}}
 {{Legend-line|{{party color|Yabloko}} solid 5px|[[Yabloko]]}}
 {{Legend-line|#E0B559 solid 5px|[[Right Cause]]}}
}}]]
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; line-height:14px"
! rowspan="2" style="width:150px;" |Polling firm
! rowspan="2" style="width:200px;" |Fieldwork date
![[United Russia]]
![[Communist Party of the Russian Federation|Communist Party]] 
! style="width:130px;"|[[Liberal Democratic Party of Russia|Liberal Democratic<br /> Party]]
![[A Just Russia]]
![[Yabloko]]
![[Patriots of Russia|Patriots of <br />Russia]]
![[Right Cause (political party)|Right Cause]]
|-
| bgcolor="{{party color|United Russia}}" |
| bgcolor="{{party color|Communist Party of the Russian Federation}}" |
| bgcolor="{{party color|Liberal Democratic Party of Russia}}" |
| bgcolor="{{party color|A Just Russia}}" |
| bgcolor="{{party color|Yabloko}}" |
| bgcolor="{{party color|Patriots of Russia}}" |
| bgcolor="{{party color|Right Cause (political party)}}" |
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[VTSIOM|VCIOM]]<ref>[http://wciom.ru/index.php?id=195&uid=13991 ВЦИОМ: Всероссийский Центр Изучения Общественного Мнения: Информационные материалы] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120419084135/http://wciom.ru/index.php?id=195&uid=13991 |date=19 April 2012 }}. Wciom.ru. 12 November 2010. Retrieved on 7 December 2011.</ref>
| November 2010
| 62.9%|| 11.9%|| 6.9%|| 8.9%|| 3.9%|| 2.8%|| 2.6%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| [[Levada Center|Levada]]<ref>{{in lang|ru}} [http://old.levada.ru/press/2011021806.html Левада-Центр > АРХИВ > ПРЕСС-ВЫПУСКИ] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425083337/http://old.levada.ru/press/2011021806.html |date=25 April 2012 }}. Old.levada.ru (18 February 2011). Retrieved on 7 December 2011.</ref>
| January 2011 
|  57%||  20%||  9%||  6%||  <1%||  <1%|| <1%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| Levada<ref>[http://www.levada.ru/press/2011021806.html Рейтинги партий (февраль 2011)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927101210/http://www.levada.ru/press/2011021806.html |date=27 September 2011 }}. Levada.ru (18 February 2011). Retrieved on 7 December 2011.</ref>
| February 2011 
| 60%|| 16%|| 11%|| 4%|| 1%|| <1%||  <1%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| Levada<ref>{{in lang|ru}} [http://old.levada.ru/press/2011032403.html Левада-Центр > АРХИВ > ПРЕСС-ВЫПУСКИ] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425083344/http://old.levada.ru/press/2011032403.html |date=25 April 2012 }}. Old.levada.ru. 24 March 2011. Retrieved on 7 December 2011.</ref>
| March 2011 
| 57%|| 18%|| 10%|| 7%|| 1%|| <1%||  <1%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| Levada<ref>{{in lang|ru}} [http://old.levada.ru/press/2011042001.html Левада-Центр > АРХИВ > ПРЕСС-ВЫПУСКИ] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425083350/http://old.levada.ru/press/2011042001.html |date=25 April 2012 }}. Old.levada.ru. 20 April 2011. Retrieved on 7 December 2011.</ref>
| April 2011 
| 55%|| 18%|| 12%|| 6%|| 2%|| <1%||  <1%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| VCIOM<ref>[http://wciom.ru/index.php?id=268&uid=111504 ВЦИОМ: Всероссийский Центр Изучения Общественного Мнения: php_pv] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111220145948/http://wciom.ru/index.php?id=268&uid=111504 |date=20 December 2011 }}. Wciom.ru. 7 April 2011. Retrieved on 7 December 2011.</ref>
| April 2011
| 58.7% || 13.6% || 9.1%|| 9.8% || 2.7%|| 1.8%|| 2.9%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| Levada<ref>{{in lang|ru}} [http://old.levada.ru/press/2011051806.html Левада-Центр > АРХИВ > ПРЕСС-ВЫПУСКИ] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425083358/http://old.levada.ru/press/2011051806.html |date=25 April 2012 }}. Old.levada.ru. 18 May 2011. Retrieved on 7 December 2011.</ref>
| May 2011 
| 57%|| 17%|| 14%|| 4%|| 1%|| <1%||  <1%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| Levada<ref>{{in lang|ru}} [http://old.levada.ru/press/2011062904.html Левада-Центр > АРХИВ > ПРЕСС-ВЫПУСКИ] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425083413/http://old.levada.ru/press/2011062904.html |date=25 April 2012 }}. Old.levada.ru. 26 June 2011. Retrieved on 7 December 2011.</ref>
| June 2011 
| 53%|| 17%|| 13%|| 5%|| 1%|| 1%||  2%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| VCIOM<ref>[http://wciom.ru/index.php?id=459&uid=111783 ВЦИОМ: Всероссийский Центр Изучения Общественного Мнения: Пресс-выпуск] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111017121328/http://wciom.ru/index.php?id=459&uid=111783 |date=17 October 2011 }}. Wciom.ru. 20 July 2011. Retrieved on 7 December 2011.</ref>
| June 2011
| 58.3% || 14.7% || 9.8%|| 7.3% || 2.8%|| 1.9%|| 4.1% 
|- style="text-align:center;"
| Levada<ref>{{in lang|ru}} [http://old.levada.ru/press/2011072501.html Левада-Центр > АРХИВ > ПРЕСС-ВЫПУСКИ] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111110153828/http://old.levada.ru/press/2011072501.html |date=10 November 2011 }}. Old.levada.ru. 25 July 2011. Retrieved on 7 December 2011.</ref>
| July 2011 
| 54%|| 18%|| 12%|| 7%|| 2%|| <1%||  2%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| Levada<ref>{{in lang|ru}} [http://old.levada.ru/press/2011082505.html Левада-Центр > АРХИВ > ПРЕСС-ВЫПУСКИ] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425083444/http://old.levada.ru/press/2011082505.html |date=25 April 2012 }}. Old.levada.ru. 25 August 2011 Retrieved on 7 December 2011.</ref>
| August 2011
| 54%|| 18%|| 13%|| 6%|| 1%|| 1%||  3%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| VCIOM<ref>[http://vybory.wciom.ru/index.php?id=566&uid=111908 Пресс-выпуски] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111220145854/http://vybory.wciom.ru/index.php?id=566&uid=111908 |date=20 December 2011 }}. Vybory.wciom.ru. 2 September 2011. Retrieved on 7 December 2011.</ref>
| August 2011
| 55.0% || 16.4% || 10.8%|| 7.1% || 2.5% || 2.1%|| 4.9% 
|- style="text-align:center;"
| Levada<ref name="levada1">[http://www.levada.ru/27-10-2011/oktyabrskie-reitingi-odobreniya-doveriya-i-polozheniya-del-v-strane-elektoralnye-reitingi Октябрьские рейтинги одобрения, доверия и положения дел в стране. Электоральные рейтинги партий] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111203163104/http://www.levada.ru/27-10-2011/oktyabrskie-reitingi-odobreniya-doveriya-i-polozheniya-del-v-strane-elektoralnye-reitingi |date=3 December 2011 }}. Levada.ru (27 October 2011). Retrieved on 7 December 2011.</ref>
| September 2011 
| 57%|| 16%|| 12%|| 6%|| 3%|| 1%||  2%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| Levada<ref name="levada1"/>
| 30 September–<br />2 October 2011 
| 59%|| 18%|| 9%|| 7%|| 1%|| 1%||  2%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| VCIOM<ref>[http://vybory.wciom.ru/index.php?id=566&uid=112052 Пресс-выпуски] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111220132549/http://vybory.wciom.ru/index.php?id=566&uid=112052 |date=20 December 2011 }}. Vybory.wciom.ru. 19 October 2011. Retrieved on 7 December 2011.</ref>
| October 2011
| 53.8% || 17.1% || 11.3%|| 7.9% || 3.3% || 2.0%|| 2.1% 
|- style="text-align:center;"
| Levada<ref name="levada2">[http://www.levada.ru/08-11-2011/reitingi-odobreniya-pervykh-lits-polozheniya-del-v-strane-elektoralnye-predpochteniya Рейтинги одобрения первых лиц, положения дел в стране, электоральные предпочтения] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111210082933/http://www.levada.ru/08-11-2011/reitingi-odobreniya-pervykh-lits-polozheniya-del-v-strane-elektoralnye-predpochteniya |date=10 December 2011 }}. Levada.ru (11 August 2011). Retrieved on 7 December 2011.</ref>
| 21–24 October 2011 
| 60%|| 17%|| 11%|| 5%|| 2%|| <1%||  1%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| Levada<ref name="levada2"/>
| 28 October–<br />1 November 2011 
| 51%|| 20%|| 14%|| 7%|| 4%|| <1%||  1%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| VCIOM<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://vybory.wciom.ru/fileadmin/vybory/prognoz_7-11-2011.pptx |title=(PPTX file). 7 November 2011 |access-date=4 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111221025824/http://vybory.wciom.ru/fileadmin/vybory/prognoz_7-11-2011.pptx |archive-date=21 December 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| 7 November 2011
| 53.3% || 17.4% || 12%|| 8.3% || 3.3% || 1.8%|| 2.2% 
|- style="text-align:center;"
| Levada<ref>[http://www.levada.ru/25-11-2011/noyabrskie-reitingi-odobreniya-i-doveriya-reitingi-partii Ноябрьские рейтинги одобрения и доверия, рейтинги партий] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111128232534/http://www.levada.ru/25-11-2011/noyabrskie-reitingi-odobreniya-i-doveriya-reitingi-partii |date=28 November 2011 }}. Levada.ru (25 November 2011). Retrieved on 7 December 2011.</ref>
| 11 November 2011 
| 53%|| 20%|| 12%|| 9%|| 1%|| <1%||  1%
|- style="text-align:center;"
| VCIOM<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.old.wciom.ru/fileadmin/news/2011/prognoz_23-11-2011.pptx |title=(PPTX file). 23 November 2011 |access-date=4 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140905000214/http://www.old.wciom.ru/fileadmin/news/2011/prognoz_23-11-2011.pptx |archive-date=5 September 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| 19–20 November 2011
| 53.7% || 16.7% || 11.6%|| 10% || 2.9% || 1.6%|| 1.7% 
|}

