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Note: This article is not intended to serve as a guide to running for public office. Individuals should contact theirstate election agencies for further information.

In order to get on the ballot in Kentucky, a candidate for state or federal office must meet a variety of state-specific filing requirements and deadlines.These regulations, known as ballot access laws, determine whether a candidate or party will appear on an election ballot. These laws are set at the state level. A candidate must prepare to meet ballot access requirements well in advance of primaries, caucuses, and the general election.

There are three basic methods by which an individual may become a candidate for office in a state.

1. An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
2. An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
3. An individual can run as a write-in candidate.

This article outlines the steps that prospective candidates for state-level and congressional office must take in order to run for office in Kentucky. For information about filing requirements for presidential candidates,click here. Information about filing requirements for local-level offices is not available in this article (contactstate election agencies for information about local candidate filing processes).

Seestate election laws

Year-specific filing information

2026

See also: Signature requirements and deadlines for 2026 U.S. Congress elections andKentucky elections, 2026

U.S. Senate

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates in Kentucky in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Kentucky, clickhere.

U.S. House

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in Kentucky in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Kentucky, clickhere.

State House

The table below details filing requirements for Kentucky House of Representatives candidates in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Kentucky, clickhere.

State Senate

The table below details filing requirements for Kentucky State Senate candidates in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Kentucky, clickhere.

For filing information from previous years, click "[Show more]" below.

Process to become a candidate

The first page of a filing form for major party candidates in Kentucky, 2013

See statutes:Section 118.105 of the Kentucky Revised Statutes

There are three methods by which a candidate can gain ballot access inKentucky: by political party primary, by political organization convention, and by petition. A candidate must be registered with a political party if he or she wishes to run in the political party primary. If a candidate seeks nomination by a political organization, either by petition or convention, he or she must be registered with that organization. An independent candidate must be registered as an independent in order to use that designation on his or her nominating petition.^[5][6]

Political party primary candidates

A political party candidate is granted general election ballot access by winning his or her party's primary election. The candidate must file a notification and declaration form with theKentucky Secretary of State. This form must be signed by the candidate and by no less than two registered voters from the same party as the candidate and from the same district in which the candidate is running. This form cannot be signed earlier than the first Wednesday after the first Monday in November of the year preceding the election in which the candidate is running. The notification and declaration form must be filed by 4 p.m. on the first Friday following the first Monday in January preceding the primary election. A candidate defeated at the primary election is not permitted to run in the general election, with the exception of candidates running in a presidential preference primary.^{[7][8][9][10]}

Political organization convention candidates

Apolitical organization candidate is nominated at his or her political organization's convention. Only registered voters of the political organization can attend and vote at the convention. The Kentucky Statutes do not stipulate the time at which a convention must be held; however, it must be held prior to the filing deadline in order to complete all necessary paperwork. The candidate must file nomination papers by the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June preceding the day fixed by law for the election of the office being sought.^{[11][12][13][14]}

Petition candidates

Political organization,political group, and independent candidates may all run for office as petition candidates. A candidate running forstate executive office orstate legislative office must first file a statement of candidacy form with theKentucky Secretary of State. This form must be filed by 4 p.m. on April 1 (or the next business day if April 1 falls on a weekend or holiday). No charge is assessed for the filing of this form. A petition signed by the candidate and by registered voters in the district from which the candidate seeks nomination must be filed with theKentucky Secretary of State. Candidates may begin gathering signatures after the first Wednesday after the first Monday in November of the year preceding the general election in which the candidate is running.^[6][11][13]

Petitions must be filed by the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June preceding the day fixed by law for the holding of regular elections for the offices sought. Signature requirements vary according to the office being sought. Examples are provided in the table below.^[5][6][14]

Write-in candidates

Though write-in candidates' names are not printed on the ballot, they may be written in by a voter. In order for a write-in vote to be counted, the write-in candidate must file a declaration of intent with theKentucky Secretary of State by the fourth Friday in October preceding the general election. A candidate can be a write-in for only one office and will be considered ineligible for write-in status if he or she has already been placed on the ballot by a different method.^[15]

All candidates

Any registered voter may challenge the "good faith of a candidate” at any time before the election. No specific challenge period is designated in the Kentucky Statutes.^[16]

A candidate may only run for one office at a time, as his or her name cannot appear on the ballot more than once.^[17]

All candidates are subject to filing fees. These fees are outlined in the table below. TheKentucky Secretary of State accepts personal checks, campaign account checks, cash, or money orders for payment of filing fees.^[5][18][19]

Petition requirements

See also:Methods for signing candidate nominating petitions

In some cases, political parties and/or candidates may need to obtain signatures via the petition process to gain ballot access. This section outlines the laws and regulations pertaining topetitions andcirculators inKentucky.

