Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Kentucky
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In order to get on the ballot in Kentucky, a candidate for president of the United States 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 presidential candidate must prepare to meet ballot access requirements in advance of primaries, caucuses, and the general election.
There are three basic methods by which an individual may become a candidate for president of the United States.
- An individual can seek thenomination of a political party. Presidential nominees are selected by delegates at national nominating conventions. Individual states conduct caucuses or primary elections to determine which delegates will be sent to the national convention.[1]
- An individual can run asan independent. Independent presidential candidates typically must petition in each state in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.[1]
- An individual can run asa write-in candidate.[1]
The information on this page applies only to presidential candidates. For additional information about ballot access requirements for state and congressional candidates, seethis page.
Year-specific filing information
2024
The tables below detail filing requirements for presidential candidates in Kentucky in the 2024 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Kentucky, clickhere.
Presidential primary candidates
| Filing requirements for presidential primary candidates in Kentucky, 2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Party | Signatures required | Signature formula | Filing fee | Filing fee formula | Filing deadline | Source |
| Kentucky | Democratic and Republican | 5,000 | Fixed by statute | $1,000.00 | Fixed by statute | 1/5/2024 | Source |
Independent presidential candidates
| Filing requirements for independent candidates in Kentucky, 2024 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Signatures required | Signature formula | Filing fee | Filing fee formula | Filing deadline | Source |
| Kentucky | 5,000 | Fixed by statute | $500.00 | Fixed by statute | 9/6/2024 | Source |
For filing information from previous years, click "[Show more]" below.
2020
The tables below detail filing requirements for presidential candidates in Kentucky in the 2020 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Kentucky, clickhere.
Presidential primary candidates
| Filing requirements for presidential primary candidates in Kentucky, 2020 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Party | Signatures required | Signature formula | Filing fee | Filing fee formula | Filing deadline | Source |
| Kentucky | Democratic | 5,000 | Fixed by statute | $1,000.00 | Fixed by statute | 1/10/2020 | Source |
Independent presidential candidates
| Filing requirements for independent candidates in Kentucky, 2020 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Signatures required | Signature formula | Filing fee | Filing fee formula | Filing deadline | Source |
| Kentucky | 5,000 | Fixed by statute | $500.00 | Fixed by statute | 9/4/2020 | Source |
2016
The calendar below lists important filing deadlines in Kentucky for the2016 presidential election. For information about campaign finance reporting deadlines, seebelow.
| Dates and requirements for presidential candidates in 2016 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Deadline | Event type | Event description | |
| January 12, 2016 | Ballot access | Filing deadline for Republican caucuses | |
| January 12, 2016 | Ballot access | Deadline for the Kentucky State Board of Elections to nominate candidates for the presidential preference primary ballot | |
| January 26, 2016 | Ballot access | Filing deadline for candidates running in the presidential preference primary | |
| March 5, 2016 | Election date | Republican caucuses | |
| May 17, 2016 | Election date | Primary election | |
| September 9, 2016 | Ballot access | Filing deadline for independent candidates in the general election | |
| November 8, 2016 | Election date | General election | |
| Source:Kentucky State Board of Elections, "2016 Kentucky Election Calendar," accessed August 24, 2015 | |||
Qualifications
Article 2, Section 1, of theUnited States Constitution sets the following qualifications for the presidency:[2]
| “ | No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.[3] | ” |
| —United States Constitution | ||
Article 2, Section 4, of theUnited States Constitution says an individual can be disqualified from the presidency if impeached and convicted:
| “ | The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.[3] | ” |
| —United States Constitution | ||
The14th Amendment to theUnited States Constitution says an individual can also be disqualified from the presidency under the following conditions:
| “ | No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.[3] | ” |
| —United States Constitution | ||
Party nomination processes
- See also:Primary election andCaucus
| Hover over the terms below to display definitions. | |
| Ballot access laws | |
| Primary election | |
| Caucus | |
| Delegate | |
 | |
A political party formally nominates its presidential candidate at a national nominating convention. At this convention, statedelegates select the party's nominee. Prior to the nominating convention, the states conduct presidential preferenceprimaries orcaucuses. Generally speaking, only state-recognized parties — such as theDemocratic Party and theRepublican Party — conduct primaries and caucuses. These elections measure voter preference for the various candidates and help determine which delegates will be sent to the national nominating convention.[1][4][5]
The Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee, the governing bodies of the nation's two major parties, establish their own guidelines for the presidential nomination process. State-level affiliates of the parties also have some say in determining rules and provisions in their own states. Individuals interested in learning more about the nomination process should contact the political parties themselves for full details.
