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Ballot access requirements for political parties in Connecticut

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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.

Although there are hundreds of political parties in the United States, only certain parties qualify to have the names of their candidates for office printed on election ballots. In order to qualify for ballot placement, a party must meet certain requirements that vary from state to state. For example, in some states, a party may have to file a petition in order to qualify for ballot placement. In other states, a party must organize around a candidate for a specific office; that candidate must, in turn, win a percentage of the vote in order for the party to be granted ballot status. In still other states, an aspiring political party must register a certain number of voters.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • As of May 2024, Connecticut officially recognized six political parties. See thetable below for further details.
  • In some states, a candidate may choose to have a label other than that of an officially recognized party appear alongside his or her name on the ballot. Such labels are calledpolitical party designations. Connecticut allows candidates to use political party designations.

    • To learn more about ballot access requirements for political candidates in Connecticut,click here.

    DocumentIcon.jpgSeestate election laws

    Process for a political party to obtain ballot status

    Seal of Connecticut

    DocumentIcon.jpgSee statutes:Chapter 153 of the Connecticut Statutes

    Qualifying as a minor party

    According to theConnecticut Secretary of State's office, the following steps must be followed in order to establish a minor party inConnecticut:[1]

    “
    • The first step in becoming a minor party is running a candidate using a Nominating Petition with a party designation. If that candidate garners one percent (1%) of the votes cast for that office, a minor party for that office is born. Having minor party status affords the minor party the ability to nominate for the office without having to gather signatures at the next election for that office.
    • The second step in maintaining a minor party is to file party rules. Connecticut General Statute §9-374 requires that minor parties file " ...at least one copy of the party rules .... in the office of the Secretary of the State..." This filing is required before the minor party nominates a candidate for that office in the next election.
    • The third step in maintaining minor party status is to continually run candidates as the offices are up for re-election. Failure to do so will result in the loss of minor party status for that office.[2]
    		”

    Minor party convention requirements

    A minor party cannot appoint delegates to a convention unless the party's rules have been submitted to thesecretary of state at least 60 days prior to the selection.[3] At least five days before a convention is held to nominate candidates, written notice of the date, time, location, and purpose of the convention must be submitted to thesecretary of state. This information must also be published in a newspaper of general circulation within the district of the office or offices for which candidates will be nominated at the convention.[4]

    Qualifying as a major party

    Major party recognition can be achieved if one of the following criteria is met:[5]

    • The party's candidate for governor at the most recent general election received at least 20% of the total votes cast for that office.
    • At the time of the most recent general election for governor, at least 20% of the total number of registered voters had enrolled with the party.

    Political parties

    See also:List of political parties in the United States

    As of May 2024,Connecticut officially recognized six political parties.[6]

    PartyWebsite linkBy-laws/platform link
    Democratic Party of ConnecticutLinkParty platform
    Green Party of ConnecticutLinkParty platform
    Independent Party of ConnecticutLink
    Libertarian Party of ConnecticutLinkParty platform
    Republican Party of ConnecticutLinkParty platform
    Working Families PartyLinkParty platform

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