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  From the speech of Comrade Kalinin. February 27, 1937

 Source: Questions of History, 1993, No. 6, pp. 16-18

Andreev. Comrade Kalinin has the floor. [The text of M. I. Kalinin's speech is given according to an uncorrected shorthand record. The edit was made by the author only in the text enclosed between * *.]

Kali's.

* Comrades, we are discussing the question of how Party organizations should prepare for the elections. And Comrade Eikhe here says that, they say, it would be necessary to have an electoral law as soon as possible. Meanwhile, everyone knows that the electoral law will be discussed at the session of the CEC of the Union, the draft law is being prepared. But the electoral law concerns elections only to the Supreme Council of the Union. (Eikhe. Here we are asking you to involve us in this matter.) I think that Comrade Eikhe is wrong in thinking that the electoral law will give him complete guidance in preparing for the elections. After all, the Constitution of the RSFSR gives you everything*.

It only does not give an answer to the question whether the districts will be within the republic or within the region. (Mirzoyan. Can there be one candidate per constituency or will 2-3 nominations be allowed?). I'm talking about the fact that the draft plans that the districts will be limited to the boundaries of the region, that is, the districts will not go beyond the region. But this is only foreseen. The draft will be submitted to the session, where it will be considered and possibly subject to changes. But it must be assumed that the districts will be within the region. So if Party organizations are preparing for the elections to the Supreme Soviet, they are obliged to designate constituencies for themselves. (Lyubchenko. What will happen within the region?) Districts. I have already said that districts do not go beyond the boundaries of the region. Do you understand this or not? (Voices from the seats. I see! Lyubchenko. Could there be several of them?) Not only can, but there should be several,

Will there be a vote for the entire region with one list? If there are 6 districts in an area, so will that area vote with one list for all those districts? It will not happen. The new electoral law assumes that this will be in only one constituency. Each candidate is nominated by only one constituency and is voted separately in that constituency. In other words, the French electoral system. (Postyshev. That's clear now, there are many French here. Cheerful animation in the hall.) There is a lot of controversy on this issue. Of course, it would be more convenient if in each region or in the small republics of the Union there was voting according to one list. But it won't work. Accordingly, it is assumed that candidates will vote in only one constituency. (Kosior. This is a very important thing.)

Comrades, you yourselves understand that, by decision of the Congress, we must introduce our electoral law into the session. Therefore, when you say why the electoral law is not ready... (Kosior. We do not say this.) Here Eikhe says. (Kosior. Why are you nodding at us? Voice from a place. Mikhail Ivanovich does not like self-criticism. Cheerful animation in the hall.) No, on the contrary, I am very much in favor of self-criticism. (Voices from the seats. Right, right!) If I didn't like self-criticism, I wouldn't speak from this podium. It is correct that the comrades are talking about preparations for the elections. This preparation is expressed in carrying out work along the Soviet line: dividing the territory of each region into districts, creating a center that will direct the election campaign in the district, and reinforcing this center with the Party. (Voice from a place. What, what?) I say that, for example, your Kremenchug will be an electoral district, the center of an electoral district. Apparently, in most cases, the constituency center will be a large city, but there are places where the constituency will be in a non-industrial area. You yourself understand that it is difficult for comrades from the district center to direct an election campaign in a large district. (Eikhe. This is what I was talking about.) Do not think, comrade Eikhe, that work in this direction is not progressing. We have a number of projects, proposals from the localities on preparations for the election campaign. that it is difficult for comrades from the district center to direct the election campaign in a large constituency. (Eikhe. This is what I was talking about.) Do not think, comrade Eikhe, that work in this direction is not progressing. We have a number of projects, proposals from the localities on preparations for the election campaign. that it is difficult for comrades from the district center to direct the election campaign in a large constituency. (Eikhe. This is what I was talking about.) Do not think, comrade Eikhe, that work in this direction is not progressing. We have a number of projects, proposals from the localities on preparations for the election campaign.

In addition to this, you have even more work to do - you will make the okrugs allied, you should also have okrugs of the RSFSR. They are smaller than the union districts. You will have to combine union districts with republican districts: we have 200,000, they have 300,000. This is a big difficult geographical work. But this work is not only a geographical work, but also a political one. This means that it is necessary to do so in order to make these districts where the Party organization is stronger. The territory must be taken into account, but the party organization must also be taken into account. This preparation for the elections, it has an organizational and technical character, but at the same time it is deep party work. Therefore, I believe that the preparation for the elections, organizational and technical preparation should be associated with deep political work. I have to say directly that it depends on you to fill this outwardly technical work with political content. This is a big job. I believe that this is a lot of work on the elections, it will be even more difficult on the ground. (Kosior. That's right.) There's a surprise in the constituency - this will be a particular for the general elections. (Kosior. Derived from local). Derivative. But the elections are already in the districts, where individual voting directly is of great importance. (Kosior. Polling stations are needed). Our polling stations are supposed to be 2,000 people. there goes a long way individual voting itself. (Kosior. Polling stations are needed). Our polling stations are supposed to be 2,000 people. there goes a long way individual voting itself. (Kosior. Polling stations are needed). Our polling stations are supposed to be 2,000 people.

I'm telling you that all these issues will be resolved when the project is discussed, then you will speak. There is no reason to publish the project earlier. The draft will obviously be discussed at the session, and then you will make your own amendments. (Budyonny. And if we send it out earlier?) But how are we going to send out an unapproved draft? (Eikhe. Only to party organizations). It's possible. (Postyshev. It will not be harmful). If Eikhe, Postyshev and others want to receive a project, they will always receive it. We distributed so many unapproved Constitutions in copies, and yet we only have one Constitution approved - the Yakut one. So you can always get all the material. All this can be distributed. (Beria. We must send it out. Lyubchenko. And in a timely manner.)

All this can be sent out, but I tell you that this is not help - the Constitution of the RSFSR is one thing, and the Constitution of the Ukrainian Republic is another. There will be a scheme of city councils, district councils. In our electoral law there will not be an exact listing, there will be a scheme. Only Leningrad and Moscow will be singled out, since these cities are distinguished by their size, in these cities we will reduce the number of deputies, increase the number of people from whom the deputy comes, and you will do everything else on the spot. Therefore, I believe that the preparation for the elections is not only organizational and technical, but also purely political. Do you have the capacity for this training? Here Eikhe came here and wanted to dump: there is no electoral law. (Eikhe. This is a clamp, Mikhail Ivanovich.) Of course, I am clamping you. I believe that you have every opportunity to be fully prepared.

We had council elections. We had a large number of inquiries - can we re-elect district executive committees during elections to councils, etc. I told them: comrades, how are you addressing me, refer to the old Constitution, it gives you every right, but I am endlessly asked. I turned to the Central Committee, they told me there that there is an old Constitution, that is, what I had told my comrades earlier. After all, what does the new Constitution say? That leadership, power must be guided by laws. It seems to me that this is one of the main tasks of the local organs of power, and especially of party organizations, in the preparation of the elections—I repeat my thought again—now we must not delay, but engage in organizational and technical preparation and pour political content into this organizational and technical preparation. It will be a big job that will give great results.