Born on February 9, 1956, in the city of Tver.

In 1991, he graduated from the Far-Eastern Institute for Social and Political Studies with a degree in theory of socio-political relations; and in 1997, he graduated from the Russian Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Russian Federation with a degree in jurisprudence.

In 1973–1975, he worked as a machinist at the Kalinin Excavator Plant.

In 1975–1977, he served in the Armed Forces of the USSR.

In 1977–1979, he worked as a machinist and a metal caster at the Kalinin Excavator Plant.

In 1979–1987, he worked as a ship-repair machinist at the Okhotsk Shipyard, Master Mechanic and Deputy Director at the Novoye Ustie Fish Factory of the Okhotsk Fish Processing Complex, the Khabarovsk Krai.

In 1987–1988, he was a student at the Khabarovsk Higher Party School.

In 1988–1990, he was Head of the Organization Department of the Oktyabrsky District CPSU Committee of the Jewish Autonomous Region of the Khabarovsk Krai.

In 1990–1992, he was Deputy Chairman of the Oktyabrsky District Soviet of People's Deputies of the Jewish Autonomous Region of the Khabarovsk Krai.

In 1992–1994, he was First Deputy Head of the Administration and Administration Head of the Oktyabrsky District of the Jewish Autonomous Region.

In 1994–2001, he was Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of People's Deputies of the Jewish Autonomous Region, Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of the Jewish Autonomous Region, and since 1996, Member of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Deputy Chairman and First Deputy Chairman of the Council of Federation Committee on Constitutional Legislation and Judicial and Legal Affairs.

From 2001 to March 2007, he was Member of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation for the Jewish Autonomous Region; First Deputy Chairman and Chairman of the Council of Federation Committee on Judicial and Legal Affairs; Member of the Council of Federation Commission on Ways and Means of the Council of Federation’s Constitutional Powers Implementation; and Member of the Council of Federation Commission on Natural Monopolies.

On March 12, 2007, he was appointed Member of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation.

On March 27, 2007 he was elected Deputy Cairman of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation.

At the CEC of Russia he is responsible for such areas of its activity as: coordination of activities to supervise the enforcement of electoral rights of citizens during the preparation and conduct of elections to bodies of state power of the Russian Federation subjects and bodies of local self-government, referenda of the Russian Federation subjects and local referenda; enforcement of the electoral rights of citizens to participate in voting to recall officials elected directly by citizens; and organizing monitoring of the sources, recording and use of the financial resources of electoral funds and referendum funds, audits of financial reports of candidates, electoral associations, initiative groups for holding a referendum, and initiative campaign groups, audits of consolidated financial reports and records of the money contributed to and expended by political parties, and monitoring of the sources and the size of property received by political parties as affiliation and membership fees and donations by citizens and legal entities, and informing citizens about the results of such audits.

Candidate of Sciences (Law); Doctor of Sciences (Political Science); Full Member of the Russian Municipal Academy; Professor at the Academy of Security, Defense and Law Enforcement Problems.

His awards include: the Order of Merit for the Fatherland (4 th Class); the Order of Honor; medals “In Commemoration of the 850 th Anniversary of Moscow” and “In Commemoration of the 1000 th Anniversary of Kazan”; the Order of Prince Daniil (3d Class); the Honorary Badge of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation “For Merit in Developing Parliamentarism”; the Russian Federation Ministry of Justice Medal of Anatoly Koni; the International Public Order “Golden Falcon” – “For the Nobility of Thoughts and Deeds”. He was awarded with a Letter of Commendation from the Government of the Russian Federation and awards on behalf of the Council of Federation, the State Duma and the Government of the Russian Federation.