Digitalization of the Electoral Process in Russia: Legal Aspects

Introduction. Digitalization is a distinctive feature of development of the modern society, which implies intensive implementation of the new technologies into the different spheres of life, including the electoral process. In Russia, the development of measures efficiently ensuring the suffrage of the citizens, the improvement of the legal regulation of the electoral process are being carried out for more than thirty years. However, the dynamics of automation and digitalization of the electoral procedures often outrides their theoretical justification and legal comprehension. The works of Russian and foreign authors study the problems of the electoral process digitalization, the electronic forms of manifesting the civic activity and political engagement. A number of researchers consider the ongoing changes to be inevitable and call for a revision of the electoral process basic fundamentals, others propose to limit this process indicating on the impossibility to ensure the absolute information security. The paper aims at analysing the main stages of automation and digitalization of the electoral process in Russia, identify the problems associated with implementation of the new technologies and develop recommendations for the efficient transformation of the electoral system in the context of digitalization.

Materials and Methods. To ensure the relevance and reliability of the obtained results, the general and specific scientific methods of cognition were used in the research: the dialectical method, the method of juridical comparativistics, as well as the content analysis of the regulatory legal acts and historical, systemic, logical and other methods. Various methods of interpreting the legal norms were used to identify the regularities in their application. The content analysis of the regulatory legal acts and the logical method made it possible to identify the electoral process digital transformation features. The method of modeling enabled formulation of the proposals on improving the legislation.

Results. The main stages of automation and digitalization of the electoral process have been studied. Their features and problems have been identified. The need for transformation of the legal regulation, capable of efficient ensuring the suffrage of the citizens in the new conditions, has been substantiated.

Discussion and Conclusion. Based on the results of the research, the recommendations have been developed for efficient legal regulation of the main stages of the electoral process in the context of digitalization. The theoretical conclusions formulated by the authors are proposed to be used for further research and improvement of the current electoral law of the Russian Federation.

1. Berliawsky LG, Makhova AV. Voting Rights in the Digital Age. Yuridicheskaya tekhnika. 2021;(15):478–483. (In Russ.)

2. Gritsenko EV. Securing the Main Guarantees of Electoral Rights in the Conditions of Informatization of the Electoral Procedure. Constitutional and Municipal Law. 2020;(5):41–49. (In Russ.)

3. Kolyushin EI. Legal Issues of Remote Electronic Voting. Constitutional and Municipal Law. 2020;(2):25–30. (In Russ.)

4. Matryonina KYu. Problems of Monitoring Electronic Voting During Elections: Russian and Foreign Experience. Constitutional and Municipal Law. 2016;(1):43–48. (In Russ.)

5. Reut DA. The Right to Power within the Framework of Global Digitization. Electoral Legislation and Practice. 2019;(2):3–7. (In Russ.)

6. Fedorov VI. Electronic voting: Russian and foreign experience. Moscow: Infa-M; 2023. 237 p. (In Russ.)

7. Alvarez RM, Hall TE. Electronic Elections: The Perils and Promises of Digital Democracy. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press; 2008. 256 p.

8. Mitin GN. Experience of an Electronic Poll of Voters in Novomoskovsk (Tula Region) October 12 2008. State Power and Local Self-government. 2008;(11):28–30. (In Russ.)

9. Khudoley DM, Khudoley KM. Electronic Voting in Russia and Abroad. Perm University Herald. Juridical Sciences. 2022;(3(57)):476–503. https://doi.org/10.17072/1995-4190-2022-57-476-503 (In Russ.)

10. Akchurin A.R. Digitalization of the Electoral Process is a Key Vector in the Development of The Institution of Elections in Russia. Grazhdanin. Vybory. Vlast (Citizen, Elections, Power). 2022;(3(25)):120–128. (In Russ.)

11. Gadzhieva AO. Electronic Voters List as a New Element of Digitalizing Electoral Process: Legal and Organizational Basis. Law. Journal of the Higher School of Economics. 2022;(5):44–65. https://doi.org/10.17323/2072-8166.2022.4.44.65 (In Russ.)