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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 Michigan, 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 Michigan. 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 andMichigan elections, 2026

U.S. Senate

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

U.S. House

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

Governor

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

State House

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

State Senate

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

State Supreme Court

The table below details filing requirements for state supreme court candidates in Michigan in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Michigan, clickhere.

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

Process to become a candidate

For major party candidates

See statutes:Michigan Election Law, "Preparation and Filing of Nominating Petitions; Fees"

Political parties whose principal candidate received at least 5 percent of the total votes cast for all candidates forMichigan Secretary of State at the most recent general election are considered major parties and must generally nominate their candidates by primary election.^[3]

A major party candidate forgovernor, theUnited States Senate, theUnited States House of Representatives, or thestate legislature must file an affidavit of identity and nominating petition by 4:00 p.m. on the 15th Tuesday preceding the primary election. Candidates forsecretary of state andattorney general are not nominated by primary, but by convention.Cite error: Closing</ref> missing for<ref> tag^[4][5]

The affidavit of identity requires the candidate to provide basic identifying information (such as name, residential and mailing address, the office being sought, etc.). The affidavit also includes a campaign finance compliance statement, which the candidate must sign before a notary public.^[4]

Nominating petition signature requirements vary according to the population of the electoral division (e.g., entire state, congressional district, state legislative district, etc.) and are summarized in the table below.^[6]

A major party state legislative candidate may pay a filing fee of $100 in lieu of filing a nominating petition.^[7]

Filing paperwork for federal, statewide, and multi-county state legislative district offices must be submitted to the Michigan Secretary of State. Filing paperwork for single-county state legislative district offices must be submitted to the appropriate county clerk.^[5]

For minor party candidates

See statutes:Michigan Election Law, Section 168.686a

Political parties whose principal candidate received less than 5 percent of the total votes cast for all candidates forMichigan Secretary of State at the most recent general election are considered non-major parties and cannot nominate their candidates by primary election. Instead, such parties must nominate their candidates by county caucuses and state conventions. Candidates for the United States House of Representatives or the state legislature may be nominated by county caucuses, provided that the applicable electoral district lies entirely within the boundaries of a single county. Candidates for statewide office must be nominated by state conventions. District candidates (e.g., state legislative or congressional candidates whose districts encompass parts of more than one county) may be nominated at district caucuses held in conjunction with state conventions, provided that delegates from the district are in attendance.^[3][8]

No more than one day following the conclusion of a caucus or convention, the chairperson and secretary of the caucus or convention must certify the names and mailing addresses of the selected candidates to the county clerk (if nominated by county caucus) or Michigan Secretary of State (if nominated by state convention). This certification must be accompanied by an affidavit of identity (the same as that filed by major party candidates) and a signed certificate of acceptance of the nomination for each candidate.^[8]

Caucuses and conventions must be held by the date of the state primary election.^[8]

For independent candidates

See statutes:Michigan Election Law, "Candidates Without Political Party Affiliation"

An independent candidate seeking placement on the general election ballot must file an affidavit of identity (the same as that filed by party candidates) and a qualifying petition. All filing materials must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. on the 110th day preceding the general election.^[9]

Qualifying petition signature requirements vary according to the population of the electoral division (e.g., entire state, congressional district, state legislative district, etc.) and are summarized in the table below.^[6]

Signatures on qualifying petitions must be collected in the 180 days prior to the date the petition is filed. Any signatures collected prior to that will not be counted.^[6]

Filing paperwork for federal, statewide, and multi-county state legislative district offices must be submitted to the Michigan Secretary of State. Filing paperwork for single-county state legislative district offices must be submitted to the appropriate county clerk.^[5]

For write-in candidates

In order to have his or her votes tallied, a write-in candidate must submit a declaration of intent to be a write-in candidate to the appropriate filing official by 4:00 p.m. on the second Friday immediately preceding an election.^[10]

Filing paperwork for federal, statewide, and multi-county state legislative district offices must be submitted to the Michigan Secretary of State. Filing paperwork for single-county state legislative district offices must be submitted to the appropriate county clerk.^[5]

Candidate name conventions

Michigan law establishes the following conventions to govern how a candidate's name can be rendered on an election ballot:^[11]

Vacancies

Upon the death, resignation, or removal of a member of theU.S. House of Representatives, the governor must issue a call for a special election to fill the vacancy. A special primary must be held at least 20 days prior to the date of the special election. The proclamation must establish all election dates and candidate filing deadlines.^[13]

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 access to the ballot. This section outlines the laws and regulations pertaining topetitions andcirculators inMichigan.

