1950 Soviet Union legislative election

1950 Soviet Union legislative election

12 March 1950
All 1,316 seats in the Supreme Soviet
First party Second party   Leader Joseph Stalin Party VKP(b) Independents Alliance BKB BKB Last election 1,085 seats 254 seats Seats won 1,099 217 Seat change 14 37
Chairman of the Council of Ministers before election Joseph Stalin CPSU Elected Chairman of the Council of Ministers Joseph Stalin CPSU

Postage stamp marking the election

Elections to the Supreme Soviet were held in the Soviet Union on 12 March 1950.

Electoral system

Candidates had to be nominated by the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) (CPSU) or by a public organisation. However, all public organisations were controlled by the party and were subservient to a 1931 law that required them to accept party rule. The CPSU itself remained the only legal party in the country.

Voters could in theory vote against the CPSU candidate, but could only do so by using polling booths, whereas votes for the party could be cast simply by submitting a blank ballot. Turnout was required to be over 50% for the election to be valid.

Candidates

CPSU candidates accounted for around three quarters of the nominees, whilst many of the others were members of Komsomol.

Results

Soviet of the Union

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks)	110,788,377	99.73	580	+4
	Independents			98	–8
Against		300,146	0.27	–	–
Total		111,088,523	100.00	678	–4
Valid votes		111,088,523	100.00
Invalid/blank votes		1,487	0.00
Total votes		111,090,010	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		111,116,373	99.98
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

Soviet of Nationalities

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks)	110,782,009	99.72	519	+10
	Independents			119	–29
Against		306,830	0.28	–	–
Total		111,088,839	100.00	638	–19
Valid votes		111,088,839	100.00
Invalid/blank votes		1,619	0.00
Total votes		111,090,458	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		111,116,373	99.98
Source: Nohlen & Stöver