This article contains the list of candidates associated with the 2018 Russian presidential election.
70 people – 46 independents and 24 party-nominated – informed the Central Election Commission (CEC) that they intended to participate in the election as candidates. 1 January 2018 was the last day that independents could notify the CEC of their intent to participate. Independents had until the end of 7 January 2018 to file registration documents with the CEC, whilst for those nominated by parties the deadline was the end of 12 January. 36 people were nominated to participate in the election – 15 independents and 21 party-nominated candidates. Out of them, eight were registered, 11 withdrew, and 17 were rejected.
Candidates These candidates have been officially registered by the CEC. Candidates are listed in the order they appeal on the ballot paper (alphabetical order in Russian).
Candidate name, age,political party Political offices Campaign Details Registration dateSergey Baburin(59)Russian All-People's Union People's Deputy of Russia(1990–1993)Deputy of the State Duma(1994–2000, 2003–2007)Leader of the Russian All-People's Union(2011–2025)(Campaign • Website)On 22 December 2017, the Russian All-People's Union nominated Sergey Baburin as its presidential candidate. On 24 December Baburin filed registration documents with the CEC. The CEC rejected Baburin's bid on 25 December because it identified violations in the information provided regarding 18 of his party's 48 representatives. Baburin resubmitted the documents and they were approved by the CEC.7 February 2018Pavel Grudinin(57)Communist PartyDeputy of the Moscow Oblast Duma(1997–2011) (Campaign • Website)Despite the fact that Communist Party leader and perennial candidate Gennady Zyuganov said his nomination was supported by all leftist forces and he would participate in the elections on behalf of the party, the Zhigulyovsk branch of the party voted to supported the candidacy of Pavel Grudinin, who also won the primaries of Left Front, a coalition of left-wing parties with no representation in the State Duma. Grudinin did not deny his nomination from the Communist Party. On 21 December 2017 it was reported that Zyuganov proposed to nominate Grudinin. Initially the Communist Party and the National Patriotic Forces of Russia (NPFR) planned to nominate a single candidate: Grudinin (supported by the Communists) or Yury Boldyrev (supported by the NPFR). Boldyrev also participated in the primaries of Left Front in which he lost in the second round to Grudinin. According to the Deputy Alexander Yushchenko, Zyuganov was still among the candidates for the nomination. He named the other candidates as Yury Afonin, Sergey Levchenko and Leonid Kalashnikov. On 22 December Zyuganov, Levchenko and Kalashnikov withdrew their bids, and Zyuganov rejected the candidacies of Afonin and Boldyrev, leaving Grudinin as the sole candidate. Grudinin was officially nominated at the party congress on 23 December. Zyuganov is the head of Grudinin's presidential campaign. Grudinin filed registration documents with the CEC on 28 December and 9 January 2018.12 January 2018 Vladimir Zhirinovsky(71)Liberal Democratic Party Deputy of the State Duma(1994–2022)Leader of the Liberal Democratic Party(1991–2022) (Campaign) In June 2015 Vladimir Zhirinovsky said he plans to participate in presidential elections, but in July of the same year, the politician said that the Liberal Democratic Party, perhaps "will pick a more efficient person."Жириновский объявил о своем участии в выборах президента в 2018 году | Zhirinovsky declares his participation in 2018 presidential election. RBK. Published 15 June 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2017. Жириновский не исключил, что ЛДПР на выборах президента представит не он | Zhirivonsky doesn't rule out someone else representing LDPR in election . Life.ru. Published 23 July 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2017. Already in March 2016, he announced the names of those were likely to be nominated as a candidate from the Liberal Democratic Party. This included Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Igor Lebedev or deputies Mikhail Degtyarev, Yaroslav Nilov and Alexei Didenko.Жириновский пойдёт на выборы президента с четырьмя преемниками | Zhirinovsky to go into election with four successors. Life.ru. Published 2 March 2016. Retrieved 7 May 2017. On 28 October 2016, the LDPR's official website released a statement announcing that the party will nominate Zhirinovsky as their presidential candidate.