Honestly, the Russian election that wrapped up in March 2024 felt a lot like a movie where you already knew the ending before the opening credits even finished. But if you were looking for a list of names on that ballot, there actually were four. It wasn't just a one-man show, even if the scoreboard eventually looked like it. Vladimir Putin obviously loomed over the whole thing, but a few other guys from the "systemic opposition" were technically in the mix, trying to grab whatever crumbs of the vote share were left on the table.
Who is running for president in Russia 2024? This was the question on everyone’s mind as the dates approached, especially with names like Boris Nadezhdin being tossed around before the Central Election Commission (CEC) shut that down. When the dust settled, the ballot featured a very specific trio of challengers alongside the incumbent.
The Final Four: Who Was Actually on the Ballot?
By the time the three-day voting period rolled around from March 15 to 17, only four men were officially registered. You had the incumbent, of course, and then three representatives from the political parties that are allowed to exist within the State Duma.
Vladimir Putin ran as an independent this time, which is a bit of a power move. Instead of leaning on the United Russia party, he went the "man of the people" route, though the party still backed him to the hilt. At 71, he was seeking his fifth term. Thanks to those 2020 constitutional tweaks, he’s basically reset his term clock, meaning he could potentially stay in the Kremlin until 2036 if he wants to.
Then there was Nikolai Kharitonov. He’s a veteran from the Communist Party (CPRF). If the name sounds familiar, it's because he actually ran against Putin way back in 2004. He’s 75 now, making him the oldest guy in the race. His platform was exactly what you’d expect: "Let's go back to some Soviet-style social protections." He didn't really attack Putin; he just sorta talked about how the state should handle the economy differently.
Next up, Leonid Slutsky. He took over the Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) after the legendary and loud Vladimir Zhirinovsky passed away. Slutsky is 56 and holds a big seat in the Duma as the head of the Foreign Affairs Committee. His whole vibe was "Zhirinovsky’s work lives on," which basically translates to a very nationalist, pro-military stance that doesn't stray an inch from the Kremlin’s current foreign policy.
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Finally, you had Vladislav Davankov. He was the "young" one at 40, representing the "New People" party. He was probably the most interesting of the challengers because he tried to sound a bit more liberal. He talked about "peace and negotiations," though he was careful to add "on our own terms." He appealed to a younger, urban crowd who wanted something that didn't feel like a relic of the Cold War.
Why Some Big Names Didn't Make It
The list of people who wanted to run is actually more dramatic than the list of people who did. If you follow international news, you probably heard about Boris Nadezhdin. He was the guy who actually gained some real momentum. He ran on a pretty clear anti-war platform, and thousands of Russians stood in the freezing cold to give him their signatures so he could register.
It didn't work. The CEC looked at his signatures and decided about 15% of them were "invalid" or "irregular." Since you’re only allowed a 5% error rate, they kicked him off the ballot. He tried to appeal it to the Supreme Court, but that went nowhere.
And we can't talk about Russian politics without mentioning Alexei Navalny. He was the most famous face of the opposition for years. However, he was already barred from running due to various convictions that his supporters say were totally made up. Sadly, Navalny died in an Arctic prison colony in February 2024, just weeks before the election happened. His death cast a massive shadow over the whole process, leading to the "Noon Against Putin" protests where people showed up to vote at the exact same time as a silent signal of dissent.
The Results: A Record-Breaking Landslide
When the numbers came in, they weren't just big; they were historic for post-Soviet Russia. The Central Election Commission, led by Ella Pamfilova, announced a turnout of 77.49%. That’s a lot of people heading to the polls over those three days.
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Here is how the "Who is running for president in Russia 2024" race actually ended:
- Vladimir Putin: 87.28% (about 76.3 million votes)
- Nikolai Kharitonov: 4.31%
- Vladislav Davankov: 3.85%
- Leonid Slutsky: 3.20%
Putin basically ate the entire pie. Kharitonov came in a distant second, which is pretty standard for the Communists. The real surprise for some was Davankov—he actually beat Slutsky in several major cities and even won at some polling stations abroad, like in Prague or Berlin, where many Russians who left the country after 2022 are now living.
"The results are a clear sign of trust and hope," Putin told his supporters at his campaign headquarters. Meanwhile, leaders in Western countries like the U.S. and Germany called the election "neither free nor fair," pointing to the lack of real competition and the crackdown on independent media.
The Context You Need to Know
This wasn't just a normal vote. It was the first time Russia used electronic voting on a national scale for a presidential race. Critics say this makes fraud way easier to hide because there’s no physical paper trail to audit properly.
Also, the voting happened in areas of Ukraine that Russia has annexed, which the international community (and the UN) says is a massive violation of law. This made the "legitimacy" of the 87% number a huge talking point in global diplomacy.
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Actionable Takeaways for Following Russian Politics
If you're trying to keep up with what happens next, don't just look at the 87%. Look at the small cracks.
Watch the "New People" party. Davankov’s 3.85% might look tiny, but in a system this controlled, his performance in big cities suggests there is a segment of the population—mostly under 40—that is looking for a "softer" version of the current leadership.
Keep an eye on the 2026 legislative elections. Now that the presidential race is over, the focus shifts to the State Duma. The parties that ran against Putin will be fighting to keep their seats, and how the Kremlin manages them will tell us a lot about how much "dissent" they are willing to tolerate.
Monitor foreign policy shifts. With a fresh six-year mandate, Putin has already signaled that he isn't backing down. His inauguration on May 7, 2024, set the stage for a continuation of current policies, but the internal pressure of a wartime economy is something no election result can fully mask.
Stay updated by following independent sources that track Russian regional data, as the "official" numbers often hide fascinating trends in places like Siberia or the Far East where local issues sometimes trump national narratives.