In Kentucky, recognized political parties typically conduct primary elections, though a party may nominate its presidential candidate via caucuses or convention. For the purpose of a presidential primary, state law defines a political party as a party whose candidates forgovernor andlieutenant governor received at least 10 percent of the vote cast for those offices in the most recent election. Alternatively, any party whose registration equals 10 percent or more of the total voter registration in the state is recognized as a political party.[6]
On the second Tuesday in January, in the year of the primary, the Kentucky State Board of Elections nominates candidates to appear on the primary ballot. The board nominates for ballot placement all candidates "who have qualified for matching federal campaign funds." Additionally, any candidate who can prove to theKentucky Secretary of State that he or she is on the primary ballot in at least 20 other states is entitled to placement on the Kentucky primary ballot.[7]
A candidate who fails to meet these criteria may petition for placement on the primary ballot. At least 5,000 registered and qualified voters must sign the petition, which must be submitted to the secretary of state by the first Friday following the first Monday in January preceding a presidential preference primary.[8]
All presidential primary candidates are subject to a $1,000 filing fee that must be paid to the secretary of state at the time of filing.[9]
Issues
On August 22, 2015, the central committee of the KentuckyRepublican Party voted 111-36 to conduct caucuses in 2016 in lieu of a presidential preference primary. The party scheduled the caucuses to occur on March 5, 2016. The decision enabled Kentucky senator and presidential hopefulRand Paul (R) to campaign simultaneously for both the presidency and his seat in theUnited States Senate. According toThe Courier-Journal, had Republicans not chosen to forgo the primary, Paul would have had to choose which office to seek, as state law prevents a candidate from running for two offices that appear on the same ballot.[10][11]
The caucuses were expected to cost the state Republican Party $500,000. The party required that Paul "raise or transfer at least $250,000 to the state party by September 18, 2015" to help fund the caucuses.[10][11]
General election requirements
The president of the United States is elected not by popular vote, but by the Electoral College. TheElectoral College comprises a total of 538 electors. Each state is allocated a number of electors equal to the size of its congressional delegation. The Office of the Federal Register administers the Electoral College process:[12][13]
| “ | On Election Day, the voters in each State choose the Electors by casting votes for the presidential candidate of their choice. The Electors’ names may or may not appear on the ballot below the name of the candidates running for President, depending on the procedure in each State. The winning candidate in each State—except in Nebraska and Maine, which have proportional distribution of the Electors—is awarded all of the State’s Electors.[3] | ” |
| —The Office of the Federal Register | ||
Typically, electors are selected by state parties. Federal law does not require electors to vote "according to the results of the popular vote in their states." Some states and political parties have enacted policies requiring their electors to vote in accordance with the popular vote. According to the Office of the Federal Register, "throughout our history as a nation, more than 99 percent of electors have voted as pledged."[12][13]
For the 2024 presidential election, Kentucky was allocated eight electoral votes, the same number that the state was allocated in the 2012, 2016, and 2020 presidential contests.[14]
In Kentucky, all general election presidential candidates must pay a $500 filing fee.[15]
Political parties
For general election purposes, a political party is defined by Kentucky state law as any party whose presidential candidate received at least 20 percent of the total votes cast for that office in the most recent election. A political party must submit a certificate of nomination for its presidential candidate to thesecretary of state by the Friday following the first Tuesday in September preceding the election.[16][17]
Political organization
A political organization is defined as any group not qualifying as a political party whose candidate for president received at least 2 percent of the total state vote cast for that office in the most recent election. A political organization may nominate its candidate for president via convention. The organization must submit a certificate of nomination for its candidate to the secretary of state by the Friday following the first Tuesday in September preceding the election.[16][17]