==Conduct==

===Alleged foreign involvement===
[[File:Pz-elections-2011-sc2-4388.jpg|thumb|right|260px|Election ballots in [[Pereslavl]]]]
In the pre-election campaign period the [[GOLOS Association]] watchdog was the largest organization independent from participating parties that reported on campaign violations. The online service it set up to collect reports recorded 5,300 complaints regarding violations of electoral law.<ref>{{cite news|title=Russians vote in Duma poll seen as referendum on Putin|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16020632|newspaper=[[BBC News]]|date=4 December 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Putin's party lagging in Russian election|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/putin-s-party-lagging-in-russian-election-1.983072|newspaper=[[CBC News]]|date=4 December 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Russia's ruling party wary about polls|url=https://www.usatoday.com/USCP/PNI/NEWS/2011-12-04-PNI1204wir-Russia-Vote_ST_U.htm|newspaper=[[USA Today]]|date=4 December 2011}}</ref> Most of the violations were linked to United Russia and about a third of the complaints were from state employees and students who said they were pressured by their employers/professors to vote for United Russia.<ref>{{cite news|title=Head of Russian Election Watchdog Detained|url=http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2101421,00.html|newspaper=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|date=3 December 2011|access-date=11 December 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111205224240/http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2101421,00.html|archive-date=5 December 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="seattletimes.nwsource.com">{{cite news|title=Head of Russian election watchdog detained|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2016921373_apeurussiaelection.html|newspaper=[[The Seattle Times]]|date=3 December 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Russia's ruling party wary as nation votes; media websites attacked during polls|url=http://english.alarabiya.net/mob/en/180723.html|newspaper=[[Al Arabiya]]|date=4 December 2011|access-date=11 December 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131013110726/http://english.alarabiya.net/mob/en/180723.html|archive-date=13 October 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

On 1 December 2011 prosecutors in [[Moscow]] served GOLOS with papers alleging that the organisation had portrayed an unnamed political party in a bad light. The unnamed party has been identified as being [[United Russia]].{{citation needed|date=December 2011}} On 2 November a Moscow court fined GOLOS 30&nbsp;000 roubles (then about US$1000) for violations of the electoral law of Russia.{{clarify|date=December 2011}}<ref name=lenta2ndDec>[http://lenta.ru/news/2011/12/02/guilty1/ Суд оштрафовал ассоциацию "Голос"] [[Lenta.ru]] {{in lang|ru}}</ref>

On 8 December, the news portal [[Life (news agency, Russia)|Life]] claimed it had received access to 60 Mb of correspondence between GOLOS administration and [[USAID]] (a federal government agency of the [[United States]]), and correspondence between GOLOS administration and its activists. The correspondence showed reports to [[USAID]] on how USAID funds received by GOLOS were spent. Also, the correspondence showed that activists received money for working on{{clarify|date=December 2011}} every report about a violation.<ref>[http://www.lifenews.ru/news/76604 Life News публикует тайную переписку «Голоса» с Госдепом США]. [[LifeNews]]. {{in lang|ru}}</ref>
Earlier, on 2 December, [[NTV (Russia)|NTV]] channel showed an investigative documentary film, "Голос ниоткуда" (''Golos niotkuda'', translated as "Voice from nowhere" or "Vote from nowhere"), accusing GOLOS of making propaganda paid for by foreign money, in particular from the [[United States]].<ref name=lenta2ndDec/>

===Irregularities===
[[File:Плакат единой россии 4 декабря 2011 года.jpg|One of many United Russia posters in St. Petersburg on election day, 4 December 2011|thumb]]
During and after the election international media and local independent websites reported serious irregularities during the election, including [[ballot stuffing]], misuse of state resources, media bias and lack of impartiality by the [[Central Election Commission of Russia|election commission]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Monitors find Russian elections flawed|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/monitors-find-russian-elections-flawed/2011/12/05/gIQAzrhqXO_story.html|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=6 December 2011|author=Kathy Lally|author2=Will Englund}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Election fraud in Russia caught on video: ballot-stuffing, erasable ink and more|url=http://observers.france24.com/content/20111206-russia-election-fraud-caught-video-ballot-stuffing-erasable-ink-putin-protests|newspaper=[[France 24]]|date=6 December 2011|access-date=11 December 2011|archive-date=8 December 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111208215952/http://observers.france24.com/content/20111206-russia-election-fraud-caught-video-ballot-stuffing-erasable-ink-putin-protests|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Violence as Putin party suffers poll setback|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2011/12/2011124173124116260.html|newspaper=[[Al Jazeera English|Al Jazeera]]|date=5 December 2011}}</ref> The Russian state-owned news agency [[RIA Novosti]] reported more than 1,100 official complaints filed of election irregularities across the country, including [[Electoral fraud|vote fraud]], obstruction of observers and illegal campaigning.{{cn|date=March 2023}}

====Reports by participating parties====
Members of the A Just Russia, Yabloko and Communist parties reported that certain voters were shuttled between polling stations, casting several ballots. The Yabloko and Liberal Democratic parties reported that some of their observers had been banned from witnessing the sealing of the ballot boxes and from gathering video footage, and others groundlessly expelled from polling stations.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Schwirtz|first=Michael|author2=David M. Herszenhorn |date=5 December 2011|title=Voters Watch Polls in Russia, and Fraud Is What They See|journal=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/06/world/europe/russian-parliamentary-elections-criticized-by-west.html|access-date=7 December 2011}}</ref>

