ВИБОРИ ДО МІСЦЕВИХ РАД У ЗАХІДНИХ ОБЛАСТЯХ УРСР 1947 РОКУ

The features of the first elections to local councils in the western regions of the UkrSSR in the postwar period are highlighted. Attention is paid to the propaganda support of the election campaign, as well as other ideological measures of the regime aimed at the successful conduct of the election. New tactics of local authorities are substantiated, which in order to avoid mass riots have significantly reduced the pressure on voters without forcing them to vote en masse. The required results of the vote were provided to the authorities by officials with unspoken powers, who recorded the required indicators. The increase in the electoral activity of citizens in comparison with the elections to the Supreme Soviets of the USSR (1946) and the UkrSSR (1947) is indicated. It is emphasized that this was a consequence of the establishment of Soviet power in the region, as well as the need for people to integrate into the forces of the imposed political system. At the same time, there was a decrease in interest in election campaigns not only at the public level, but also on the part of the organizers of the process due to the custom nature of the process and pre-determined voting results. In practice, this resulted in numerous mistakes and shortcomings in the work of executive committees and members of polling stations, which further discredited the Soviet electoral system in the eyes of the local population. Emphasis was placed on the further critical attitude of the majority of the population of the western Ukrainian regions to the Soviet-style democracy, which was manifested in overt and covert forms of protest during the preparation and conduct of elections.