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Ballot access for major and minor party candidates
Ballot access for presidential candidates
List of political parties in the United States
Methods for signing candidate nominating petitions
Note: This article is not intended to serve as an exhaustive guide to running for public office. Individuals should contact their state election agencies for further information.

In order to get on the ballot in Indiana, 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 Indiana. For information about filing requirements for presidential candidates, see "Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Indiana." Information about filing requirements for local-level offices is not available in this article (contact state election agencies for information about local candidate filing processes).

See state election laws

Year-specific filing information

2020

U.S. House

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in Indiana in the 2020 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Indiana, click here.

State House

The table below details filing requirements for Indiana House of Representatives candidates in the 2020 election cycle.

State Senate

The table below details filing requirements for Indiana State Senate candidates in the 2020 election cycle.

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

Process to become a candidate

The first page of Indiana's 2014 declaration of candidacy form

See statutes: Title 3, Article 8 of the Indiana Code

A candidate in Indiana may run with an officially recognized political party, as an independent, or as a write-in. The process to qualify varies depending on the type of candidate and the office being sought. No fee is required to file for office in Indiana. Before the general election, registered voters have the right to challenge any candidate's placement on the ballot. Challenges must be filed with the Indiana Election Division 74 days before the general election.^[5][4]

Democratic or Republican candidates

A Democratic or Republican candidate seeking the office of United States Senator must do the following:

1. A candidate must file a declaration of candidacy and nomination petition with the Indiana Election Division in person or by mail by noon 88 days prior to the primary election.^[6]
2. The declaration of candidacy must be accompanied by a nomination petition. This petition must contain at least 4,500 signatures, including a minimum of 500 signatures from each of the state's congressional districts. Before being filed with the Indiana Election Division, petition signatures must be certified by county voter registration officials.^[6]

A candidate seeking the office of United States Representative must do the following:^[4]

1. A candidate must a declaration of candidacy with the Indiana Election Division in person or by mail by noon (Indianapolis time) 88 days before the primary election.^[6]

A candidate seeking a state office (such as governor or treasurer) must do the following:^[4][7]

1. A candidate must file a statement of economic interests with the Indiana Ethics Commission. The commission will then give the candidate a Certificate of Filing, which must be filed with the Indiana Election Division before the division can accept any other forms.
2. A candidate must file a declaration of candidacy with the Indiana Election Division in person or by mail by noon 88 days prior to the primary election.^[6]
3. The declaration of candidacy must be accompanied by a nomination petition. This petition must contain at least 4,500 signatures, including a minimum of 500 signatures from each of the state's congressional districts. Before being filed with the Indiana Election Division, petition signatures must be certified by county voter registration officials.^[6]
4. A Democratic or Republican party candidate must be nominated at the party's state convention. Party officials must file a certificate of nomination with the Indiana Election Division by noon (Indianapolis time) on July 15.

A candidate seeking office in the Indiana State Legislature must do the following:^[4]

1. The candidate must file a statement of economic interests (filing location varies based on office). If a candidate is seeking office in the Indiana State Senate, this form must be filed with the Principal Secretary of the Indiana State Senate. If a candidate is seeking office in the Indiana House of Representatives, this form must be filed with the Principal Clerk of the Indiana House of Representatives. Statements of economic interests must be filed as original documents, submitted in person or sent by mail. No faxes or photocopies will be accepted. Candidates may turn this form in as early as January 2 of the election year. The Indiana Election Division will not accept any other form until the statement of economic interests, stamped by the corresponding office, has been submitted.^[8]
2. A candidate must file a declaration of candidacy with the Indiana Election Division in person or by mail by noon (Indianapolis time) 88 days before the primary election.^[6]

Libertarian candidates

A Libertarian candidate seeking the office of United States Senator must do the following:

1. A candidate must file with the Libertarian Party.
2. A candidate must be nominated at the party's state convention. After the convention, the party must file a certificate of nomination with the Indiana Election Division by noon (Indianapolis time) on July 15 in the year of the general election.^[9]

A candidate seeking the office of United States Representative must do the following:^[4]

1. A candidate must file with the Libertarian Party.
2. A candidate must be nominated at the party's state convention. After the convention, the party must file a certificate of nomination with the Indiana Election Division by noon (Indianapolis time) on July 15 in the year of the general election.^[9]

A candidate seeking a state office (such as governor or treasurer) must do the following:^[4][7]

1. A candidate must file a statement of economic interests with the Indiana Ethics Commission. The commission will then give the candidate a certificate of filing, which must, in turn, be filed with the Indiana Election Division before the division can accept any other forms.
2. A candidate must be nominated at the party's state convention. Party representatives must then file a certificate of nomination with the Indiana Election Division by noon (Indianapolis time) on July 15.

