Soviet Union legislative election, 1954

Soviet Union legislative election, 1954

14 March 1954

All of seats to the Soviet Supreme Soviet   First party   Leader Nikita Khrushchev Party CPSU Leader since 13 March 1953 Seats won 565 (Soviet of the Union) 485 (Soviet of Nationalities)

Elected General Secretary Nikita Khrushchev CPSU

Elections to the Supreme Soviet were held in the Soviet Union on 14 March 1954.^[1]

Electoral system

Candidates had to be nominated by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) or by a public organisation.^[2] However, all public organisations were controlled by the party and were subservient to a 1931 law that required them to accept party rule.^[2] The CPSU itself remained the only legal one in the country.^[3]

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.^[2] Turnout was required to be over 50% for the election to be valid.^[2]

Candidates

CPSU candidates accounted for around three quarters of the nominees, whilst many of the others were members of Komsomol.^[4]

Results

Party	Soviet of the Union			Soviet of Nationalities
	Votes	%	Seats	Votes	%	Seats
Communist Party of the Soviet Union	120,479,249	99.8	565	120,539,860	99.8	485
Independents			143			154
Against	247,897	0.2	–	187,357	0.2	–
Invalid/blank votes	680	–	–	609	–	–
Total	120,727,826	100	708	120,727,826	100	639
Registered voters/turnout	120,750,816	100	–	120,750,816	100	–
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

References

1. Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1642 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
2. Nohlen & Stöver, p1630
3. Nohlen & Stöver, p1654
4. Nohlen & Stöver, p1631