The 1938 Ukrainian Supreme Soviet elections were held in the Ukrainian SSR on 26 June 1938 to elect deputies to the Supreme Soviet. They were held alongside elections to the Supreme Soviet of the Russian SFSR as well as regular oblast councils and followed the national elections to the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union on 12 December 1937.
These elections were the first phase of deputies' elections to the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR, which were later coopted with others soon after the start of the World War II and annexation of territories neighboring the Soviet Union in Poland and Romania. In 1940, 80 more deputies were elected representing territories of today's Western Ukraine, while in 1941 a third wave of elections added 16 more deputies to the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR representing Bukovina and Budjak. At the same time, the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR lost deputies from the Moldavian ASSR which joined the Supreme Soviet of the newly created union republic of Moldova (Moldavian SSR).
Background.
A new Constitution of the Ukrainian SSR ("Stalin's Constitution") had been adopted in 1937. Previously on 5 December 1936 at the 8th Extraordinary Congress of Soviets of the Soviet Union, there was already adopted the Constitution of the whole Union which became a base for development and adaptation of constitutions of union republics. On resolution of Presidium of the All–Ukrainian Central Executive Committee (AUCEC) of 13 June 1936, there was established the AUCEC Constitutional Commission. By prior decision of Politburo of Central Committee of the Communist Party (Bolsheviks) of Ukraine (CC CP(b)U), the Presidium approved personnel composition of the Constitutional Commission. The developed draft of Constitution of the UkrSSR by the commission was submitted under existing practice to CC CP(b)U, Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) (CC VCP(b)), after which the agreed draft was reviewed by the AUCEC Presidium. After the AUCEC Presidium approved the draft it decided to submit the draft for review to the 16th Extraordinary All-Ukrainian Congress of Soviets.
Coincidentally in 1937 to Ukraine were dispatched three personal representatives of Stalin Vyacheslav Molotov, Nikolai Yezhov, and Nikita Khrushchev. After their arrival in Ukraine were arrested and executed 17 members of government. The chairman of Sovnarkom of the UkrSSR Panas Lyubchenko committed suicide. The CC CP(b)U that was recently elected on 3 June 1937 at the XIII Party's congress was routed, 10 out of 11 members of Politburo along with 4 out of 5 candidate members perished, while all 9 members Orgburo were repressed. In 1937 – 1938 the next two chairmen of Sovnarkom of the UkrSSR Mykhailo Bondarenko and Mykola Marchak were arrested and executed as a Trotskyists.
The first session of the newly elected Supreme Soviet took place on 25-28 July 1938. According to the parliamentary tradition, it was opened by the oldest deputy, professor of Kharkiv University Dmitrii Sintsov. According to Article 26 of the Constitution of the Ukrainian SSR, the session elected the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Mykhailo Burmystenko and his two deputies. The Presidium of the Verkhovna Rada headed by Leonid Korniyets was also elected.
Results.
National background.
Note: the nearest 1939 Soviet Union census across the Ukrainian SSR accounted for the following percentages: Ukrainians – 23667509/30946218 (76.5%), Russians – 4175299/30946218 (13.5%), others – 3103410/30946218 (10%).
Gender background.
Note: the nearest 1939 Soviet Union census across the Ukrainian SSR accounted for the following percentages: women – 16192652/30946218 (52%), men – 14753566/30946218 (48%).
References.
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