In Khakassia, they expect that the election of the head will be held on time even without Sergei Sokol, who dropped out due to illness

Less than a week before the election of the head of Khakassia, one of the two main candidates, nominated by United Russia (ER), State Duma deputy Sergei Sokol, refused to participate in them due to illness. He made a statement about this from a Moscow clinic, where he was hospitalized due to complications in the heart and liver of the consequences of peritonitis. Under these conditions, there are two possible scenarios: if the other candidates do not leave the race, the elections are highly likely to be won by the current head of the republic, Valentin Konovalov, who was nominated by the Communist Party for a second term. If his two remaining rivals (from the Liberal Democratic Party and from the “Communists of Russia”) withdraw from the race and Mr. Konovalov is left alone, then new elections will be scheduled in the next three months. However, technically, Mr. Konovalov’s rivals have almost no time to withdraw their candidacies, and the LDPR candidate has already stated that he is not going to recuse himself.

The post on the refusal of further participation in the gubernatorial race, the candidate for the post of head of Khakassia from the United Russia, Sergey Sokol, posted in his Telegram channel on the morning of September 2nd. “I made a difficult but honest decision to withdraw my candidacy from the election of the head of the republic. The team and family were supportive. I count on your support and understanding. Today I cannot dedicate myself with full dedication to the struggle for the governor’s post,” he addressed the inhabitants of the republic. According to the deputy, the doctors say that in his condition “to get up from the bed – to get even more severe complications.”

As Kommersant previously reported, Mr. Sokol was admitted to the Vishnevsky hospital during a working trip to Moscow on 31 August. He was diagnosed with venous mesenteric thrombosis and acute intestinal obstruction as a result of peritonitis suffered and not treated in July. The politician was placed in the intensive care unit, and Andrei Turchak, secretary of the United Russia General Council, who visited him on the night of September 1, called the condition of the party member difficult.

The Republican Electoral Commission confirmed to Kommersant that they received a statement from Sergei Sokol with a refusal to participate in the elections.

His name will be crossed out by hand from the already printed ballot papers for the election of the head of Khakassia, which will be held from 8 to 10 September. After that, three names will remain in them: the current head of the region Valentin Konovalov (KPRF), the deputy of the Supreme Council (SC) Mikhail Molchanov (LDPR) and the general director of Irbis Aviation Plant LLC Vladimir Grudinin (Communists of Russia).

In this scenario, the communist Konovalov becomes the undisputed favorite of the elections: according to an INSOMAR study conducted on August 30 (an initiative poll of 1,500 residents of Khakassia based on a representative sample, the maximum error is 2.6%), 40% of “electorally active voters” were going to vote for him, and for Sergei Sokol – 41%. “I sincerely wish Sergei Mikhailovich a speedy recovery! I am convinced that after its amendment we will work together in the interests of Khakassia,”— responded the head of the republic on the decision of Sergei Sokol.

At the same time, as Kommersant was explained in the republican election committee, there is a theoretical possibility that the gubernatorial elections in September will not take place at all. This will happen if, for example, at least two more candidates withdraw and the elections turn out to be uncontested.

• However, if self-withdrawal due to compelling circumstances (which include a serious illness of a candidate) is possible no later than a day before the first voting day, then in the usual manner, you can withdraw no later than five days before the start of the elections – that is, in the case of Khakassia, before the expiration of the day on September 2 (the difference with Moscow is +4 hours).
• If the self-withdrawal still occurs, repeated elections will be scheduled, which should take place within three months.

Self-withdrawal was already practiced in Khakassia during the presidential elections in 2018 – however, before the second round (it allows the presence of a single candidate). Then Valentin Konovalov was left alone, but was able to get the necessary number of votes (more than 50% of those who voted) in order for the elections to be recognized as valid.

During the pre-election televised debates that ended at the end of August, the head of the republic called Mikhail Molchanov and Vladimir Grudinin nothing more than “assistants” of Sergei Sokol. But so far, at least one of them rejects the option of self-withdrawal. “Of course not. I won’t shoot, I didn’t go to the polls for this, ”Mr. Molchanov assured Kommersant. The press service of the “Communists of Russia” evaded a direct answer, saying only that if Mr. Grudinin withdraws his candidacy, the party will inform about it.

The Khakass branch of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation also considers the possibility of two candidates leaving the campaign unlikely. “If the candidates from the Liberal Democratic Party and the “Communists of Russia” withdraw, it will be a disaster for their future fate in the next elections, and in these elections to the Armed Forces. Thus, they will confirm the accusations made by Valentin Konovalov, ”Grigory Nazarenko, head of the Communist Party faction in the Armed Forces, told Kommersant.

It is not yet known what actions United Russia will call upon its electorate in the election of the head of Khakassia. “The party does not abandon its program presented by Sokol. The EP team is the team of Khakassia,” Kommersant answered this question in the regional branch of the EP.

Mr. Molchanov, meanwhile, expects that the inhabitants of the republic, who planned to vote for Sergei Sokol, will now support his candidacy.

“I think Valentin Konovalov has a good chance to win in the first round, because the electorate loyal to the government has no candidate left,” says Krasnoyarsk political scientist Alexander Chernyavsky. There are two options for those who were going to vote for Sokol: not going to the polls or spoiling the ballot. But the first option will hit the EP candidates in the elections to the Armed Forces (they will be held simultaneously with the elections of the head of the republic.— “b”), and the second is unlikely to be massive.”

The head of the communications agency Sibmedia Agency, Vasily Damov, believes that if nothing more extraordinary happens in the campaign, then part of the electorate of Sergei Sokol will vote for Valentin Konovalov, because “he is more familiar to her.”

We also note that the name of Sergei Sokol will not be deleted from all the ballots that the voters of Khakassia will receive during the voting on September 8-10. As specified in the regional branch of United Russia, the State Duma deputy remains at the head of the party list in the elections to the Supreme Council of the republic.

Valery Lavsky, Novosibirsk