DMITRY GUDKOV
Gudkov, 36, is currently the sole liberal opposition lawmaker in the Duma and has been called “Putin’s nemesis.” He’s running for re-election after his pro-Kremlin party expelled him for backing the 2011 protests.
MARIA BARONOVA
The activist, 32, is an independent candidate for a Moscow seat. She is one of 18 candidates supported by Open Russia, a reform movement launched by exiled tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky.
BULAT BARANTAYEV
One of the first openly gay men to run for a seat in modern Russian history, the 33-year-old doesn’t expect a win but hopes the campaign will inspire the LGBT community to stand up to bigotry. He also wants Putin jailed.
This appears in the September 26, 2016 issue of TIME.
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