====Reports by independent groups and observers====
At a number of polling stations throughout the country, observers reported that final results published by the Central Election Commission differed drastically from results recorded by observers, with the "official" numbers sometimes showing the United Russia vote inflated by a factor of two or three.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.gazeta.ru/news/lenta/2011/12/05/n_2123322.shtml|script-title=ru:Наблюдатели заметили расхождение данных протоколов и сайта Мосгоризбиркома: это уже наглость|language=ru}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forbes.ru/sobytiya/vlast/77204-vybory-2011-kollektsiya-narushenii|script-title=ru:Выборы-2011: коллекция нарушений|work=Forbes|date=5 December 2011|access-date=7 December 2011|language=ru}}</ref><ref>[[Julia Ioffe (journalist)|Ioffe, Julia]], [http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2011/12/russian-elections-faking-it.html "Russian Elections: Faking It"], ''The New Yorker'' blogpost, 5 December 2011. Attempting to monitor balloting at polling station #2390, an old school in [[Yasenevo District|Yasenevo]], Russian-borne American journalist Ioffe encountered clear indications of ballot-box stuffing. She saw "neat stacks of ballots, perfectly and evenly folded, that slipped out from between the sea of ballots spilling out of each box as it was cracked open". Another person Ioffe observed first-hand managed to grab a stack of ballots: she "carefully unfolded the ballots, and said, 'They're all for United Russia! Of course! Who else stuffs the ballot boxes?'" Ioffe also noted particularly "the level of anger in the [pro-United Russia] Yasenevo election commission – the sneering, the barking; the scoffing, yelling, and smirking. I left the precinct with shaking hands." Retrieved 6 December 2011.</ref> [[Carousel voting]] was also observed in many areas.

In Moscow, the opposition activist group Citizen Observer estimated that United Russia had stolen 17% of the popular vote from other parties.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://echo.msk.ru/news/836980-echo.html|script-title=ru:По предварительным подсчетам данных проекта "Гражданин-наблюдатель", в Москве "Едина Россия" приписала себе около 17 процентов голосов|language=ru}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://nabludatel.org/content/%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%81-%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BD%D1%84%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%86%D0%B8%D1%8F-7-%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%B1%D1%80%D1%8F-%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B2%D1%8B%D0%B5-%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%B8-%D0%B2%D1%8B%D0%B1%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B2|title=Пресс-конференция 7 декабря – первые итоги выборов|access-date=11 December 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125010333/http://nabludatel.org/content/%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%81-%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BD%D1%84%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%86%D0%B8%D1%8F-7-%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%B1%D1%80%D1%8F-%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B2%D1%8B%D0%B5-%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%B8-%D0%B2%D1%8B%D0%B1%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B2|archive-date=25 January 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In Saint Petersburg, independent activist group Right to Elect ("Право выбора") attempted to register all differences between observers' protocols and the data of the Central Election Commission. They found that comparable shares of differences in votes were in favour not only of the United Russia, but of CPRF and LDPR parties as well (2.68%, 1.49% and 2.67% respectively as of the data on 13 December).<ref>[http://derjivora.org/ Право выбора] {{in lang|ru}}</ref><ref>[http://www.echomsk.spb.ru/news/obschestvo/narusheniya_derjivora.html Данные о нарушениях на избирательных участках Петербурга будут собираться на сайте «Держи вора»] [[Ekho Moskvy]] in [[Saint Petersburg]] {{in lang|ru}}</ref>

====Reports by international observers====
International observers from the [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe]] (OSCE) documented numerous violations of electoral law.<ref>{{cite news|title=Russia election: OSCE sees 'numerous violations'|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16037975|newspaper=[[BBC News]]|date=5 December 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=OSCE says Russian election slanted in favour of Vladimir Putin's party|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/8935338/OSCE-says-Russian-election-slanted-in-favour-of-Vladimir-Putins-party.html|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date=5 December 2011}}</ref> They found that whilst the preparations for the elections were technically well administered, they were marked by a "convergence of the State and the governing party".<ref name=OSCE>{{cite news|title=INTERNATIONAL ELECTION OBSERVATION Russian Federation, State Duma Elections – 4 December 2011 – STATEMENT OF PRELIMINARY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS|url=http://www.osce.org/odihr/85757|newspaper=[[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe]]}}</ref> They said they witnessed "undue interference of state authorities", "partiality of most media" and "lack of independence of the election administration".<ref name=OSCE/> Denying registration to some political parties narrowed political competition, according to the OSCE.<ref name=OSCE/> The OCSE concluded that "This...did not provide the necessary conditions for fair electoral competition."<ref name=OSCE/> However, international observers from the [[Commonwealth of Independent States]] reported that the elections "were held legally and without serious violations."<ref name="kviv post">{{cite web|url=http://www.kyivpost.com/news/russia/detail/118171/|title=CIS observers: Duma elections held legally|date=4 December 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111207193914/http://www.kyivpost.com/news/russia/detail/118171/|archive-date=7 December 2011}}</ref> Yet given government's control over the Central Electoral Commission and the exclusion of many independent observers from participation in monitoring voting and vote tabulation, it is exceedingly difficult to assess the degree of falsification in the election.<ref name="falsification in the election">{{cite web|url=http://www.themontrealreview.com/2009/Russia-Elections-Vladimir-Putin-Democracy-Derailed-Steve-Fish.php |title=Russia's Parliamentary Elections: Democracy Derailed, by M. Steven Fish, The Montreal Review (December, 2011) |publisher=Themontrealreview.com |date=9 December 2011 |access-date=1 April 2012}}</ref>

====Official reaction to the reports on irregularities====
According to [[Vladimir Putin]]'s Press Secretary, [[Dmitry Peskov]], the known accumulated volume of all reports on falsifications affects no more than 0.5% of total votes, and so this could not be a basis to reconsider the results of the elections.<ref name=forbes-peskov>[http://www.forbes.ru/news/77413-peskov-obem-narushenii-na-vyborah-v-gosdumu-ne-prevysil-05-golosov Песков: объем нарушений на выборах в Госдуму не превысил 0,5% голосов] {{in lang|ru}}</ref>

Russia's President [[Dmitry Medvedev]] called for an investigation of all reports on irregularities, but voiced his disagreement with slogans and calls by the protesters on the post-election meetings.<ref name=forbes-peskov/>

[[Yury Chaika]], the [[Prosecutor General of Russia]], said that the data on falsifications will be analyzed, but said also that violations were local and didn't affect the overall result, and that therefore there is no reason to cancel the results of the elections.<ref name=forbes-peskov/>

====Other irregularities====
Various Russian liberal news websites reported experiencing [[denial of service attacks]] on the day of the election.<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/8947840/Russian-protests-live.html ''Russian protests: live''], Telegraph, Retrieved 10 December 2011</ref> United Russia was able to score 99.48% in the [[Chechen Republic]] and got to a lesser degree similar results in the neighbouring republics, a curiosity which was picked up by many international newspapers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-russia-chechnya-elections-idUKTRE7BK1BU20111222 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160201093643/http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-russia-chechnya-elections-idUKTRE7BK1BU20111222 |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 February 2016 |title=Russia's Chechnya: How did Putin's party win 99 percent? |publisher=Reuters |date=22 December 2011 |access-date=3 May 2012}}</ref>

The group's leader Lilya Shibanova was detained for twelve hours at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport on 2 December, and released only after giving her laptop to security personnel there.<ref name="seattletimes.nwsource.com"/>

