Harry Potter has captivated readers worldwide, but a Russian man has decided to see if the famous name can pass a different test -- winning him election as a provincial governor.

After previous unsuccessful campaigns in the Sverdlovsk region, the 32-year-old hopes to enlist a little help from the boy wizard by changing his name to Harry Ivanovich Potter, NTV television reported.

Russians can change their names but must have a middle name derived from their father’s first name -- a law that prevented the candidate from being called just Harry Potter.