Independent candidates
An independent presidential candidate must petition for placement on the general election ballot. At least 5,000 registered voters must sign the petition, which must be submitted to the secretary of state by the Friday following the first Tuesday in September preceding the election.[17][18]
Running for multiple offices
Some states prohibit candidates for the presidency from seeking other offices simultaneously. In Kentucky, a candidate's name may not appear on the ballot multiple times.[19]
Sore loser laws
Some states bar candidates who sought, but failed, to secure the nomination of a political party from running as independents in the general election. These restrictions are sometimes calledsore loser laws. Although Kentucky does have a sore loser law, the law explicitly exempts candidates in presidential preference primary elections.[20][21][22]
Write-in requirements
A write-in candidate for the presidency must file a declaration of intent with thesecretary of state in order to have his or her votes tallied. This form must be filed by the fourth Friday in October preceding the election. The candidate must also pay a $50 filing fee.[15][23]
Historical information
According toRichard Winger, publisher ofBallot Access News, between 1892 and 2012 there were 401 instances in which a state required an independent or unqualified party candidate to collect more than 5,000 signatures in order to appear on the general election ballot. In Kentucky, there were no such instances during this period. See thisarticle for more information.[24]
Campaign finance requirements
TheFederal Election Commission (FEC) is the only agency authorized to regulate the financing of presidential and other federal campaigns (i.e., campaigns for theUnited States Senate and theUnited States House of Representatives). The states cannot impose additional requirements on federal candidates. Federal law requires all presidential candidates to file a statement of candidacy within 15 days of receiving contributions or making expenditures that exceed $5,000. The statement of candidacy is the only federally mandated ballot access requirement for presidential candidates; all other ballot access procedures are mandated at the state level. The candidacy statement authorizes "a principal campaign committee to raise and spend funds" on behalf of the candidate. Within 10 days of filing the candidacy statement, the committee must file astatement of organization with the FEC. In addition, federal law establishes contribution limits for presidential candidates. These limits are detailed in the table below. The uppermost row indicates the recipient type; the leftmost column indicates the donor type.[25][26]
| Candidate committees | Political action committees | State and district party committees | National party committees | Additional national party committee accounts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual | $3,300 per election | $5,000 per year | $10,000 per year (combined) | $41,300 per year | $123,900 per account, per year |
| Candidate committee | $2,000 per election | $5,000 per year | Unlimited transfers | Unlimited transfers | N/A |
| Multicandidate political action committee | $5,000 per election | $5,000 per year | $5,000 per year (combined) | $15,000 per year | $45,000 per account, per year |
| Other political action committee | $3,300 per election | $5,000 per year | $10,000 per year (combined) | $41,300 per year | $123,900 per account, per year |
| State and district party committee | $5,000 per election | $5,000 per year | Unlimited transfers | Unlimited transfers | N/A |
| National party committee | $5,000 per election | $5,000 per year | Unlimited transfers | Unlimited transfers | N/A |
| Note: Contribution limits apply separately to primary and general elections. For example, an individual could contribute $3,300 to a candidate committee for the primary and another $3,300 to the same candidate committee for the general election. Source:Federal Election Commission, "Contribution limits," accessed May 8, 2023 | |||||
Presidential candidate committees are required to file regular campaign finance reports disclosing "all of their receipts and disbursements" either quarterly or monthly. Committees may choose which filing schedule to follow, but they must notify the FEC in writing and "may change their filing frequency no more than once per calendar year."[27]
For contribution limits from previous years, click "[Show more]" below.