===Investigation of the reports on irregularities===

====Official reports to the Central Electoral Commission====
The Central Electoral Commission issued a report on 3 February 2012, in which it said that it received the total of 1686 reports on irregularities, of which only 195 (11.5%) were confirmed true after investigation. About a third of reports (584) actually contained questions about the unclear points of electoral law rather than reports of irregularities, and there were only 60 complaints claiming falsifications of the elections results.<ref name=Lenta-ninety>{{cite web|url=http://lenta.ru/news/2012/02/04/ninety/|title=ЦИК признал несостоятельными 90 процентов жалоб на думские выборы}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Type of reports
!Number<ref name=Lenta-ninety/>
|- 
|align="left"| Claims of illegal campaigning || 265
|-
|align="left"| Claims of illegal actions on elections day || 235
|-
|align="left"| Questions about the unclear points of electoral law || 584
|-
|align="left"| Claims of usage of the 'administrative resource' || 110
|-
|align="left"| Claims of falsification of the results || 60
|-
|align="left"| Total reports || 1686
|-
|align="left"| Confirmed reports || 195
|}

====Investigation of videos====
On 4 February 2012 the Investigation Committee of the [[Office of the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation]] announced that the majority of videos allegedly showing falsifications at polling stations were in fact falsified and originally distributed from a single server in [[California]].<ref name=lenta-montage/> However, others (such as GOLOS) pointed out firstly, that 'falsification' was deemed to be 'editing' ('монтаж') – something unavoidable in fitting potentially hours of footage into a short internet clip, and secondly that "the server in California" might actually just be [[YouTube]].<ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/russian/mobile/russia/2012/02/120204_video_fraud_elections.shtml ''СКР ищет авторов "роликов из США" о выборах Думы''], BBC, Retrieved 6 February 2012</ref>

==Results==
United Russia won the elections with a 49.32% share of votes (238 seats; 52.88% of Duma seats), down from 64.30% (70% of seats) in the 2007 elections. The [[Communist Party of the Russian Federation]] received 19.19% (92 seats), while the [[Liberal Democratic Party of Russia]] got 11.67% (56 seats) and [[A Just Russia]] 13.24% (64 seats). Other parties did not cross the 7% election threshold, and the list of parties in the parliament did not change.

United Russia lost its [[Two-thirds majority|two-thirds]] constitutional majority, but still won an [[absolute majority]]. The Communist Party, Liberal Democratic Party and A Just Russia all got a higher level of representation in the parliament compared to the previous [[2007 Russian legislative election|2007 elections]].

{{Election results
|image=[[File:Russian 6th State Duma.svg]]
|party1=[[United Russia]]|votes1=32379135|seats1=238|sc1=–77
|party2=[[Communist Party of the Russian Federation|Communist Party]]|votes2=12599507|seats2=92|sc2=+35
|party3=[[A Just Russia — For Truth|A Just Russia]]|votes3=8695522|seats3=64|sc3=+26
|party4=[[Liberal Democratic Party of Russia|Liberal Democratic Party]]|votes4=7664570|seats4=56|sc4=+16
|party5=[[Yabloko]]|votes5=2252403|seats5=0|sc5=0
|party6=[[Patriots of Russia]]|votes6=639119|seats6=0|sc6=0
|party7=[[Right Cause]]|votes7=392806|seats7=0|sc7=0
|invalid=1033464
|total_sc=0
|electorate=109237780
|source=[https://rg.ru/2011/12/10/duma-itogi-dok.html CEC]
}}

===By region===
[[File:Явка.gif|thumb|Turnout by region]]
[[File:EdinayaRossiya2011.png|thumb|Results for [[United Russia]] by region]]
[[File:KPRF2011.gif|thumb|Results for [[Communist Party of the Russian Federation|CPRF]] by region]]
[[File:03. СР.png|thumb|Results for [[A Just Russia]] by region]]
[[File:LDPR 2011duma.gif|thumb|Results for [[LDPR (political party)|LDPR]] by region]]
[[File:Yabloko2011.gif|thumb|Results for [[Yabloko]] by region]]
[[File:06. Патриоты России.png|thumb|Results for [[Patriots of Russia]] by region]]
[[File:07. Правое дело.png|thumb|Results for [[Right Cause (political party)|Right Cause]] by region]]
[[File:Isporchenny'eByulleteni2011.gif|thumb|Invalid ballots by region]]