A candidate seeking office in the Indiana State Legislature must do the following:

1. A candidate must file a statement of economic interests (filing location varies based on office). If a candidate is seeking office in the Indiana State Senate, this form must be filed with the Principal Secretary of the Indiana State Senate. If a candidate is seeking office in the Indiana House of Representatives, this form must be filed with the Principal Clerk of the Indiana House of Representatives. Statements of economic interests must be filed as the original document, submitted in person or sent by mail. No faxes or photocopies will be accepted. A candidate may turn this form in as early as January 2 of the election year. The Indiana Election Division will not accept any other forms until the statement of economic interests, stamped by the corresponding office, has been submitted.^[4][8]
2. A candidate must file with the Libertarian Party.
3. A candidate must be nominated at the party's state convention. After the convention, the party must file a certificate of nomination with the Indiana Election Division by noon (Indianapolis time) on July 15 before the general election.^[9]

Minor party or independent candidates

A minor party or independent candidate seeking the office of United States Senator must do the following:^[4][10]

1. A candidate must collect signatures from registered voters equal to 2 percent of the total votes cast for secretary of state in the last election. The petition circulation period begins 118 days before the primary election and ends June 30. Signatures must then be certified by the applicable county voter registration office.
2. A candidate must file a candidate consent form and the certified petition of nomination with the Indiana Election Division by noon (Indianapolis time) on July 15 in the year of the election.

A candidate seeking the office of United States Representative must do the following:^[4][10]

1. A candidate must collect signatures from registered voters equal to 2 percent of the total votes cast for secretary of state in the last election in the congressional district the candidate seeks to represent. The petition circulation period begins 118 days before the primary election and ends June 30. Signatures must then be certified by the applicable county voter registration office.
2. A candidate must file a candidate consent form and the certified petition of nomination with the Indiana Election Division by noon (Indianapolis time) on July 15 in the year of the election.

A candidate seeking a state office (such as governor or treasurer) must do the following:

1. A candidate must file a statement of economic interests with the Indiana Ethics Commission. The commission will then give the candidate a filing certificate, which must, in turn, be filed with the Indiana Election Division before the division can accept any other forms.
2. A candidate must collect signatures from registered voters equal to 2 percent of the total votes cast for secretary of state in the last election. The petition circulation period begins 118 days before the primary election and ends June 30. Signatures must then be certified by the applicable county voter registration office.
3. A candidate must file a candidate consent form and the certified petition of nomination with the Indiana Election Division by noon (Indianapolis time) on July 15.

A candidate seeking office in the Indiana State Legislature must do the following:

1. A candidate must file a statement of economic interests form (filing location varies based on office). If a candidate is seeking office in the Indiana State Senate, this form must be filed with the Principal Secretary of the Indiana State Senate. If a candidate is seeking office in the Indiana House of Representatives, this form must be filed with the Principal Clerk of the Indiana House of Representatives. Statements of economic interests forms must be filed as original documents, submitted in person or sent by mail. No faxes or photocopies will be accepted. A candidate may turn the form in as early as January 2 in the year of the election. The Indiana Election Division will not accept any other filings until the statement of economic interests, stamped by the corresponding office, has been submitted.^[4][8]
2. A candidate must collect signatures from registered voters equal to 2 percent of the total votes cast for secretary of state in the last election in the election district the candidate seeks to represent. The petition circulation period begins 118 days before the primary election and ends June 30. Signatures must then be certified by the applicable county voter registration office.
3. A candidate must file a candidate consent form and the certified petition of nomination form with the Indiana Election Division by noon (Indianapolis time) on July 15.

Write-in candidates

A write-in candidate seeking the offices of United States Senator or United States Representative must do the following:^[4][11]

1. A candidate must file a declaration of intent with the Indiana Election Division by noon (Indianapolis time) on July 3 in the year of the election.

