Abstract
In the post-Soviet space, the dynamics of the electoral process serve as an indicator of the level of civic engagement and trust in institutions, which is particularly evident in the examples of Kazakhstan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Despite common historical and institutional legacies, these countries demonstrate noticeable differences in voter turnout, the share of protest votes, and media profiles. The objective of the study was to identify and compare the key institutional, media and behavioral determinants of election regimes based on data from the 2015–24 parliamentary and presidential campaigns. A comprehensive application of descriptive statistics, time series analysis, coefficient of variation, multiple regression and content analysis of television news showed that Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are characterized by a high centralization of administrative resources and the dominance of state media (stable at over 85%), Russia has a balanced mix of state and private broadcasting, and Kyrgyzstan has a multiplex and private media environment. The growth of the share of private media correlates with the widening of the turnout spread (<60% →>80%) and the increase in protest votes (up to 12%). To increase the transparency and legitimacy of electoral procedures, it is recommended that independent media monitoring be expanded, barriers for small parties and observers be reduced, and reliable digital voting formats be introduced, taking into account the need to counteract information manipulation.