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center"
|-
! Region
! Turnout
! [[United Russia|UR]]
! [[Communist Party of the Russian Federation|CPRF]]
! [[A Just Russia|SR]]
! [[LDPR (political party)|LDPR]]
! [[Yabloko]]
! [[Patriots of Russia|PR]]
! [[Right Cause (political party)|RC]]
! Invalid ballots
|-
! 
! 
! style="background-color:{{party color|United Russia}}"|
! style="background-color:{{party color|Communist Party of the Russian Federation}}"|
! style="background-color:{{party color|A Just Russia}}"|
! style="background-color:{{party color|LDPR (political party)}}"|
! style="background-color:{{party color|Yabloko}}"|
! style="background-color:{{party color|Patriots of Russia}}"|
! style="background-color:{{party color|Right Cause (political party)}}"|
! 
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Primorsky Krai}}
| 48.8% || '''33.3%''' || 23.2% || 18.1% || 18.7% || 3.0% || 0.9% || 0.5% || 2.4%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Khabarovsk Krai}}
| 53.0% || '''38.1%''' || 20.5% || 14.1% || 19.8% || 3.7% || 1.4% || 0.7% || 1.7%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Amur Oblast}}
| 53.7% || '''43.5%''' || 19.2% || 10.3% || 21.0% || 1.9% || 1.7% || 0.7% || 1.7%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Sakha Republic}}
| 59.3% || '''49.2%''' || 16.4% || 21.8% || 8.5% || 1.7% || 0.8% || 0.5% || 1.2%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Sakhalin Oblast}}
| 48.7% || '''41.9%''' || 23.4% || 11.8% || 16.0% || 3.4% || 1.2% || 0.7% || 1.6%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Kamchatka Krai}}
| 53.1% || '''45.3%''' || 17.1% || 10.1% || 18.6% || 4.1% || 2.2% || 0.6% || 2.1%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Magadan Oblast}}
| 50.6% || '''41.0%''' || 22.8% || 11.6% || 17.4% || 3.5% || 1.9% || 0.8% || 1.3%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Jewish Autonomous Oblast}}
| 52.0% || '''48.1%''' || 19.8% || 10.5% || 15.7% || 1.9% || 0.9% || 0.5% || 2.5%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Chukotka Autonomous Okrug}}
| 74.2% || '''70.3%''' || 6.7% || 5.4% || 11.2% || 1.7% || 0.9% || 0.7% || 3.1%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Krasnoyarsk Krai}}
| 49.4% || '''36.7%''' || 23.6% || 15.9% || 17.0% || 3.2% || 1.0% || 0.9% || 1.8%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Irkutsk Oblast}}
| 47.2% || '''34.9%''' || 27.8% || 13.4% || 17.3% || 3.4% || 1.2% || 0.6% || 1.4%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Zabaykalsky Krai}}
| 53.6% || '''43.3%''' || 18.6% || 14.1% || 19.2% || 1.7% || 1.1% || 0.5% || 1.5%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Buryatia}}
| 56.7% || '''49.0%''' || 24.3% || 12.6% || 9.5% || 1.9% || 0.8% || 0.4% || 1.5%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Khakassia}}
| 56.2% || '''40.1%''' || 23.6% || 13.7% || 16.0% || 2.7% || 1.6% || 0.6% || 1.6%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Tuva}}
| 83.7% || '''85.3%''' || 3.9% || 6.7% || 2.1% || 0.5% || 0.3% || 0.2% || 1.0%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Novosibirsk Oblast}}
| 56.8% || '''33.8%''' || 30.3% || 12.7% || 15.7% || 4.3% || 1.1% || 0.7% || 1.4%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Kemerovo Oblast}}
| 69.7% || '''64.6%''' || 10.5% || 7.9% || 12.1% || 2.2% || 0.8% || 0.4% || 1.5%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Altai Krai}}
| 51.4% || '''37.2%''' || 24.7% || 16.1% || 16.6% || 2.4% || 0.7% || 0.4% || 1.9%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Omsk Oblast}}
| 55.7% || '''39.6%''' || 25.6% || 13.4% || 14.2% || 3.5% || 1.0% || 0.7% || 1.9%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug}}
| 53.1% || '''41.0%''' || 16.1% || 13.8% || 22.5% || 2.8% || 1.3% || 0.6% || 1.8%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Tyumen Oblast}}
| 53.1% || '''65.1%''' || 11.2% || 6.8% || 12.9% || 1.7% || 0.8% || 0.5% || 1.0%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Tomsk Oblast}}
| 50.5% || '''37.5%''' || 22.4% || 13.4% || 17.8% || 4.7% || 1.3% || 1.0% || 1.9%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug}}
| 75.6% || '''71.7%''' || 6.6% || 4.7% || 13.6% || 1.2% || 0.7% || 0.4% || 1.1%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Altai Republic}}
| 62.8% || '''53.3%''' || 21.5% || 10.3% || 10.6% || 1.5% || 0.8% || 0.5% || 1.3%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Sverdlovsk Oblast}}
| 51.0% || '''32.7%''' || 16.8% || 24.7% || 16.0% || 4.3% || 0.9% || 2.1% || 2.5%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Bashkortostan}}
| 79.3% || '''70.5%''' || 15.6% || 5.5% || 5.2% || 1.2% || 0.5% || 0.4% || 1.0%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Chelyabinsk Oblast}}
| 59.5% || '''49.4%''' || 14.9% || 16.9% || 12.1% || 3.5% || 1.0% || 0.6% || 1.7%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Perm Krai}}
| 48.0% || '''36.3%''' || 21.0% || 16.4% || 17.9% || 4.3% || 1.1% || 0.8% || 2.2%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Orenburg Oblast}}
| 51.2% || '''34.9%''' || 26.2% || 16.8% || 16.9% || 2.4% || 1.0% || 0.4% || 1.4%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Udmurtia}}
| 56.6% || '''45.1%''' || 19.5% || 11.2% || 16.6% || 2.8% || 2.5% || 0.7% || 1.5%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Kurgan Oblast}}
| 56.5% || '''44.4%''' || 19.6% || 14.5% || 16.9% || 2.0% || 0.8% || 0.5% || 1.3%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Tatarstan}}
| 79.5% || '''77.8%''' || 10.6% || 5.3% || 3.5% || 1.1% || 0.4% || 0.4% || 0.9%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Samara Oblast}}
| 52.9% || '''39.1%''' || 23.3% || 14.5% || 15.8% || 3.8% || 1.2% || 0.5% || 2.0%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Saratov Oblast}}
| 67.2% || '''64.9%''' || 13.8% || 10.1% || 7.2% || 1.7% || 0.6% || 0.3% || 1.4%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Volgograd Oblast}}
| 51.8% || '''36.2%''' || 22.9% || 21.3% || 13.3% || 3.3% || 1.1% || 0.6% || 1.4%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Penza Oblast}}
| 64.9% || '''56.3%''' || 19.8% || 8.7% || 10.1% || 2.1% || 0.7% || 0.4% || 1.9%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Ulyanovsk Oblast}}
| 60.4% || '''43.6%''' || 23.1% || 15.6% || 12.6% || 2.3% || 1.0% || 0.5% || 1.4%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Astrakhan Oblast}}
| 55.6% || '''58.1%''' || 14.3% || 15.2% || 8.5% || 1.0% || 0.7% || 0.3% || 1.7%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Kalmykia}}
| 63.2% || '''66.1%''' || 18.4% || 7.2% || 4.0% || 1.4% || 0.6% || 0.7% || 1.6%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Nizhny Novgorod Oblast}}
| 59.2% || '''45.0%''' || 28.5% || 10.5% || 10.6% || 2.8% || 0.8% || 0.5% || 1.3%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Kirov Oblast}}
| 54.1% || '''34.9%''' || 22.7% || 19.8% || 16.7% || 2.7% || 1.2% || 0.6% || 1.5%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Chuvashia}}
| 61.6% || '''43.4%''' || 20.9% || 18.8% || 10.7% || 1.6% || 1.3% || 0.4% || 2.9%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Mordovia}}
| 94.2% || '''91.6%''' || 4.5% || 1.3% || 1.5% || 0.3% || 0.1% || 0.1% || 0.5%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Mari El}}
| 71.3% || '''52.2%''' || 20.7% || 10.6% || 11.7% || 2.0% || 0.9% || 0.6% || 1.3%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Krasnodar Krai}}
| 72.8% || '''56.3%''' || 17.5% || 10.8% || 10.4% || 2.0% || 0.9% || 0.5% || 1.6%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Rostov Oblast}}
| 59.4% || '''50.2%''' || 20.8% || 13.3% || 10.2% || 2.9% || 0.8% || 0.5% || 1.3%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Dagestan}}
| 81.1% || '''82.8%''' || 11.3% || 2.7% || 1.9% || 0.4% || 0.3% || 0.1% || 0.4%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Stavropol Krai}}
| 50.8% || '''49.2%''' || 18.4% || 11.8% || 15.3% || 2.1% || 0.9% || 0.4% || 1.9%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Chechnya}}
| 98.6% || '''99.48%''' || 0.09% || 0.18% || 0.02% || 0.05% || 0.07% || 0.04% || 0.07%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|North Ossetia–Alania}}
| 85.6% || '''67.9%''' || 21.7% || 6.0% || 2.2% || 0.3% || 0.4% || 0.3% || 1.2%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Kabardino-Balkaria}}
| 98.2% || '''81.3%''' || 18.2% || 0.2% || 0.08% || 0.07% || 0.03% || 0.04% || 0.04%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Adygea}}
| 65.9% || '''61.0%''' || 18.2% || 8.5% || 7.8% || 1.8% || 0.9% || 0.5% || 1.4%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Karachay-Cherkessia}}
| 93.2% || '''89.8%''' || 8.8% || 0.5% || 0.3% || 0.1% || 0.1% || 0.1% || 0.2%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Ingushetia}}
| 86.2% || '''91.0%''' || 2.9% || 2.3% || 0.4% || 0.8% || 0.3% || 1.5% || 0.8%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Moscow}}
| 61.7% || '''46.6%''' || 19.3% || 12.1% || 9.4% || 8.5% || 1.3% || 0.8% || 1.7%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Moscow Oblast}}
| 50.7% || '''32.5%''' || 25.9% || 16.0% || 14.4% || 6.1% || 1.3% || 1.0% || 2.8%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Vladimir Oblast}}
| 48.9% || '''38.3%''' || 20.5% || 21.5% || 12.9% || 3.5% || 1.1% || 0.6% || 1.5%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Tula Oblast}}
| 72.8% || '''61.3%''' || 15.1% || 8.5% || 9.2% || 3.5% || 0.8% || 0.4% || 1.2%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Tver Oblast}}
| 53.4% || '''38.4%''' || 23.2% || 19.8% || 11.7% || 3.8% || 1.2% || 0.5% || 1.3%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Yaroslavl Oblast}}
| 55.9% || '''29.0%''' || 24.0% || 22.6% || 15.5% || 4.8% || 1.8% || 0.7% || 1.6%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Bryansk Oblast}}
| 59.9% || '''50.1%''' || 23.3% || 11.2% || 10.6% || 2.0% || 0.9% || 0.4% || 1.4%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Ryazan Oblast}}
| 52.7% || '''39.8%''' || 23.6% || 15.1% || 15.1% || 3.1% || 1.2% || 0.7% || 1.6%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Ivanovo Oblast}}
| 52.9% || '''40.1%''' || 22.5% || 15.6% || 14.8% || 3.5% || 1.2% || 0.8% || 1.5%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Smolensk Oblast}}
| 49.6% || '''36.2%''' || 24.2% || 18.6% || 14.8% || 2.9% || 1.1% || 0.5% || 1.6%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Kaluga Oblast}}
| 57.5% || '''40.5%''' || 21.9% || 15.6% || 14.4% || 4.1% || 1.4% || 0.6% || 1.6%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Oryol Oblast}}
| 64.7% || '''38.9%''' || 32.0% || 11.2% || 12.2% || 2.1% || 0.9% || 0.8% || 1.8%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Kostroma Oblast}}
| 58.6% || '''34.2%''' || 28.0% || 18.0% || 15.4% || 1.8% || 0.9% || 0.4% || 1.3%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Voronezh Oblast}}
| 64.3% || '''49.5%''' || 21.8% || 14.4% || 8.8% || 2.2% || 0.8% || 0.4% || 1.9%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Belgorod Oblast}}
| 75.5% || '''51.2%''' || 22.4% || 11.6% || 9.6% || 2.1% || 1.0% || 0.4% || 1.6%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Kursk Oblast}}
| 54.7% || '''45.7%''' || 20.7% || 14.4% || 13.5% || 2.3% || 1.4% || 0.5% || 1.5%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Lipetsk Oblast}}
| 57.1% || '''40.3%''' || 22.8% || 16.6% || 14.3% || 2.5% || 0.9% || 0.5% || 1.9%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Tambov Oblast}}
| 68.3% || '''66.7%''' || 16.5% || 6.0% || 7.1% || 1.4% || 0.5% || 0.3% || 1.5%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Arkhangelsk Oblast}}
| 49.8% || '''31.9%''' || 20.2% || 22.1% || 18.2% || 4.5% || 1.2% || 0.8% || 1.2%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Vologda Oblast}}
| 56.3% || '''33.4%''' || 16.8% || 27.1% || 15.4% || 3.5% || 1.3% || 0.7% || 1.8%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Komi Republic}}
| 70.5% || '''58.8%''' || 13.5% || 11.5% || 11.9% || 1.5% || 0.9% || 0.6% || 1.3%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Murmansk Oblast}}
| 51.8% || '''32.0%''' || 21.8% || 19.7% || 18.1% || 4.7% || 1.2% || 0.6% || 1.9%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Karelia}}
| 50.2% || '''32.3%''' || 19.3% || 20.6% || 17.9% || 6.2% || 0.9% || 0.9% || 1.9%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Nenets Autonomous Okrug}}
| 48.0% || '''36.0%''' || 24.8% || 15.0% || 17.5% || 2.8% || 1.3% || 1.1% || 1.5%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Saint Petersburg}}
| 54.5% || '''35.4%''' || 15.3% || 23.7% || 10.3% || 11.6% || 1.2% || 0.9% || 1.6%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Leningrad Oblast}}
| 51.8% || '''33.7%''' || 17.3% || 25.1% || 14.7% || 4.9% || 1.2% || 0.6% || 2.5%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Kaliningrad Oblast}}
| 54.6% || '''37.1%''' || 25.5% || 13.3% || 14.1% || 5.5% || 2.2% || 0.7% || 1.6%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Pskov Oblast}}
| 52.9% || '''36.7%''' || 25.1% || 16.4% || 13.9% || 5.1% || 0.9% || 0.5% || 1.4%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Novgorod Oblast}}
| 56.7% || '''35.3%''' || 19.0% || 28.2% || 11.6% || 2.7% || 0.9% || 0.5% || 1.8%
|-
| align="left" | {{flagcountry|Baikonur}}
| 45.9% || '''48.4%''' || 16.3% || 11.9% || 15.6% || 2.9% || 1.3% || 0.6% || 2.8%
|-
! Total
! 92.5% || 49.32% || 11.7% || 7.1% || 7.3% || 7.0% || 0.8% || 0.6% || 1.6%
|}

