Sakhalin Oblast Duma internally elects a legislative representative to the Federation Council, which is the Upper House of Russia's legislative branch. The executive branch of Sakhalin works closely with the oblast's Duma. The executive branch is also known as the government of Sakhalin and is headed by the Governor, who is the highest ranking person in the oblast. The Governor is not to be confused with the Chairman of the Duma, who is head of the Duma only. Sakhalin Oblast Duma The Sakhalin Oblast Duma is the highest permanent and only legislative body of the Sakhalin Oblast. Together with the executive and judicial
Duma they constituted only a third of the duma. Under the reign of Alexander II, several reforms were enacted during the 1860s and 1870s. These included the creation of local political bodies known as zemstvoes. All owners of houses, tax-paying merchants and workmen are enrolled on lists in a descending order according to their assessed wealth. The total valuation is then divided into three equal parts, representing three groups of electors very unequal in number, each of which elects an equal number of delegates to the municipal duma. The executive is in the hands of an elective mayor and an "uprava",