A candidate seeking a state office (such as governor or treasurer) must do the following:

1. A candidate must file a statement of economic interests with the Indiana Ethics Commission. The commission must then give the candidate a certificate of filing, which must, in turn, be filed with the Indiana Election Division before the division can accept any other forms.
2. A candidate must file a declaration of intent with the Indiana Election Division by noon (Indianapolis time) on July 3 in the year of the election.

A candidate seeking office in the Indiana State Legislature must do the following:

1. A candidate must file a statement of economic interests form (filing location varies based on office). If a candidate is seeking office in the Indiana State Senate, this form must be filed with the Principal Secretary of the Indiana State Senate. If a candidate is seeking office in the Indiana House of Representatives, this form must be filed with the Principal Clerk of the Indiana House of Representatives. Statements of economic interests forms must be filed as original documents, submitted in person or sent by mail. No faxes or photocopies will be accepted. A candidate can file the form in as early as January 2 in the year of the election. The Indiana Election Division will not accept any other forms until the statement of economic interests, stamped by the corresponding office, has been submitted.^[4][8]
2. A candidate must file a declaration of intent with the Indiana Election Division by noon (Indianapolis time) on July 3 in the year of the election.

Petition requirements

See also: Methods for signing candidate nominating petitions

See the articles listed below for more information about ballot access requirements for the 2018 election cycle.
State and federal candidate filing deadlines for 2018
Independent candidate petition requirements for: Gubernatorial candidates U.S. Senate candidates U.S. House candidates

In some cases, political parties and/or candidates may need to obtain signatures via the petition process to gain ballot access. This section outlines the laws and regulations pertaining to petitions and circulators in Indiana.

A registered voter that agrees to sign a candidate's petition must provide his or her name in legible, printed form and his or her residential address. Once a petition is completed, it must be filed with the county voter registration office to certify each signature's validity. Contact information for Indiana's county voter registration offices can be found on this page under the section titled "Election-related agencies."^[12]

The code does not specify circulator requirements.

Election-related agencies

See also: State election agencies

Indiana Election Division

200 W. Washington St., Room 201

Indianapolis, Indiana 46204

Telephone: 317-232-6531

Fax: 317-233-3283

Website: http://www.in.gov/sos/elections/index.htm

Indiana Ethics Commission

315 West Ohio Street, Room 104

Indianapolis, Indiana 46202

Telephone: 317-232-3850

Fax: 317-232-0707

Email: info@ig.in.gov

Website: http://www.in.gov/ig/2335.htm

County agencies

See also: Counties in Indiana

County offices certify signatures on nominating petitions. Individual county contact information is listed below. If a website or email address is not provided, it is because one could not be located for this municipality. To submit information for this table, please email us.

Term limits

Indiana state executives are term-limited. These limits are established in Article 5 of the Indiana Constitution.

State executives

See also: State executives with term limits, States with gubernatorial term limits and Indiana state executive official elections, 2016

The state executive term limits in Indiana are as follows:^[13][14]

• The Governor of Indiana may serve eight years in a 12-year period.
• The Lieutenant Governor of Indiana may serve two terms.
• The Indiana Secretary of State may serve two terms.
• The Indiana Treasurer may serve eight years out of a 12-year period.

State legislators

See also: State legislatures with term limits

Indiana does not place term limits on state legislators.

Congressional partisanship

See also: List of United States Representatives from Indiana and List of United States Senators from Indiana

Below is the current partisan breakdown of the congressional delegation from Indiana.

State legislative partisanship

Below is the current partisan breakdown of members of the state legislature of Indiana.

Indiana State Senate

Indiana House of Representatives

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Indiana ballot access. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

See also

• Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Indiana
• Ballot access requirements for political parties in Indiana
• Indiana elections, 2020
• Campaign finance requirements in Indiana
• Counties in Indiana
• List of United States Representatives from Indiana
• List of United States Senators from Indiana
• 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

• Indiana Election Division
• Federal Election Commission
• Indiana Code, "Title 3 – Elections"
• Indiana Election Division, "2016 Candidate Guide"
• Indiana Election Division, "2016 Indiana Election Calendar"
• Indiana Election Division, "2016 Candidate Forms"

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

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