Rudneva O.O. Digital transformation of the electoral process in Moscow: new opportunities for citizen participation and risks of political fragmentation. Socio-humanitarian Knowledge. 2026. No. 3. Pp. 294-297.

Текст статьи на сайте журнала URL: https://socgum-journal.ru/upload/iblock/04e/ubsj9eh1s2ulbxdg0dwiyht5hf09anx0/_СГЗ_03_2026_06.pdf (дата обращения 29.04.2026)

Abstract

This article examines, from the ground up, how digital technologies have transformed the voting process in Moscow, Russia's most advanced laboratory for electoral experiments. The goal is simple: to identify the new channels that digital tools have opened for political participation and to assess the associated risk that these same tools could accelerate political fragmentation. Methodologically, the article presents a study of Moscow's electoral practices, using regulatory data, official statistics from the Electoral Commission, and sociological survey data. The analysis highlights a range of tools-the «Mobile Voter» smartphone app (allowing residents to vote with just a few taps), remote electronic voting (REV), and the online services of the Moscow City Electoral Commission-and demonstrates how they are reducing administrative barriers to voting. But there is also a dark side to the coin: growing digital inequality, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and the rise of information bubbles that threaten to fragment the public sphere and undermine trust in society. Who is winning, and who is being left behind? The conclusion is cautious rather than enthusiastic: digitalization mitigates many technical barriers to participation, but at the same time creates new challenges for the integrity of political community and democratic representation. In practice, the study offers targeted recommendations to government agencies and electoral commissions on balancing technological promise with socio-political risks-a task that will require not only software but also common sense.