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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 Utah, 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 Utah. 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 andUtah elections, 2026

U.S. House

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

State House

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

State Senate

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

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

Process to become a candidate

See statutes:Title 20, Chapter 9 of the Utah Election Code

Political party candidates

A political party candidate must first file a declaration of candidacy in person with either theOffice of the Utah Lieutenant Governor or the county clerk in the candidate's county of residence. The filing period opens on January 2 of the year in which the regular general election is held. If January 2 is on a weekend, the filing period opens the first business day after January 2. The filing period ends on the fourth business day after the opening of the filing period.^[1][2][3]

The candidate must provide a certified copy of the declaration of candidacy to the chair of the county or state political party of which the candidate is a member. The candidate must also file a fair campaign practices pledge with theOffice of the Utah Lieutenant Governor. The candidate must provide a certified copy of the candidate's pledge to the chair of his or her county or state political party.^[3]

A candidate must also pay a filing fee. The filing fee is $50 plus one-eighth of 1 percent of the total salary for the full term of the office that the candidate is seeking. A person who is unable to pay the filing fee may file a declaration of candidacy without payment of the filing fee upon a showing of "impecuniosity" (i.e., lacking sufficient funds) as evidenced by an affidavit of impecuniosity filed with the filing officer and, if requested by the filing officer, a financial statement filed at the time the affidavit is submitted.^[4]

A political party candidate can be nominated via the convention process or the petition process. Conventions, and nominations made via convention, are conducted in accordance with political party bylaws. If a candidate opts to petition for ballot placement, he or she must collect signatures. Prior to doing so, the candidate must file a notice of intent to gather signatures with either the lieutenant governor's office of the county clerk in the candidate's county of residence (this form is distinct from the declaration of candidacy form noted above). Signature requirements vary according to the office being sought.^[1]

In order to sign a petition for a political party candidate, a voter must be allowed to vote in that party's primary election. A voter cannot sign more than one petition for the same office. Completed petitions must be submitted to either the lieutenant governor's office or the county clerk for candidates whose districts lie entirely within a single county. The filing deadline is two weeks prior to the party's nominating convention.^[1]

Independent candidates

A candidate who does not wish to affiliate with a ballot-approved political party may appear on the general election ballot by submitting a petition and a certificate of nomination form. A candidate for the office ofgovernor must submit a petition with the signatures of at least 1,000 registered Utah voters. A candidate for theUnited States Senate must submit a petition with the signatures of at least 1,000 registered Utah voters. A candidate for theUnited States House of Representatives must submit a petition with the signatures of at least 300 registered voters residing within the congressional district, or at least 5 percent of the registered voters residing within the congressional district, whichever is less. A candidate for thestate legislature must submit a petition with the signatures of at least 300 registered voters residing within the political division, or at least 5 percent of the registered voters residing within the political division, whichever is less.^[5][1]

The names on the petition must be verified by the appropriate county clerk(s). After the petition has been verified, a candidate for state office is required to file the same petition and a certificate of nomination with theOffice of the Utah Lieutenant Governor. The filing period opens on January 2 of the year in which the regular general election is held. If January 2 is on a weekend, the filing period opens the first business day after January 2. The filing period ends on the fourth business day after the opening of the filing period.^[3]

Write-in candidates

To become a valid write-in candidate for a state office, an individual must file a declaration of write-in candidacy no later than 60 days before the regular general election. A candidate for statewide offices must file the declaration in person with theOffice of the Utah Lieutenant Governor. All other state office candidates may file the declaration in person either with the county clerk in their counties of residence or with theOffice of the Utah Lieutenant Governor.^[6]

Election agencies

Seal of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission

See also:State election agencies

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

Utah County Clerks

Click here for a list

Utah Lieutenant Governor, Elections Office

350 North State St, Suite 220

P.O. Box 142325

Salt Lake City, Utah 84114

Phone: 801-538-1041

Fax: 801-538-1133

Email:https://cs.utah.gov/s/elections-request

Website:https://elections.utah.gov/

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 executives in Utah are not subject to term limits.

State legislators

See also:State legislatures with term limits

There are no term limits placed on Utah state legislators.

Congressional partisanship

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

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

State legislative partisanship

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

Utah State Senate

Utah 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 Utah. 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

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See also

• Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Utah
• Ballot access requirements for political parties in Utah
• Utah elections, 2024
• Campaign finance requirements in Utah
• Counties in Utah
• List of United States Representatives from Utah
• List of United States Senators from Utah
• 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

• Utah Lieutenant Governor's Office: Elections
• Federal Election Commission
• 2016 candidate information, from the Utah Lieutenant Governor's Office
• Utah State Legislature, "Candidate Qualifications and Nominating Procedures"

Other information

• Ballot Access News – News updates and analysis of ballot access issues
• ThirdPartyPolitics.us – Blog about American third party and independent politics
• National Voter Outreach – Political consulting firm that specializes in organizing petition signature drives

Footnotes

v • e Election policy Election legislation Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker •Ballotpedia's The Ballot Bulletin •Election legislation tracking: list of sub-topics •Absentee/mail-in voting •Early voting •Election dates and deadlines •Election Day voting •Ranked-choice voting •Redistricting •Voter registration Election administration 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 •Washington, D.C. •West Virginia •Wisconsin •Wyoming Voting 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 Electoral systems 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 Primary elections 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