<P> The first primaries in the history of Russia were held in May 2000 in St. Petersburg, the local branches of the parties Yabloko and the Union of Right Forces, who before the Gubernatorial election offered citizens to choose a single candidate from the democratic opposition . </P> <P> In 2007, before the parliamentary elections, United Russia held primaries in several regions . However, its results were not sufficiently taken into account when nominating candidates from the party . For example, the congress of United Russia included in the regional party list in the Samara region not the winners of the primaries, but those who did not even participate in the primaries . </P> <P> In the same year 2007, A Just Russia held the primaries to determine the candidate for the Gubernatorial election in Altai Krai . Anyone could vote for them, for which special items were opened . However, in the future, A Just Russia did not begin to pursue the primaries . </P> <P> In 2011, United Russia, together with the All - Russian People's Front, held primaries for the nomination of candidates for the parlmentary election . This vote was called the "All - People's Primaries", but in fact it was not . Candidates for the primaries were selected by special committees . Not even all party members had the right to vote, but only about 200,000 specially selected electors . In addition, the results of voting on the primaries were in most cases ignored . Of the 80 lists of regional groups of candidates for the State Duma, nominated by the congress of United Russia, only 8 lists coincided with the lists of winners of the primaries . All the same, the event played a role in the elimination of candidates: there were cases when the current deputies of the State Duma, having seen that they did not enjoy the support of electors, withdrew their candidacies . </P>

Perhaps the most significant fact about primary elections in congressional politics today is