==Reactions==
*{{flag|Russia}}: [[President of Russia|President]] [[Dmitry Medvedev]] has called for an investigation into the alleged fraud, but played down concerns, stating that "It's time to give the new parliament a chance to work and, of course, to investigate everything that happened."<ref>{{cite news |title=Russian president calls for investigation into alleged fraud in parliamentary elections |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/russian-president-medvedev-in-prague-to-sign-business-deals/2011/12/08/gIQAo1nVeO_story.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111208192110/http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/russian-president-medvedev-in-prague-to-sign-business-deals/2011/12/08/gIQAo1nVeO_story.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=8 December 2011 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=8 December 2011 |access-date=11 December 2011}}</ref>
*{{flag|Russia}}: [[Prime Minister of Russia|Prime Minister]] [[Vladimir Putin]] said that [[Hillary Clinton]] "set the tone for some opposition activists" to act "in accordance with [[colour revolution|a well-known scenario]] and in their own mercenary political interests ... our people do not want the situation in Russia to develop [[Tulip revolution|like it was in Kyrgyzstan]] or [[Orange revolution|not so long ago in Ukraine]]."<ref>[http://premier.gov.ru/events/news/17330/ Председатель Правительства Российской Федерации В.В.Путин провёл заседание Координационного совета Общероссийского народного фронта] Official site of [[Prime Minister of Russia]]. {{in lang|ru}}</ref> He said that "it is unacceptable when foreign money is pumped into election processes" and that Russia's sovereignty should be defended from foreign interference.<ref>{{cite news |title=Russia PM Vladimir Putin accuses US over poll protests |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16084743 |newspaper=[[BBC News]] |date=8 December 2011 |access-date=11 December 2011}}</ref> Putin also claimed that elections in the U. S. are much less liberal than in Russia and less open to independent observers.<ref>[http://premier.gov.ru/events/news/17330/ Председатель Правительства Российской Федерации В.В.Путин провёл заседание Координационного совета Общероссийского народного фронт] {{in lang|ru}}</ref>
*[[Mikhail Gorbachev]], the final [[President of the Soviet Union|Soviet leader]], has called for new elections and stated that the election was slanted in favour of United Russia.<ref>{{cite web|author=Steve Gutterman And Gleb Bryanski |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/europe/6112461/Putin-claims-US-stoked-Russian-protests |title=Russian Elections: Putin claims US stoked protests... |publisher=Stuff.co.nz |date=9 December 2011 |access-date=1 April 2012}}</ref> He has demanded a rerun, stating: "The country's leaders must admit there were numerous falsifications and rigging and the results do not reflect the peoples' will." He added: "I think [Russia's leaders] can only take one decision – annul the results of the election and hold a new one."<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16066061 ''Russia protests: Gorbachev calls for election re-run''], BBC, Retrieved 7 December 2011</ref>
*{{flag|United States}}: [[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]] [[Hillary Clinton]] said on a trip to Vienna that Russia's election was "neither free, nor fair" and that there were "serious concerns" about the fairness of the election.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mohammed |first1=Arshad |last2=Adomaitis |first2=Nerijus |date=6 December 2011 |title=Clinton criticizes Russia vote, Germany urges improvement |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-election-usa/clinton-criticizes-russia-vote-germany-urges-improvement-idUSTRE7B50IE20111206 |work=Reuters |location=Vilnius |access-date=1 April 2019}}</ref> The [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia]] called Clinton's and other U.S. officials' comments "unacceptable", and criticized the American support of "stereotypes" and the "placement of labels" without proper attempts at a serious analysis of the electoral situation in Russia. The Ministry also criticized the [[Elections in the United States|United States' own electoral system]].<ref>[http://lenta.ru/news/2011/12/06/mid/ The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reprimanded Hillary Clinton for her comments on elections] {{in lang|ru}}</ref>

