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Select a state below to learn more about ballot access requirements for candidates in that state.
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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 Washington, 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 Washington. 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 andWashington elections, 2026

U.S. House

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

State House

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

State Senate

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

State Supreme Court

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

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

Process to become a candidate

See statutes:Chapter 29A.24 of the Washington Election Code

A candidate who desires to have his or her name printed on the ballot for election to an office other than president or vice president must complete and file a declaration of candidacy. The candidate must do the following:

• declare that he or she is a registered voter within the jurisdiction of the office for which he or she is filing (the candidate must include the address at which he or she is registered)
• indicate the position for which he or she is filing
• state a party preference, if the office is a partisan office
• indicate the amount of the filing fee accompanying the declaration of candidacy (the candidate may also indicate that he or she is filing a petition in lieu of the filing fee)
• sign the declaration of candidacy, stating that the information provided on the form is true and swearing or affirming that he or she will support the constitution and laws of the United States and the constitution and laws of the state of Washington^[4]

The filing period for candidates begins on the first Monday in May and ends the following Friday in the year in which the office is scheduled to be voted upon. For statewide offices and state legislative districts, candidates file with the secretary of state. Candidates must also submit the declaration of candidacy to theWashington Public Disclosure Commission within one business day after the filing period has ended.^[5][6]

A filing fee equal to 1 percent of the annual salary of the office at the time of filing must accompany the declaration of candidacy for any office with a fixed annual salary of more than $1,000. For offices that pay less than $1,000, candidates must pay a filing fee of $10.^[7] A candidate who lacks sufficient assets or income at the time of filing may submit with his or her declaration of candidacy a filing fee petition. The petition must contain signatures from registered voters equal to the number of dollars of the filing fee.

For write-in candidates

Any person who desires to be a write-in candidate and have his or her votes counted at a primary or general election can file a declaration of candidacy with theWashington Secretary of State and theWashington Public Disclosure Commission up to 8:00 p.m. on the day of the primary or general election. A declaration of candidacy for a write-in candidate must be accompanied by a filing fee or a filing fee petition with the required signatures if filing within 18 days of the election (fees and signature requirements are the same as those summarized above).^[8]

Petition requirements

See also:Methods for signing candidate nominating petitions

In some cases, 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 inWashington.

Format requirements

See statutes:Chapter 29A.24.101 of the Washington Election Code

In lieu of paying a filing fee, candidates can submit a filing fee petition with a number of signatures equivalent to the dollar amount of the filing fee for the specific office. The petition must be in substantially the following form:

The relevant statutes do not stipulate clearly any information on petition challenges or circulator requirements.

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

Washington County Elections Departments

Click here for a list

Washington Secretary of State, Elections Division

Physical Address: 416 Sid Snyder Ave SW

Olympia, WA 98501

Mailing address: P.O. Box 40229

Olympia, Washington 98504-0229

Phone: 360-902-4180

Toll free: 800-448-4881

Email:elections@sos.wa.gov

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

Washington State Public Disclosure Commission

Physical Address: 711 Capitol Way, Room 206

Olympia, Washington 98504

Mailing Address: P. O. Box 40908

Olympia, Washington 98504-0908

Phone: 360-753-1111

Toll free: 877-601-2828

Email:https://wapdc.freshdesk.com/support/tickets/new

Website:https://www.pdc.wa.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

There are no provisions specifying state executive term limits inWashington.

State legislators

See also:State legislatures with term limits

There are no term limits for Washington state legislators.

Congressional partisanship

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

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

State legislative partisanship

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

Washington State Senate

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

• Washington Secretary of State, Elections and Voting
• Washington Public Disclosure Commission
• Federal Election Commission
• 2023 candidate guide, from the Washington Secretary of State
• Washington Secretary of State, "File for Office"

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

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