Siberia in the legislation on the election to the State duma (early 20 century)

The article studies the evolution of Russian legislation on election to the State Duma in the beginning of the twentieth century. The electoral Regulation of August 6, 1905, which set the rules for the election to the State Duma, was an integral electoral law for 50 provinces and one region. Speaking about the periphery, including Siberia, it may be noted that the first Duma electoral law was a set of documents and bills from the Regulation of August 6, 1995 to the specific Rules of its implementation in a certain province, region, or group of provinces. The famous Decree of Nicholas the Second "On the change of Regulation on the election to the State Duma" and the bills passed together with it ("Regulation on The Election", "Regulation on the implementation", "The Decree of December, 11, 1905") altogether formed the first electoral law, which served as the legal basis for the election to the First and Second State Duma in Siberia and Steppe Region. While for the majority of the European provinces of Russia "The Regulation on Election." of August 6, 1905 and "The Decree of December 11, 1905" were in combination the second electoral law on the election to the State Duma. The article reveals key features of the legal framework of the electoral process of the Third and Fourth Duma in various districts of Siberia. The Regulation on the elections to the State Duma of June 3, 1907 should be regarded as an integral legislative act not only for the provinces of European territories of Russia, but also for 2 Siberian regions: Tobolsk and Tomsk provinces. Such regions as Yenisei, Irkutsk province and Zabaykalsk region had very specific legal framework for the election of the Third and Fourth Duma. In those regions some elements of the previous electoral law remained in full force, although they have been changed for the provinces of European territories and West Siberia. Consequently, three electoral laws could be found for the European territories of Russia, while for Siberia they are only two. Thus, there was no single and universal legal framework for elections to the State Duma with the electoral law of June 3, 1907. Such an approach was chosen by the government intentionally. The further development of Russian electoral legislation for the elections to the State Duma strengthened the government's idea that in any important political matter the Eastern territories of Empire should be regarded as independent objects of central policy.

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