| Federal contribution limits, 2019-2020 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate committees | Political action committees | State and district party committees | National party committees | Additional national party committee accounts | |
| Individual | $2,800 per election | $5,000 per year | $10,000 per year (combined) | $33,500 per year | $106,500 per account, per year |
| Candidate committee | $2,000 per election | $5,000 per year | Unlimited transfers | Unlimited transfers | N/A |
| Multicandidate political action committee | $5,000 per election | $5,000 per year | $5,000 per year (combined) | $15,000 per year | $45,000 per account, per year |
| Other political action committee | $2,800 per election | $5,000 per year | $10,000 per year (combined) | $35,500 per year | $106,500 per account, per year |
| State and district party committee | $5,000 per election | $5,000 per year | Unlimited transfers | Unlimited transfers | N/A |
| National party committee | $5,000 per election | $5,000 per year | Unlimited transfers | Unlimited transfers | N/A |
| Note: Contribution limits apply separately to primary and general elections. For example, an individual could contribute $2,800 to a candidate committee for the primary and another $2,800 to the same candidate committee for the general election. Source:Federal Election Commission, "Contribution limits," accessed August 8, 2019 | |||||
| Federal contribution limits, 2015-2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate committees | Political action committees | State and district party committees | National party committees | Additional national party committee accounts | |
| Individual | $2,700 per election | $5,000 per year | $10,000 per year (combined) | $33,400 per year | $100,200 per account, per year |
| Candidate committee | $2,000 per election | $5,000 per year | Unlimited transfers | Unlimited transfers | N/A |
| Multicandidate political action committee | $5,000 per election | $5,000 per year | $5,000 per year (combined) | $15,000 per year | $45,000 per account, per year |
| Other political action committee | $2,700 per election | $5,000 per year | $10,000 per year (combined) | $33,400 per year | $100,200 per account, per year |
| State and district party committee | $5,000 per election | $5,000 per year | Unlimited transfers | Unlimited transfers | N/A |
| National party committee | $5,000 per election | $5,000 per year | Unlimited transfers | Unlimited transfers | N/A |
| Note: Contribution limits apply separately to primary and general elections. For example, an individual could contribute $2,700 to a candidate committee for the primary and another $2,700 to the same candidate committee for the general election. Source:Federal Election Commission, "The FEC and Federal Campaign Finance Law," updated January 2015 | |||||
Contact information
Election agencies
- 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
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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External links
Footnotes
- ↑1.01.11.21.3Vote Smart, "Government 101: United States Presidential Primary," accessed May 8, 2023Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "votesmart" defined multiple times with different content - ↑The Constitution of the United States of America, "Article 2, Section 1," accessed August 3, 2015
- ↑3.03.13.23.3Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑The Washington Post, "Everything you need to know about how the presidential primary works," May 12, 2015
- ↑FactCheck.org, "Caucus vs. Primary," February 3, 2020
- ↑Kentucky Revised Statutes, "Section 118-551," accessed May 8, 2023
- ↑Kentucky Revised Statutes, "Section 118-581," accessed May 8, 2023
- ↑Kentucky Revised Statutes, 'Section 118-591," accessed May 8, 2023
- ↑Kentucky Revised Statutes, "Section 118-611," accessed May 8, 2023
- ↑10.010.1The Courier-Journal, "Kentucky Republican leaders OK caucus format," August 23, 2015
- ↑11.011.1National Public Radio, "Ky. GOP OKs Caucus Allowing Sen. Paul To Run For Re-Election And President," August 23, 2015
- ↑12.012.1Archives.gov, "What is the Electoral College?" accessed August 25, 2015
- ↑13.013.1Archives.gov, "Who are the Electors?" accessed August 25, 2015
- ↑Archives.gov, "Distribution of Electoral Votes," accessed September 16, 2015
- ↑15.015.1Kentucky Revised Statutes, "Section 118-255," accessed May 8, 2023
- ↑16.016.1Kentucky Revised Statutes, "Section 118-015," accessed May 8, 2023
- ↑17.017.117.2Kentucky Revised Statutes, "Section 118-365," accessed May 8, 2023
- ↑Kentucky Revised Statutes, "Section 118-315," accessed May 8, 2023
- ↑Kentucky Legislature, "118.405 Name of candidate to appear on ballot but once -- Exceptions for filling of vacancy.," accessed May 8, 2023
- ↑SSRN, "Sore Loser Laws and Democratic Contestation," accessed May 8, 2023
- ↑Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy, "“If You Ain’t First, You’re Last”: How State “Sore-Loser” Laws Make It Impossible For Trump To Run A Successful Third-Party Campaign If He Loses The Republican Primary," accessed May 8, 2023
- ↑Kentucky Revised Statutes, "Section 118.345," accessed May 8, 2023
- ↑Kentucky Revised Statutes, "Section 117.265," accessed May 8, 2023
- ↑This information comes from research conducted by Richard Winger, publisher and editor ofBallot Access News.
- ↑Federal Election Commission, "The FEC and Federal Campaign Finance Law," updated January 2015
- ↑Federal Election Commission, "Quick Answers to Candidate Questions," accessed August 13, 2015
- ↑Federal Election Commission, "2016 Reporting Dates," accessed June 17, 2022
