Petition Requirements to Run for the State Legislature

Elections

States use petitions to gauge candidate support and deter frivolous candidates.

Every state except Alaska has a petition process to get on the ballot. Some states require all candidates to submit petitions, some states allow petitions instead of filing fees, and some only require petitions for candidates running as minor party, independent or unaffiliated candidates. Fifteen states require nomination petitions from independent/unaffiliated candidates only. Twenty-five states, Washington, D.C. and the Virgin Islands require nomination petitions for major party candidates. Nine states allow petitions in lieu of filing fees, and Oregon and New Hampshire allow a petition in lieu of the filing fee for major party candidates only. For more information on filing fees, visit NCSL’s Filing Fees to Run for the State Legislature.

Signature Requirements

How Many Signatures Are Required

States generally use one of two different methods to decide how many signatures potential candidates must gather: (1) a defined number of signatures or (2) signatures from a percentage of a defined population.

These requirements vary depending on whether the candidate is a major party candidate or an independent candidate.

Major Party Candidates

20 states and the Virgin Islands require only a defined number of signatures, ranging from 15 to 2,000.
11 states require only a percentage.
4 states and the District of Columbia ask for either a percentage or number.
15 states and Puerto Rico do not have petition requirements for major party candidates.

Independent and Unaffiliated Candidates

22 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands require ONLY a defined number of signatures, ranging from 15 to 3,000.
21 states require ONLY a percentage.
6 states and the District of Columbia require either a percentage or number.
Alaska does not have a petition requirement.

In states that require either a percentage or a predetermined number of signatures, the candidate is only required to meet the lower number.

The predetermined number of signatures can be high. For example, in Missouri, the predetermined number is 10,000 signatures, while the percentage requirement is for signatures from registered voters equal to 2% of the votes cast for the office in the last election. Thus, the percentage requirement may be an easier option, depending on the district or office.

In other states, however, the percentage requirement can be high, and the predetermined number much lower. For some independent House candidates in Ohio, for example, the percentage option requires signatures from 5% of registered voters whereas the predetermined number is just 25 signatures. In many districts, 25 signatures is less than 5% of registered voters.

Defined Population

States vary in how they define the percentage of signatures needed on candidate petitions. Thirteen states use a percentage of registered voters in the candidate’s district. For example, Oklahoma requires potential independent candidates for state legislature to file a petition with signatures equal to, or more than, 2% of the number of registered voters in the candidate’s district.

Another approach is to use a percentage of the total number of ballots cast for a certain office in the last election in the candidate’s potential district. Twelve states and Puerto Rico regulate petition signatures this way. Four of these states and Puerto Rico base the requirement on the office for which the candidate is running, and four base the requirement on the office of the governor. Indiana uses the office of secretary of state and Oregon uses the election for president of the United States. Nebraska uses the most recent of either the presidential or gubernatorial election. Wyoming uses the number of votes cast for the most recent congressional election.

Kansas and New Mexico specify that the percentage requirement applies to registered voters from the candidate’s political party, who are also residents of the candidate’s district For example, New Mexico requires that major party candidates for state legislature file a petition with signatures equal to 2% of the number of registered voters that belong to the candidate’s party and reside in the candidate’s potential district.

North Dakota and Washington are notable exceptions to these approaches. North Dakota requires a percentage of signatures from the entire population of the candidate’s potential district—not just registered voters. And Washington requires the petition to contain a number of signatures equaling the dollar amount of the filing fee, which is 1% of the position’s annual salary.

Who May Sign Petitions

Every state reviews submitted signatures and only allows qualifying signatures to count toward the required total, but who may sign a candidate petition varies. Most states require signatures only be collected from people who are registered voters and residents of the district that the candidate hopes to represent. In these states, signatures of people who reside outside of the district are not counted. This information is often verified by requiring the signatory to include an address with the signature.

The table below indicates the petition requirements for each state.

