2024 Zabaykalsky Krai gubernatorial election

Aleksandr Osipov, former First Deputy Minister for the Development of the Far East and Arctic, was appointed acting Governor of Zabaykalsky Krai in October 2018.^[1] Osipov replaced retiring Governor Natalia Zhdanova, who resigned at her own request three years before the end of her first term. Zhdanova's resignation was mostly credited to low performance in socio-economic development, decreasing approval ratings and poor results of United Russia in the 2018 regional elections.^[2]

Legislative Assembly of Zabaykalsky Krai changed the electoral law in March 2019, allowing Independent candidates to run in the gubernatorial election.^[3] Osipov ran for a full term as an Independent and overwhelmingly won with 89.61% against three candidates from minor parties, as candidates from major opposition parties (CPRF, LDPR, A Just Russia) were absent from the ballot.^[4]

In April 2024 during a meeting with President Vladimir Putin Governor Osipov announced his intention to run for a second term and received Putin's endorsement.^[5]

Summarize Timeline Top Qs Fact Check

In Zabaykalsky Krai candidates for Governor can be nominated by registered political parties or by self-nomination. Candidate for Governor of Zabaykalsky Krai 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 8% of signatures of members and heads of municipalities.^[6] In addition, self-nominated candidates should collect 0.5% of signatures of Zabaykalsky Krai residents. Also gubernatorial candidates present 3 candidacies to the Federation Council and election winner later appoints one of the presented candidates.

Candidate name, political party			Occupation	Status	Ref.
Valery Afitsinsky The Greens			Former Member of Duma of Chita (2014–2019)	Registered	[7]
Konstantin Korostelyov Communists of Russia			Former Member of Legislative Assembly of Zabaykalsky Krai (2018–2023)	Registered	[8]
Aleksandr Osipov Independent			incumbent Governor of Zabaykalsky Krai (2018–present)	Registered	[5][9]
Georgy Shilin Liberal Democratic Party			Member of Legislative Assembly of Zabaykalsky Krai (2013–present)	Registered	[10]
Natalya Kochergina Independent			Member of Civic Chamber of Zabaykalsky Krai (2016–present)	Withdrew after registration	[11]
Vyacheslav Palshin Independent			Youth center director	Withdrew after registration	[12]
Yury Grigoriev SR–ZP			Member of State Duma (2021–present)	Failed to qualify	[13][14]
Valentina Podoynitsyna Independent			Former Member of Chita Oblast Duma (2000–2008)	Did not file	[15]
Andrey Shcherbakov Independent			Businessman	Did not file	[16]
Maksim Shipitsyn Communist Party			Former First Deputy Prosecutor of Zabaykalsky Krai (2009–2021)	Did not file	[17][18]

• Yury Gayduk (CPRF), Member of Legislative Assembly of Zabaykalsky Krai (2018–present), 2019 gubernatorial candidate^[19]

Gubernatorial candidate, political party		Candidates for Federation Council	Status
Valery Afitsinsky The Greens		* Yelizaveta Baranova, financial director * Irina Barysheva, Chita Administration official * Sergey Kisloshchayev, sports instructor	Registered
Konstantin Korostelyov Communists of Russia		* Vladimir Ivanchenko (United Russia), Member of Legislative Assembly of Zabaykalsky Krai (2013–present) * Yekaterina Rakhmetulova, theatre deputy director * Daniil Tsypalov, railroad event planner	Registered
Aleksandr Osipov Independent		* Natalya Epova, Commissioner for Children's Rights of Zabaykalsky Krai (2023–present) * Eduard Shcherbina, mine worker * Bair Zhamsuyev (United Russia), incumbent Senator (2013–present)	Registered
Georgy Shilin Liberal Democratic Party		* Sergey Dyubin, military instructor * Vasilina Kuliyeva, Member of State Duma (2011–2012, 2016–2021, 2023–present) * Viktor Yefimov, Member of Legislative Assembly of Zabaykalsky Krai (2023–present), businessman	Registered
Natalya Kochergina Independent		* Damdin Badmatsyrenov, Member of Civic Chamber of Zabaykalsky Krai * Andrey Cherepanov, educator * Aleksandr Potyayev, newspaper publisher	Withdrew after registration
Vyacheslav Palshin Independent		* Maria Korotich, nonprofit staffer * Vyacheslav Razdobreyev, youth work specialist * Yevgeny Shadrin, employers association executive director	Withdrew after registration
Yury Grigoriev SR–ZP		* Galina Abramova, Chairwoman of the Tungiro-Olyokminsky District Council (2016–present) * Alyona Gantimurova, Member of Duldurginsky District Council (2017–present), teacher * Nikolay Seleznev, former Member of Chitinsky District Council (2013–2023), former Head of Chitinsky District (2013–2018)	Failed to qualify