The transformation of socio-political views in terms of the population’s electoral behavior

Electoral behavior remains one of the most popular forms of citizen participation in the political life of the country. However, this problem is generally understudied in Russian sociological science. The study of Russian electoral behavior is particularly relevant in connection with the upcoming beginning of a new political cycle (September 2016 - State Duma election, March 2018 - presidential election). The purpose of the study, the results of which are presented in the present article, is to analyze electoral behavior of citizens of the Northwestern Federal district, in the case of their participation in federal election. He author carried out comparative analysis of electoral behavior in the regions of the Northwestern Federal district in the post-Soviet period. The study uses the comparative and statistical method, methods of analysis and synthesis. A number of conclusions was made during the research. Liberal forces discredited in the public consciousness of Russians in the 1990s, are still not supported by the population. At the same time, the positions of the main left party - the Communist party - are quite firm. The leading position in the population’s political party preferences is occupied by a centrist party “United Russia”, which is explained by the change in socio-political attitudes: the society requires strong government representing stability; in increase in paternalistic attitudes is also observed. The trends identified at the national level and at the level of a federal district, are characteristic of all regions of the Northwestern Federal district. At the same time, there is a certain regional specificity. Thus, the share of people who voting for Yabloko is traditionally higher in Saint-Petersburg (due to a greater number of intellectuals). There is an increase in absenteeism which demonstrates the citizens’ disappointment in the country’s political system and their distrust of its institutions, including the system of election. According to the author, in order to restore the citizens’ trust in the country’s political system, the authorities need to focus first on the socio-economic issues concerning the citizens, rather than on the reformation of the system itself. Future research prospects: the study of peculiarities of participation of the citizens’ of the Northwestern Federal district in regional and municipal election; comparative analysis of electoral behavior of the inhabitants of different federal districts.