==Aftermath==
{{Main|2011–2013 Russian protests}}
On 4 November 2011, a month before elections, during the annual "[[Russian March]]" event representatives of the nationalist [[Russians (organization)|The Russians]] movement declared a protest action to begin on the election day after polling closes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sova-center.ru/racism-xenophobia/news/counteraction/2011/12/d23168/ |title=В день выборов в Москве была пресечена акция протеста националистов / Декабрь / 2011 / Противодействие расизму и радикальному национализму / Новости / Расизм и ксенофобия / СОВА |publisher=Sova-center.ru |date=23 December 2011 |access-date=1 April 2012}}</ref> As there was no official rally permit, the action was unapproved. It took place on 4 December at 21.00 in Moscow. Spokesman Alexander Belov declared the beginning of the  «Putin, go away!» campaign.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://scilla.ru/content/view/4169/2/ |title=Москва бурлит – Аналитический и новостной сайт информационно-экспертной групы Панорама |publisher=Scilla.ru |access-date=1 April 2012}}</ref> Several hundred people participated in the protest, which resulted in running battles with riot police. The Russians leaders [[Alexander Potkin|Alexander Belov]], [[Dmitry Dyomushkin]], [[George Borovikov]] and dozens of other nationalists were arrested. The head of the banned [[Movement Against Illegal Immigration|DPNI]] organization [[Vladimir Yermolaev]] was detained at a voting station where he was an observer. Also, mass detentions from other public organizations have occurred in Moscow. According to police some 258 persons have been detained.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://newdaynews.ru/moskow/361457.html |title=Русские националисты отказались признать законность выборов в Госдуму / … и призвали граждан создавать собственные органы самоуправления / 04.12.11 / Новый День |date=4 December 2011 |publisher=NewDayNews.Ru |access-date=1 April 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://newdaynews.ru/moskow/361451.html |title=В Москве полиция разогнала сход "Русских" / Лидеры националистов Дмитрий Демушкин и Александр Белов задержаны / 04.12.11 / Новый День |date=4 December 2011 |publisher=NewDayNews.Ru |access-date=1 April 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.svobodanews.ru/archive/ru_news_zone/20111205/17/17.html?id=24411662 |title=Новости – Радио Свобода © 2011 |publisher=Svobodanews.ru |access-date=1 April 2012 |archive-date=19 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219111547/http://www.svobodanews.ru/archive/ru_news_zone/20111205/17/17.html?id=24411662 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On 5 December, up to 8,000 opponents of the government began protesting in Moscow, denouncing Vladimir Putin and his government and what they believed were flawed elections. Protesters argued that the elections had been a sham and demanded that Putin step down, whilst some demanded revolution.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/dec/06/russian-police-troops-moscow-protest?newsfeed=true|work=The Guardian |location=UK| date =6 December 2011| title=Russian police and troops mass for Moscow protest}}</ref><ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16042797 BBC News – Russia election: Hundreds rally against Putin in Moscow]. Bbc.co.uk. 5 December 2011. Retrieved on 7 December 2011.</ref>

On 6 December, 15,000 pro-United Russia activists marched near [[Red Square]] with 2,000 gathering in a different downtown location, while 5,000 people marched in protest at the same time.<ref name=infox/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.ria.ru/russia/20111206/169398093.html|work=RIA Novosti|date=6 December 2011|title=Kremlin supporters gather in Moscow}}</ref> Truckloads of soldiers and police, as well as a water cannon, were deployed ahead of expected anti-government protests. 300 protesters had been arrested in Moscow the night before, along with 120 in St. Petersburg.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3f482224-2011-11e1-8662-00144feabdc0.html|work=Financial Times |date=6 December 2011|title= Troops on Moscow streets as tensions flare}}</ref> During the night of 6 December, at least 600 protesters were reported to be in Triumphalnaya Square chanting slogans against Putin,<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/dec/06/russian-police-troops-moscow-protest?newsfeed=true Russian police and troops clash with protesters in Moscow | World news | guardian.co.uk]. Guardian. 6 December 2011. Retrieved on 7 December 2011.</ref> Meanwhile, anti-government protesters at Revolution Square near the Kremlin clashed with riot police and [[Ministry of Internal Affairs (Russia)|interior ministry]] troops,<ref>[http://www.voanews.com/english/news/Troops-Patrol-Moscow-to-Prevent-Election-Protests-135109338.html Protests over Russian Elections Spread to More Cities | News | English] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111207115443/http://www.voanews.com/english/news/Troops-Patrol-Moscow-to-Prevent-Election-Protests-135109338.html |date=7 December 2011 }}. Voanews.com. 6 December 2011. Retrieved on 7 December 2011.</ref> with the police chasing around 100 away and arresting others.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/8938435/Police-and-protesters-clash-in-Moscow-after-election-protests.html|work=The Daily Telegraph |location=UK|date = 6 December 2011|title = Police and protestors clash in Moscow}}</ref> Protest numbers later reached over 1,000 at Triumphalnaya Square and dozens were arrested, including [[Boris Nemtsov]], an opposition leader and former deputy prime minister,<ref>Clover, Charles. (28 November 2011) [http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3f482224-2011-11e1-8662-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1fmSrn9yS Protesters defy troops on Moscow streets]. FT.com. Retrieved on 7 December 2011.</ref> and [[Alexey Navalny]], a top blogger and activist.<ref name=NYer01>Ioffe, Julia, [http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2011/12/putins-big-mistake.html "Putin's Big Mistake?"], ''The New Yorker'' blogpost, 6 December 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2011.</ref>

The government and United Russia were supported by massive meetings of the youth organizations, such as a 15,000-strong rally of [[Nashi (youth movement)|Nashi]]<ref name=infox>[http://infox.ru/authority/mans/2011/12/06/Miting_Nashih_okazal_print.phtml Митинг "Наших" оказался многочисленнее мероприятия оппозиции] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427082730/http://www.infox.ru/authority/mans/2011/12/06/Miting_Nashih_okazal_print.phtml |date=27 April 2014 }} {{in lang|ru}}</ref> and an 8,000 rally of the [[Young Guard of United Russia|Young Guard]] on 6 December.<ref>[http://www.1tv.ru/news/election/192985 Итогам парламентских выборов были сегодня посвящены многотысячные митинги в центре Москвы] [[Channel One (Russia)|Channel One]] {{in lang|ru}}</ref> On 12 December, the 18th anniversary of the [[Constitution of Russia]], a meeting of pro-Kremlin groups{{who|date=December 2011}} supported Putin and United Russia and celebrated the Constitution.<ref>[http://lenta.ru/news/2011/12/12/manezh/ На Манежной прошел митинг прокремлевских движений] {{in lang|ru}}</ref>

==Analysis==

===Comparison with exit polls and forecasts===
It is not possible to compare exit polls to the numbers reported by the election commission because no nationwide exit polls were conducted outside of the government. The only nationwide exit polls were conducted by the All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion (VTsIOM) – the government-run polling organization controlled by the Labor Ministry. Therefore, there were no independent nationwide exit polls that took place during the elections.

However, United Russia's final result, 49.32%, not only coincided with the Central Election Commission's exit poll figure of 48.5%, but actually fell somewhat below the results of pre-election surveys by the Levada Center, the foremost non-governmental, independent polling and sociological research organization in Russia. Levada Center polls in September–November, listed above, found levels of support for United Russia between 51%<ref name="levada.ru">{{cite web |url=http://www.levada.ru/08-11-2011/reitingi-odobreniya-pervykh-lits-polozheniya-del-v-strane-elektoralnye-predpochteniya |title = Рейтинги одобрения первых лиц, положения дел в стране, электоральные предпочтения {{!}} Левада-Центр  |access-date=10 December 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111210082933/http://www.levada.ru/08-11-2011/reitingi-odobreniya-pervykh-lits-polozheniya-del-v-strane-elektoralnye-predpochteniya |archive-date=10 December 2011  }}</ref> and 60%.<ref name="levada.ru"/>

