The Evolution of Russia’s Electoral Institutions (2018–2024): Historical Dynamics, Institutional Transformation, and Political Effects

The study examines the evolution of Russia’s electoral institutions from 2018 to 2024, understood as the transformation of the procedural, legal, and organizational foundations of elections within a unified electoral cycle. It analyzes changes in voting formats, candidate registration mechanisms, and oversight institutions, as well as their impact on political competition and the legitimation of power. The research covers the 2018 and 2024 presidential elections, the 2020 nationwide vote on constitutional amendments, and the 2021 State Duma elections, allowing for an assessment of the transition from procedural modernization to the consolidation of hybrid forms of popular expression. Particular attention is given to remote electronic voting, multi-day voting, and the «mobile voter» mechanism as instruments for expanding participation while enhancing administrative manageability. Overall, electoral institutions are interpreted not only as a legal framework but also as mechanisms for ensuring stability and the reproduction of the political course. The methodological foundation of the study combines systemic-institutional and comparative approaches, supplemented by an analysis of normative changes and empirical data on voter turnout and election results. Comparative examination of electoral campaigns from 2018 to 2024 allows for the identification of institutional dynamics and trends in the transformation of electoral procedures. The scientific novelty of the research lies in conceptualizing the 2018–2024 electoral cycle as an integrated institutional process in which technological innovations, legal changes, and shifts in political competition collectively shape a new model of elections. It is demonstrated that remote electronic voting, multi-day voting, and the «mobile voter» mechanism function not only as tools of modernization but also as instruments for institutionalizing hybrid forms of participation that enhance the manageability of the electoral process. The study substantiates the conclusion that the system has shifted from competitive mobilization to plebiscitary consolidation, in which increased turnout and support for the authorities coexist with a reduction in viable political alternatives. Overall, elections in Russia retain formal democratic features; however, their role has increasingly shifted toward strengthening legitimation and stabilizing the political system under conditions of intensified regulatory control.