Владимир Жириновский: я буду защищать русских везде | I will protect Russians everywhere . LDPR official website. Published 28 October 2016. Retrieved 7 May 2017. Владимир Жириновский снова собрался в президенты | Vladimir Zhirinovsky again running for presidency. Kommersant. Published 28 October 2016. Retrieved 7 May 2017. This is the fifth time that he is running for president since the breakup of the Soviet Union (and sixth overall). Zhirinovsky was officially nominated by his party at its 31st congress on 20 December 2017. He submitted to the CEC some of the documents required for registration the next day, and the rest of them on 27 December. At 71, Zhirinovsky is the oldest person to run for president in Russia.29 December 2017 Vladimir Putin(65)IndependentPresident of Russia(2000–2008 and 2012–present)Prime Minister of Russia(1999–2000 and 2008–2012)Leader of United Russia(2008–2012)Director of the Federal Security Service(1998–1999) (Campaign • Website)On 6 December 2017 Vladimir Putin announced that he will run for a second consecutive term. Putin announced that he would run as an independent at his annual press conference on 14 December. Putin's action group officially put forward his nomination in Moscow on 26 December.Celebrity-Laden Action Group Officially Nominates Putin As Candidate For Russian Presidency – RFE/RL, 26 December 2017 Putin filed registration documents with the CEC the next day. The CEC approved his documents on 28 December. On 29 January Putin handed over the signatures to the CEC. By 2 February they had been verified – only 232 signatures were deemed invalid.6 February 2018 Ksenia Sobchak(36)Civic Initiative None (Campaign • Website) TV anchor, opposition activist and journalist Ksenia Sobchak announced that she would run for president in October 2017. Sobchak is the first female candidate in 14 years and the youngest candidate to run since 2004. Sobchak was nominated by Civic Initiative at the party's congress on 23 December and became a member of the party. Sobchak filed registration documents with the CEC on 25 December. Her documents were approved by the CEC on 26 December.8 February 2018 Maxim Suraykin(39)Communists of Russia Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communists of Russia(2012–2022) (Campaign) The Central Committee of the Communists of Russia party announced the nomination of its chairman Maxim Suraykin as its candidate for the election in February 2017. Suraykin stated that he aims to at least come in second place, and defeat Zyuganov's larger Communist Party of the Russian Federation.Партия «Коммунисты России» определилась с кандидатом в президенты | Party "Communists of Russia" decide on a candidate for the presidency. Gazeta.ru. Published 1 February 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2017. CR nominated Suraykin at the party congress in Moscow on 24 December. He filed registration documents with the CEC on the same day. Suraykin's documents were approved by the CEC on 25 December.8 February 2018 Boris Titov(57)Party of Growth Leader of the Party of Growth(2016–2024)Presidential Commissioner for Entrepreneurs' Rights (Campaign • Website)The leader of the Party of Growth, Presidential Commissioner for Entrepreneurs' Rights Boris Titov declared that he would participation in presidential election on 26 November 2017. Initially the party conducted primaries in which Titov did not participate, however, according to the party leadership, none of the candidates received sufficient support. Titov was officially nominated by his party on 21 December. He submitted to the CEC the documents required for registration the next day. Titov's documents were approved by the CEC on 25 December.7 February 2018 Grigory Yavlinsky(65)YablokoChairman of Yabloko(1995–2008) Deputy of theState Duma(1994–2003) Deputy of theLegislative Assembly of St. Petersburg(2011–2016) (Campaign • Website) Suggestions that Yavlinsky would run for president in 2018 were first made in 2013,Yabloko plans to nominate Yavlinsky again in the 2018 presidential election . Interfax. Published 17 February 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2017. and he was announced as the candidate from the Yabloko party at a convention in February 2016, having been previously the party's candidate for the presidency in 1996 and 2000. In the weeks following the announcement he began campaigning for the election early by travelling to multiple cities across the country.Gorbachev, Alexei (21 March 2017). Явлинский отказался от традиционной предвыборной кампании | Yavlinsky refused a traditional election campaign. Nezavisimaya Gazetta. Retrieved 2 May 2017. Yabloko nominated Yavlinsky at its party congress on 22 December. He submitted to the CEC the documents required for registration the next day. Yavlinsky's documents were approved by the CEC on 25 December.7 February 2018
Rejected candidates