The Election Commission reported that United Russia was also the leader in Moscow, with 46.5% of the vote. However, one early exit poll indicated that the share of United Russia was only 27%.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.aif.ru/society/news/102856|title=Результаты ЕР по Москве почти вдвое превышают результаты exit poll|language=ru}}</ref> The difference was attributed by some journalists to election fraud.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://svpressa.ru/society/article/50726/|script-title=ru:Сурков – среднему классу: Хватит вопить!|language=ru|date=7 December 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.vedomosti.ru/politics/news/1444489/nash_durdom_golosuet_za|script-title=ru:Наш дурдом голосует "за"|language=ru}}</ref> The organization that provided the 27% figure subsequently withdrew its estimate, citing its low accuracy.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.ru.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=160008084 |title=ФОМ объяснил, почему убрал с сайта exit poll по округам и Москве |access-date=11 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406002130/http://news.ru.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=160008084 |archive-date=6 April 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>Barry, Ellen, and David M. Herszenhorn, [https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/13/world/europe/billionaire-to-oppose-putin-in-russian-presidential-election.html?_r=1&hp "Billionaire and Ex-Minister to Oppose Putin in Russian Presidential Election" (limited no-charge access)], ''The New York Times'', 12 December 2011. The "elections ... were condemned as fraudulent by international and local monitors, and protested by a vehement swath of middle-class Russians". Retrieved 12 December 2011.</ref>

A large number of violations captured on observers' mobile phones suggest that the numbers provided by the election commission were fraudulent. In one report from Moscow, a Yabloko observer captured the pre-filled final tabulation in the regional election commission showing 515 (75.8%) votes for United Russia for his election station No. 6, while the records of the station No. 6 showed mere 128 (18.9%) votes for United Russia.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://vyrodok.livejournal.com/1600.html|script-title=ru:Как все было на самом деле. Избирательный участок №6 г. Москва. Хроника одного дня.|language=ru|date=6 December 2011 }}</ref> This casts more doubts on the legitimacy of the figures of the exit polls and overall votes reported by the government.

===Statistics===
[[File:2011 Duma votes.svg|thumb|right|Critics call attention to the discrepancy of [[Normal distribution|normally distributed]] votes cast for other parties and the sawtooth-shaped distribution of votes cast for United Russia (shown in blue)]]
Analysis by the physicist Sergey Shpilkin published by [[Gazeta.ru]],<ref name=math>{{cite news|url=http://www.gazeta.ru/science/2011/12/10_a_3922390.shtml|script-title=ru:Статистика исследовала выборы|language=ru}}</ref> [[Lenta.Ru]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://lenta.ru/articles/2011/12/06/elections/|script-title=ru:Истина в цифрах: Как математики ищут следы фальсификаций на выборах|language=ru}}</ref> Troitsky Variant<ref name=shpilkin>{{cite web|url=http://trv-science.ru/2011/12/20/ |title=S. Shpilkin "Математика выборов – 2011" (Mathematics of Elections), Troitsky Variant № 94, 20 Dec 2011, pages 2–4 |publisher=Trv-science.ru |date=20 December 2011 |access-date=1 April 2012}}</ref> and with others in [[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire Russia]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://esquire.ru/esquire-issue-72#page=168|script-title=ru:Выбирать не приходится|language=ru|access-date=22 December 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111221213050/http://esquire.ru/esquire-issue-72#page=168|archive-date=21 December 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> reported on several characteristics of the election results which they view as evidence of fraud. Unlike elections in some other countries with a similar [[voting system]]<!-- to appear in http://trv-science.ru/ #25, 2011 -->, voter turnout does not display a [[normal distribution]], and has distinct peaks appearing at multiples of 5%. Voter turnout exhibits a nearly linear relationship with the portion voting for United Russia, thus implying [[ballot stuffing]] in favor of UR. The distribution of percent voting for each party is not close to normal for United Russia either, unlike other parties. Similarly, percentages cast for United Russia have characteristic spikes at the round values of 50%, 60%, 70%, etc. Critics say, such a distribution might be a result of mass-scale fraud when local election commissions struggle to meet a certain objective, e.g. "60% for United Russia".  Similar spikes also occurred in the 2007 Russian elections, and the political scientists Mikhail Myagkov, Peter Ordeshook and researcher Dmitri Shakin wrote that they are "consistent with the hypothesis that turnout numbers were manufactured artificially, with simple rounded numbers entered into official protocols."<ref name=cambridge>{{Cite book
| publisher = Cambridge University Press
| isbn = 978-0-521-76470-4
| last = Myagkov
| first = Mikhail G.
|author2=Peter C. Ordeshook |author3=Dimitri Shakin
 | title = The forensics of election fraud: Russia and Ukraine
| date = 31 May 2009
}}</ref> A team from [[Imperial College]] in [[London]] analysed the results and announced in May 2012 that they too suspected extensive fraud.<ref name="Rigging">{{cite web | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/9275527/Study-shows-Putins-election-victory-doesnt-add-up.html | title=Study shows Putin's election victory doesn't add up | work=Telegraph| access-date=19 May 2012}}</ref>

''The Wall Street Journal'', working with political scientists from the University of Michigan and the University of Chicago, published their own analysis of the election results, and pointed out a number of features which they believe indicate fraud.  They estimate that as many as 14 million of the 65.7 million votes may be fraudulent.<ref>{{Cite news
| last = White
| first = Gregory L.
|author2=Rob Barry
 | title = Russia's Dubious Vote
| work = wsj.com
| date = 28 December 2011
| url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203391104577124540544822220?mod=googlenews_wsj
}}</ref>

An article published in Polit Online<ref name=politonline>{{cite web|url=http://www.politonline.ru/comments/10036.html|script-title=ru:В Леваде не верят в график 'Гаусса против Чурова', а математики его опровергают|language=ru|date=12 December 2011 }}</ref> looked at criticisms of the analysis. The supposition of Gaussian distribution was criticized by sociologist Aleksey Grazhdankin, a deputy director of [[Levada Center]] (top independent non-governmental polling and [[sociological research]] organization in Russia).<ref name=politonline/> Grazhdankin cites regional differences and the existence of the so-called "electoral [[enclave]]s" in Russia, which vote very differently from the surrounding areas, often because the recent rise of the quality of life in such enclaves is associated with the actions of the authorities.<ref name=politonline/> Grazhdankin says he does not believe the graphs with non-Gaussian distributions indicate vote fraud.<ref name=politonline/>
Still, in his comment<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vedomosti.ru/politics/news/1456510/pereschet_golosov|title="Единая Россия" набрала в Москве не более 32% на думских выборах / United Russia (actually) got 32% in Moscow}}</ref> to [[Vedomosti]], Grazhdankin claimed that the most likely explanation to abnormal results observed in Moscow is fraud.
Statistician Mikhail Simkin has also argued that the vote distribution should not be necessarily normal.<ref>{{cite web |author=Mikhail Simkin |url=http://www.significancemagazine.org/details/webexclusive/1435463/US-elections-are-as-non-normal-as-Russian-elections.html |title=US elections are as 'non-normal' as Russian elections – Web Exclusive Article |publisher=Significance Magazine |date=19 January 2012 |access-date=24 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120229144600/http://www.significancemagazine.org/details/webexclusive/1435463/US-elections-are-as-non-normal-as-Russian-elections.html |archive-date=29 February 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[2011–2013 Russian protests]]

== Further reading ==
* {{Cite book |first=Joan |last=DeBardeleben |title=The 2011–12 Russia elections: The next chapter in Russia's post-Communist tradition? |work=Russia after 2012: From Putin to Medvedev to Putin – continuity, change, or revolution? |publisher=Routledge |year=2013 |pages=3–18}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Russian legislative election, 2011}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110628230341/http://wciom.ru/170/ WCIOM]
*[http://fom.ru/ FOM]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20111206030844/http://www.gazeta.ru/maps/elections2011/russia.shtml Maps of election results and turnout]. Infographics from [[Gazeta.ru]].

{{Russian elections}}

[[Category:Legislative elections in Russia]]
[[Category:2011 elections in Russia|Legislative]]
[[Category:2011 elections in Asia|Russia]]
[[Category:2011 elections in Europe|Russia]]
[[Category:Political controversies in Russia]]
[[Category:2011–2013 Russian protests]]
[[Category:December 2011 events in Russia|Legislative]]
[[Category:6th State Duma of the Russian Federation]]