1966 Soviet Union legislative election

Elections to the seventh Supreme Soviet were held in the Soviet Union on 12 June 1966.

1966 Soviet Union legislative election

12 June 1966
All 1,517 seats in the Supreme Soviet
First party Second party   Leader Leonid Brezhnev Party CPSU Independents Leader since 14 October 1964 Seats before 1094 349 Seats won 1141 376 Seat change 47 27 Percentage 75.2% 24.8%
Chairman of the Council of Ministers before election Alexei Kosygin CPSU Elected Chairman of the Council of Ministers Alexei Kosygin CPSU

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 if they wished, 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		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Communist Party of the Soviet Union	143,570,976	99.76	573	–31
	Independents			194	+7
Against		345,643	0.24	–	–
Total		143,916,619	100.00	767	–24
Valid votes		143,916,619	100.00
Invalid/blank votes		412	0.00
Total votes		143,917,031	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		144,000,973	99.94
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

Soviet of Nationalities

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Communist Party of the Soviet Union	143,595,678	99.78	568	+78
	Independents			182	+20
Against		320,972	0.22	–	–
Total		143,916,650	100.00	750	+98
Valid votes		143,916,650	100.00
Invalid/blank votes		381	0.00
Total votes		143,917,031	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		144,000,973	99.94
Source: Nohlen & Stöver