2022 Mari El head election

Chairman of the Moscow Oblast Court of Arbitration Alexander Yevstifeyev was appointed Head of Mari El in April 2017, replacing controversial 4-term incumbent Leonid Markelov.[2] Officially an Independent, Yevstifeyev was nominated by United Russia as its head candidate in the following election, which he won with 88.27%, facing little opposition.[3]

Despite a landslide victory in the head election, during Yevtufeyev's term United Russia ratings in the republic had slipped, as the party won only 37.5% of the vote in 2019 legislative election, while CPRF scored 27%.[4] The ruling party suffered further defeats in the 2021 Russian legislative election: Communist incumbent Sergey Kazankov was reelected in Mari El constituency with 50.36%, and CPRF won by party lists with 36.3% to United Russia's 33.4%.[5]

Aleksander Yevstifeyev allegedly took a leave of absence and asked for his resignation in February 2022 due to his lack of interest leading the region for another 5 years.[6] Given United Russia poor performance in the republic, several candidates from opposition parties were considered for Yevstifeyev's replacement, including State Duma member Sergey Kazankov (CPRF)[7] and State Duma Deputy Speaker Vladislav Davankov (New People).[8] On 10 May Aleksandr Yevtifeyev resigned and President Vladimir Putin appointed Prime Minister of Kalmykia Yury Zaitsev as acting Head of Mari El.[9]

Due to the start of Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and subsequent economic sanctions the cancellation and postponement of direct gubernatorial elections was proposed.[10] The measure was even supported by A Just Russia leader Sergey Mironov.[11] Eventually, the postponement never occurred, as on 10 June State Assembly of the Mari El Republic called head election for 11 September 2022.[12]

Until 2022 only political parties could nominate candidates for head election in Mari El, however, in May 2022 Mari El State Assembly passed a law, allowing self-nomination in the head elections.[13] Candidate for Head of Mari El should be a Russian citizen and at least 30 years old. Each candidate in order to be registered is required to collect at least 9% of signatures of members and heads of municipalities.[14] Self-nominating candidates in addition should collect signatures of 1% of registered voters, or 5,320 people.[15] Also gubernatorial candidates present 3 candidacies to the Federation Council and election winner later appoints one of the presented candidates.

All sums are in rubles.

Incumbent Senator Konstantin Kosachev (United Russia) was re-appointed to the Federation Council.[26]

• 2022 Russian gubernatorial elections