1958 Soviet Union legislative election

1958 Soviet Union legislative election

16 March 1958
All 1,378 seats in the Supreme Soviet
First party Second party   Leader Nikita Khrushchev Party CPSU Independent Leader since 13 March 1953 Last election 1050 297 Seats won 1048 330 Seat change 2 33 Percentage 76.1% 23.9%
Chairman of the Council of Ministers before election Nikolai Bulganin CPSU Elected Chairman of the Council of Ministers Nikita Khrushchev CPSU

Elections to the Supreme Soviet were held in the Soviet Union on 16 March 1958.

Electoral system

Candidates had to be nominated by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (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 one in the country.

Voters could 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 or alliance				Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	BKB		Communist Party of the Soviet Union	133,214,652	99.57	563	–2
			Independents			175	+32
Against				580,641	0.43	–	–
Total				133,795,293	100.00	738	+30
Valid votes				133,795,293	100.00
Invalid/blank votes				798	0.00
Total votes				133,796,091	100.00
Registered voters/turnout				133,836,325	99.97
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

Soviet of Nationalities

Party or alliance				Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	BKB		Communist Party of the Soviet Union	133,431,524	99.73	485	0
			Independents			155	+1
Against				363,736	0.27	–	–
Total				133,795,260	100.00	640	+1
Valid votes				133,795,260	100.00
Invalid/blank votes				831	0.00
Total votes				133,796,091	100.00
Registered voters/turnout				133,836,325	99.97
Source: Nohlen & Stöver