Signature requirements

The signer of a petition must include the date he or she signs, his or her residence address, and his or her date of birth. The signature of a signer can only be counted once. If a signer signs more than one candidate’s petition, the first petition he or she signed will be the only one counted. Candidates are required to sign their own petitions.

The state code does not specify petition circulator requirements. Specifically, there are noresidency requirements for circulators.

Contact information

Election agencies

Seal of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission

See also:State election agencies

Individuals seeking additional information about election administration in Kentucky can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.

Kentucky County Boards of Elections

Click here for a list

Secretary of State

700 Capital Ave., Suite 152

Frankfort, Kentucky 40601

Phone: 502-564-3490

Fax: 502-564-5687

Email:https://www.sos.ky.gov/pages/contact.aspx

Website:http://www.sos.ky.gov/elections/

Kentucky State Board of Elections

140 Walnut Street

Frankfort, Kentucky 40601

Phone: 502-573-710

Toll free: 1-800-246-1399

Fax: 502-573-4369

Website:https://elect.ky.gov/Pages/default.aspx

Kentucky Registry of Election Finance

140 Walnut Street

Frankfort, Kentucky 40601

Phone: 502-573-2226

Fax: 502-573-5622

Email:John.Steffen@ky.gov

Website:http://kref.ky.gov/Pages/default.aspx

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200

Washington, DC 20001

Phone: 301-563-3919

Toll free: 1-866-747-1471

Email:clearinghouse@eac.gov

Website:https://www.eac.gov

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Do you need information about elections inyour area? Are you looking foryour local election official?Click here to visit theU.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool.

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Term limits

Kentucky state executives are subject to term limits. These limits were established byAmendment 2, which was passed by voters in 1992. It amendedSection 71 and Section 93 of theKentucky Constitution.

State executives

See also:State executives with term limits andStates with gubernatorial term limits

The state executive term limits inKentucky are as follows:

• Thegovernor may serve no more than two consecutive terms.
• Thelieutenant governor may serve no more than two consecutive terms.
• Thesecretary of state may serve no more than two consecutive terms.
• Theattorney general may serve no more than two consecutive terms.
• Thestate treasurer may serve no more than two consecutive terms.
• Theauditor may serve no more than two consecutive terms.
• Theagriculture commissioner may serve no more than two consecutive terms.
• Thesecretary of labor may serve no more than two consecutive terms.

State legislators

See also:State legislatures with term limits

Kentucky does not place term limits on state legislators.

Congressional partisanship

See also:List of United States Representatives from Kentucky andList of United States Senators from Kentucky

Below is the current partisan breakdown of the congressional delegation fromKentucky.

State legislative partisanship

Below is the current partisan breakdown of the state legislature ofKentucky.

Kentucky State Senate

Kentucky House of Representatives

Related legislation

The table below lists bills related to ballot access requirements for candidates that have been introduced during (or carried over to) the current legislative session in Kentucky. The following information is included for each bill:

• State
• Bill number
• Official bill name or caption
• Most recent action date
• Legislative status
• Sponsor party
• Topics dealt with by the bill

Bills are organized by most recent action. The table displays up to 100 results. To view more bills, use the arrows in the upper-right corner. Clicking on a bill will open its page onBallotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker, which includes bill details and a summary.

The Ballot Bulletin

TheBallot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy. The Ballot Bulletin tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from ourElection Administration Legislation Tracker. You'll also be able to track relevant legislation, with links to and summaries of the bills themselves.

Recent issues

Click below to view recent issues of The Ballot Bulletin.

• The Ballot Bulletin: November 21, 2025
• The Ballot Bulletin: November 14, 2025
• The Ballot Bulletin: November 7, 2025
• The Ballot Bulletin: October 31, 2025
• The Ballot Bulletin: October 24, 2025

Subscribe

Enter your email address below to subscribe to The Ballot Bulletin.

