№ 4 - 2006
Gavrilov G.A.
Some Particular Features of the Elections in Several-Members Districts

The article tackles analysis of the plural electoral system in several-members districts, as one of the technologies applied by regional leaders for monopolizing political space and ousting minoritarian groups from it. On analyzing particular features of this electoral formula and the experience of its application, the author comes to the conclusion of the illusiveness of any variants of the view that elections arranged in several-members districts, are able to bring an "unpredictable" result. It is demonstrated in the article that in case there is a formed majority on the respective territory, several-members districts are just conducive to increasing predictability of the elections, making it possible not only to lower the probability of passing candidates "undesirable" for the authorities, to the regional legislature, but also to take under control local self-government by "passing" "needed" deputies into local organs. According to the author's conclusion, elections in several-members districts are arranged particularly often at the municipal level exactly for the reason that it is just here that the front of the fight for the monopolization of political space now passes.