Since 1994, the State Council of the Republic of Dagestan was the highest executive body in the region, which was elected by the Constitutional Assembly and which included representatives of 14 "main" Dagestani ethnic groups.

In July 2011, the People's Assembly of Dagestan supported amendments to the constitution, changing the title of the highest office from President to Head of the Republic.

In May 2012, at the initiative of outgoing Russian president Dmitry Medvedev, a federal law was adopted returning the direct elections of heads of regions, which came into force on June 1.

Five days later Vladimir Putin appointed Ramazan Abdulatipov as acting president of Dagestan, who was previously speaker of Russia's upper house of parliament in early 90s.

[3] Then the deputies of the People's Assembly decided that to vote on candidates for the presidency, they will gather at an extraordinary session on the regional election day (September 8).

In October 2020 Vasilyev was replaced with Sergey Melikov, former Presidential Envoy in North Caucasus.