See also

• Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Kentucky
• Ballot access requirements for political parties in Kentucky
• Kentucky elections, 2024
• Campaign finance requirements in Kentucky
• Counties in Kentucky
• List of United States Representatives from Kentucky
• List of United States Senators from Kentucky
• Methods for signing candidate nominating petitions
• State executives with term limits
• States with gubernatorial term limits
• State legislatures with term limits

External links

Official state and federal links

• Kentucky Secretary of State, Office of Elections
• Kentucky Registry of Election Finance
• Federal Election Commission
• Kentucky Secretary of State, "Becoming a Candidate"

Other information

• Ballot Access News – News updates and analysis of ballot access issues
• Election Law Program – Report on state regulations that affect political parties
• National Voter Outreach – Political consulting firm that specializes in organizing petition signature drives

Footnotes

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policy Alabama •Alaska •Arizona •Arkansas •California •Colorado •Connecticut •Delaware •Florida •Georgia •Hawaii •Idaho •Illinois •Indiana •Iowa •Kansas •Kentucky •Louisiana •Maine •Maryland •Massachusetts •Michigan •Minnesota •Mississippi •Missouri •Montana •Nebraska •Nevada •New Hampshire •New Jersey •New Mexico •New York •North Carolina •North Dakota •Ohio •Oklahoma •Oregon •Pennsylvania •Rhode Island •South Carolina •South Dakota •Tennessee •Texas •Utah •Vermont •Virginia •Washington •West Virginia •Wisconsin •Wyoming Redistricting policy Alabama •Alaska •Arizona •Arkansas •California •Colorado •Connecticut •Delaware •Florida •Georgia •Hawaii •Idaho •Illinois •Indiana •Iowa •Kansas •Kentucky •Louisiana •Maine •Maryland •Massachusetts •Michigan •Minnesota •Mississippi •Missouri •Montana •Nebraska •Nevada •New Hampshire •New Jersey •New Mexico •New York •North Carolina •North Dakota •Ohio •Oklahoma •Oregon •Pennsylvania •Rhode Island •South Carolina •South Dakota •Tennessee •Texas •Utah •Vermont •Virginia •Washington •West Virginia •Wisconsin •Wyoming Recount laws Alabama •Alaska •Arizona •Arkansas •California •Colorado •Connecticut •Delaware •Florida •Georgia •Hawaii •Idaho •Illinois •Indiana •Iowa •Kansas •Kentucky •Louisiana •Maine •Maryland •Massachusetts •Michigan •Minnesota •Mississippi •Missouri •Montana •Nebraska •Nevada •New Hampshire •New Jersey •New Mexico •New York •North Carolina •North Dakota •Ohio •Oklahoma •Oregon •Pennsylvania •Rhode Island •South Carolina •South Dakota •Tennessee •Texas •Utah •Vermont •Virginia •Washington •West Virginia •Wisconsin •Wyoming Ballot access for political candidates Alabama •Alaska •Arizona •Arkansas •California •Colorado •Connecticut •Delaware •Florida •Georgia •Hawaii •Idaho •Illinois •Indiana •Iowa •Kansas •Kentucky •Louisiana •Maine •Maryland •Massachusetts •Michigan •Minnesota •Mississippi •Missouri •Montana •Nebraska •Nevada •New Hampshire •New Jersey •New Mexico •New York •North Carolina •North Dakota •Ohio •Oklahoma •Oregon •Pennsylvania •Rhode Island •South Carolina •South Dakota •Tennessee •Texas •Utah •Vermont •Virginia •Washington •West Virginia •Wisconsin •Wyoming Ballot access for presidential candidates Alabama •Alaska •Arizona •Arkansas •California •Colorado •Connecticut •Delaware •Florida •Georgia •Hawaii •Idaho •Illinois •Indiana •Iowa •Kansas •Kentucky •Louisiana •Maine •Maryland •Massachusetts •Michigan •Minnesota •Mississippi •Missouri •Montana •Nebraska •Nevada •New Hampshire •New Jersey •New Mexico •New York •North Carolina •North Dakota •Ohio •Oklahoma •Oregon •Pennsylvania •Rhode Island •South Carolina •South Dakota •Tennessee •Texas •Utah •Vermont •Virginia •Washington •West Virginia •Wisconsin •Wyoming Ballot access for political parties Alabama •Alaska •Arizona •Arkansas •California •Colorado •Connecticut •Delaware •Florida •Georgia •Hawaii •Idaho •Illinois •Indiana •Iowa •Kansas •Kentucky •Louisiana •Maine •Maryland •Massachusetts •Michigan •Minnesota •Mississippi •Missouri •Montana •Nebraska •Nevada •New Hampshire •New Jersey •New Mexico •New York •North Carolina •North Dakota •Ohio •Oklahoma •Oregon •Pennsylvania •Rhode Island •South Carolina •South Dakota •Tennessee •Texas •Utah •Vermont •Virginia •Washington •West Virginia •Wisconsin •Wyoming Electoral systems Single-winner system •Multi-winner system •Block voting system •Plurality voting system •Majority voting system •Top-two primary •Blanket primary •Open primary •Closed primary •Semi-closed primary •Top-four primary •Ranked-choice voting (RCV) •STAR voting •Approval voting •Fusion voting