I am Stas Gorelik, a recent PhD graduate from the George Washington University (Washington, DC). Currently, I work as a senior research analyst at the Center for New Ideas, a Poland-based think tank specializing in Belarusian politics.

My academic research focuses on ostensibly legal and subtle forms of electoral and public opinion manipulation in Russia and other post-Soviet countries. Specifically, I examine how these tactics—and revelations of their use—impact voter behavior.

Within this research agenda, I have studied voter reactions to candidate disqualifications and pro-government election rallies, as well as the electoral performance of clone (namesake) candidates.