Format requirements

Ballot access petitions in Michigan are subject to the formal requirements detailed below.

Nominating petitions for major party candidates

See statutes:Michigan Election Law, Section 168.544c

Nominating petitions for major party candidates must include language substantially the same as the following:^[14]

Nominating petitions must be printed on paper measuring 8.5 inches by 14 inches. The words '"Nominating petition" must be printed in 24-point boldface type. The words, "We, the undersigned," etc. must be printed in 8-point type. "Warning," and the accompanying text must be printed in 12-point boldface type. The remainder of the petition must be printed in 8-point type. The name, address, and party affiliation of the candidate and the office being sought cannot be printed in type larger than 24-point.^[14]

Qualifying petitions for independent candidates

See statutes:Michigan Election Law, Section 168.590h

Qualifying petitions for independent candidates must include language substantially the same as the following:^[15]

The remainder of the petition must be written and signed in the same manner as a nominating petition.^[15]

Signature requirements

A petition signer must include his or her printed street address, name, and date of signing.^[14][15]

Circulation requirements

Circulators must be United States citizens and at least 18 years of age. On April 3, 2014, GovernorRick Snyder signedHB 5152 into law. The bill removed all residency requirements for petition circulators.^[14][16][17]

Objections

Written challenges to the validity of petitions may be made within seven days of the filing deadline. Complainants must note the specific petition and signatures that they contend to be invalid.^[18]

Noteworthy events

Petition requirement for unaffiliated candidates struck down (2021)

On March 29, 2021, a three-judge panel of theU.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit struck down Michigan's petition requirement for unaffiliated candidates for statewide office, affirming a district court's decision to that effect. Writing for the court,Karen Moore (a Bill Clinton (D) appointee) said, "[It] is our responsibility to ensure that Michigan’s provisions for qualifying independent candidates for statewide office fall within the bounds of what the First and Fourteenth Amendments require. Our careful review of the facts and circumstances leads us to conclude that the 30,000-signature requirement, geographic-distribution requirement, and filing deadline, when viewed in combination, unconstitutionally burden Plaintiffs’ First Amendment rights." JudgeRonald Lee Gilman (also a Clinton appointee) joined Moore's opinion. JudgeRichard Griffin (a George W. Bush (R) appointee) dissented.^[19]

The district court had earlier reduced the petition signature requirement for unaffiliated statewide candidates to 12,000, an order that the state appealed. The appellate court upheld the district court's remedy, calling it a "workable interim provision."^[20]

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 Michigan can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.

Michigan County Clerks

Click here for a list

Michigan Department of State, Bureau of Elections

Richard H. Austin Building, First Floor

430 W. Allegan St.

Lansing, Michigan 48918

Phone: 800-292-5973

Email:elections@michigan.gov

Website:https://www.michigan.gov/sos

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

State executives

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

State executive term limits inMichigan are established inArticle V, Section 30, of the Michigan Constitution and are as follows:^[21]

• Thegovernor may serve a total of two terms.
• Thelieutenant governor may serve a total of two terms.
• Thesecretary of state may serve a total of two terms.
• Theattorney general may serve a total of two terms.

State legislators

See also:State legislatures with term limits

In 2022, Michigan voters modified the term limits for Michigan state legislative members. Voters passedMichigan Proposal 1 in November 2022 which changed the term limits for state legislators from three two-year terms in the state House and two four-year terms in the state Senate to 12 combined years in the legislature.^[21]

Term limits were imposed on state legislators as a result of aconstitutional amendment approved by voters in 1992.

Congressional partisanship

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

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

State legislative partisanship

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

Michigan State Senate

Michigan 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 Michigan. 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: February 13, 2026
• The Ballot Bulletin: February 6, 2026
• The Ballot Bulletin: January 30, 2026
• The Ballot Bulletin: January 23, 2026
• The Ballot Bulletin: January 16, 2026

Subscribe

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

See also

• Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Michigan
• Ballot access requirements for political parties in Michigan
• Michigan elections, 2026
• Campaign finance requirements in Michigan
• Counties in Michigan
• List of United States Representatives from Michigan
• List of United States Senators from Michigan
• 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

• Michigan Secretary of State
• Federal Election Commission
• Michigan Secretary of State, "Filing for Office"

Other information

• Ballot Access News – News updates and analysis of ballot access issues
• 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