Candidate Petition Requirements
State	Signature Requirement	Statute(s)
Alabama	Independent/unaffiliated candidates only. Signatures from registered voters equal to 3% of total votes cast in the last gubernatorial election in the district.	Ala. Admin. Code r. 820-2-4-.05
Alaska	n/a	n/a
Arizona	Required for all candidates. Signatures from one-half of 1% of the registered voters in the district.	AZ ST § 16-322 AZ ST § 16-314
Arkansas	Independent/unaffiliated candidates only. Signatures from 3% of registered voters in the district.	AR ST § 7-7-103
California	In lieu of filing fees: Senate: 2,000 signatures of registered voters. Assembly: 1,000 signatures of registered voters. Nomination requirements (all candidates except write-ins): Senate: between 65 and 100 registered voter’s signatures. Assembly: between 40 and 60 registered voter’s signatures.	CA ELEC § 8106 CA ELEC § 8062
Colorado	Major party candidates: Signatures from 1000 registered voters in the district, or signatures equal to 30% of the votes cast in a primary (whichever is less). Minor party and unaffiliated candidates: Signatures from 1000 registered voters in the district, or signatures equal to 5% of the votes cast in the most recent general election (whichever is less).	CO ST § 1-4-801 CO ST § 1-4-802
Connecticut	Required for all candidates. Signatures equal to 1% of votes cast for the office in the last election.	CT ST § 9-453d
Delaware	Independent/unaffiliated candidates only. Signatures of 1% of registered voters in the district.	DE ST TI 15 § 3002
District of Columbia	Required for all candidates. Signatures of 2,000 registered voters of the same party as the candidate, or 1% of registered voters of the party of the candidate (whichever is less).	DC CODE § 1-1001.08
Florida	In lieu of filing fee or party nomination. Signatures of 1% of registered voters in the district.	FL ST § 99.095
Georgia	If not able to pay filing fee. Signatures from 1% of the total number of registered voters in the last election.	GA ST § 21-2-153
Hawaii	Required for all candidates. Signatures from 15 registered voters in the district.	HI ST § 12-5 HI ST § 12-4
Idaho	Independent/unaffiliated candidates only and in lieu of filing fee. Signatures from 50 registered voters.	ID ST § 34-708
Illinois	Non-major party candidates only. Independent/unaffiliated: Signatures from between 5% and 8% of registered voters in the district. New Party: Signatures from 5% of registered voters in the district.	IL ST CH 10 § 5/10-3 IL ST CH 10 § 5/10-2
Indiana	Independent/unaffiliated candidates only. Signatures from registered voters equal to 2% of votes cast for secretary of state in the last election.	IN ST 3-8-6-3
Iowa	Required for all candidates. Senate: Signatures from 100 registered voters in district. House: Signatures from 50 registered voters in district.	IA ST § 45.1
Kansas	Major party: Signatures from 2% of party’s registered voters in the district. Independent/unaffiliated: Signatures from 4% of registered voters in the district.	KS ST 25-205(e)(2) KS ST 25-303
Kentucky	Required for all candidates. Signatures from 100 registered voters in the district.	KY ST § 118.315
Louisiana	In lieu of filing fee Senate: Signatures from 500 registered voters in the district. House: Signatures from 400 registered voters in district.	LA R.S. 18:465
Maine	Senate: Major party: Signatures from between 100 and 150 party registered voters in the district. Non-party: Signatures from between 200 and 300 registered voters in the district. House: Major party: Signatures from between 25 and 40 party registered voters in the district. Non-party: Signatures from between 50 and 80 registered voters in the district.	ME ST T. 21-A § 354
Maryland	Required for all candidates Signatures from 1% of registered voters in the district or 10,000 registered voters in the district (whichever is less).	MD ELEC LAW § 5-703
Massachusetts	Required for all candidates Senate: signatures from 300 registered voters. House: signatures from 150 registered voters.	MA ST 53 § 44
Michigan	Senate: Major party: signatures from between 500 and 1,000 registered party voters in the district. Non-party: Signatures from between 1,500 and 3,000 registered voters in the district. House: Major party: signatures from between 200 and 400 registered party voters in the district. Non-party: Signatures from between 600 and 1,200 registered voters in the district. *Number of signatures may change with population size.	MI ST 168.544f
Minnesota	In lieu of filing fee. Signatures from 500 registered voters in the district.	MN ST § 204B.11
Mississippi	Independent/unaffiliated candidates only. Signatures from 50 registered voters in the district.	MS ST § 23-15-359
Missouri	Independent/unaffiliated candidates only. Signatures from registered voters equal to 2% of votes cast for the office in the last election, OR signatures from 10,000 registered voters (whichever is less).	MO ST 115.321
Montana	Independent/unaffiliated candidates only. Signatures from registered voters equal to 5% of votes cast for the winner of the office in the last election.	MT ST 13-10-502
Nebraska	Independent/unaffiliated candidates only. Signatures from registered voters in the district equal to 20% of the votes cast last presidential or gubernatorial election.	NE ST § 32-618
Nevada	Independent/unaffiliated candidates only. Signatures from 100 registered voters in the district.	NV ST 293.200
