2024 Vologda Oblast gubernatorial election

The 2024 Vologda Oblast gubernatorial election will take place on 6–8 September 2024, on common election day. Acting Governor Georgy Filimonov is running to a full term in office.

Background
Then-Cherepovets mayor Oleg Kuvshinnikov was appointed acting Governor of Vologda Oblast and was later elected by the Legislative Assembly of Vologda Oblast in December 2011, replacing four-term incumbent Governor Vyacheslav Pozgalyov. Kuvshinnikov resigned early in May 2014 and ran in the special gubernatorial election in September 2014 winning it with 62.98% of the vote. Kuvshinnikov ran for a third term in 2019 and won with 60.79% of the vote.

On 31 October 2023 Oleg Kuvshinnikov unexpectedly announced his resignation nearly a year ahead of the gubernatorial election. Deputy Chairman of the Moscow Oblast Government Georgy Filimonov was appointed acting Governor of Vologda Oblast the same day. In November 2023 Filimonov appointed his predecessor, Oleg Kuvshinnikov, to the Federation Council after incumbent Senator Olga Danilova, whom Kuvshinnikov himself appointed just 44 days ago, stepped down.

In January 2024 Legislative Assembly of Vologda Oblast changed the electoral law, allowing gubernatorial candidates run as a self-nominated. Later acting Governor Filimonov announced that he was not planning to join any political party and would run in the upcoming gubernatorial election as an Independent. However, on May 24, 2024 Senator Andrey Turchak, the secretary general of United Russia, visited Vologda and personally handed over a party card to Governor Filimonov, who joined the party and announced his intention to run under its ticket.

Candidates
In Vologda Oblast candidates for Governor can be nominated by registered political parties or by self-nomination. Candidate for Governor of Vologda Oblast should be a Russian citizen and at least 30 years old. Candidates for Governor should not have a foreign citizenship or residence permit. Each candidate in order to be registered is required to collect at least 7% of signatures of members and heads of municipalities. In addition, self-nominated candidates should collect 1% of signatures of Vologda Oblast residents. Also gubernatorial candidates present 3 candidacies to the Federation Council and election winner later appoints one of the presented candidates.

Declined

 * Vladislav Zvorykin (SR–ZP), Member of Legislative Assembly of Vologda Oblast (2021–present), businessman