New Hampshire	Senate: Major party (in lieu of filing fee): Signatures from 20 registered voters in the district. Non-major party: Signatures from 750 registered voters in the district. House: Major party (in lieu of filing fee): signatures from 5 registered voters in the district. Non-major party: Signatures from 150 registered voters in the district.	NH ST § 655:42 NH ST § 655:19-c
New Jersey	Required for all candidates. Signatures from 100 registered votes in the district.	NJ ST 19:23-8
New Mexico	Major party: signatures from 2% of registered party voters in the district. Independent/unaffiliated: Signatures from 2% of registered voters in the district.	NM ST § 1-8-33 NM ST § 1-8-51
New York	Senate: Major party: Signatures from 1,000 registered party voters in the district. Independent/unaffiliated: 3,000 registered voters in the district. Assembly: Major party: Signatures from 500 registered party voters in the district. Independent/unaffiliated: Signatures from 1,500 registered voters in the district.	NY ELEC § 6-136 NY ELEC § 6-142
North Carolina	In lieu of filing fee. Signatures from 5% of registered voters in the district.	NC ST § 163-107.1
North Dakota	Independent/unaffiliated candidates only. Signatures from 2% of the population in district, however no more than 300 signatures are required.	ND ST 16.1-11-11
Ohio	Major party: Signatures from 50 registered party voters. Independent: If fewer than 5,000 votes were cast in the last gubernatorial election: Signatures from 5% of registered voters in district or 25 signatures (whichever is less). If 5,000 or more votes were cast in the last gubernatorial election: signatures from 1 % of registered voters of the total who voted in that election.	OH ST § 3513.05 OH ST § 3513.257
Oklahoma	In lieu of filing fee. Signatures from 2% of registered voters in the district.	OK ST T. 26 § 5-112
Oregon	Major party (in lieu of filing fee): Signatures from 500 registered party voters or signatures equal to 2% of votes cast in the same party for the most recent presidential election (whichever is less). Independent: Signatures from registered voters in the district equal to 1% of votes cast in the last presidential election.	OR ST § 249.068 OR ST § 249.740
Pennsylvania	Required for all candidates. Senate: Signatures from 500 registered voters in the district. House: Signatures from 300 registered voters in the district.	PA ST 25 P.S. § 2872.1
Puerto Rico	Independent/unaffiliated candidates only. Signatures equal to 3% of the total straight-ticket ballots validly cast for the candidate who won the previous general election for the office.	PR ST T. 16 § 4625
Rhode Island	Required for all candidates. Senate: Signatures from 100 registered voters. House: Signatures from 50 registered voters.	RI ST § 17-14-7
South Carolina	Required for all candidates. Signatures from 5% of registered voters in the district.	SC ST § 7-11-70
South Dakota	Major party: Signatures from registered voters in the district equal to 1% of votes cast for the party gubernatorial candidate in the last election. Independent/unaffiliated: Signatures from registered voters in the district equal to 1% of votes cast in the last gubernatorial election.	SD ST § 12-6-7
Tennessee	Required for all candidates. Signatures from 25 registered voters in the district.	TN ST § 2-5-101
Texas	Major party: Signatures from 500 registered voters OR signatures equal to 2% of the total votes cast in the most recent gubernatorial election in the district (whichever is less). Independent/unaffiliated: Signatures from 500 registered voters OR signatures equal to 5% of the total votes cast in the most recent gubernatorial election in the district (whichever is less).	TX ELECTION § 172.025 TX ELECTION § 142.007
Utah	Major party: Senate: Signatures from 2,000 registered party voters in the district. House: Signatures from 1,000 registered party voters in the district. Independent/unaffiliated: Signatures from 5% or 300 registered voters in the district (whichever is less)	UT ST § 20A-9-408 UT ST § 20A-9-502
Vermont	Required for all candidates. Senate: Signatures from 100 registered voters in the district. House: Signatures from 50 registered voters in the district.	VT ST T. 17 § 2355
Virgin Islands	Required for all candidates. Signatures from 25 registered party voters.	VI ST T. 18 § 347
Virginia	Independent/unaffiliated candidates only. Senate: Signatures from 250 registered voters. House: Signatures from 125 registered voters.	VA ST § 24.2-506
Washington	In lieu of filing fee Signatures from registered voters must equal the dollar amount of the filing fee (1% of the annual salary).	WA ST 29A.24.091
West Virginia	Independent/unaffiliated candidates only. Signatures equal to 1% of the vote cast for the office in the last election.	WV ST § 3-5-23
Wisconsin	Required for all candidates. Senate: Signatures from between 400 and 800 registered voters. House: Signatures from between 200 and 400 registered voters.	WI ST 8.15
Wyoming	Independent/unaffiliated candidates only Signatures from registered voters in the district equal to 2% of votes cast in the last election for a congress member.	WY ST § 22-5-304

Note: This information on this page is not intended to be a guide for potential candidates. To obtain instructions on how to run for office, please consult your local or state election officials, state election regulation authority or an attorney.