Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Indiana

From Ballotpedia - Reading time: 30 min



Election Policy Logo.png

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
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker
Public Policy Logo-one line.png
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 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.

  1. An individual can seek the nomination 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]
  2. An individual can run as an independent. Independent presidential candidates typically must petition in each state in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.[1]
  3. An individual can run as a 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, see this page.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • In Indiana, a presidential candidate seeking a major party's nomination must petition to get on the ballot. The candidate must collect at least 4,500 signatures to qualify.
  • An independent presidential candidate must collect signatures equaling at least 2 percent of the total votes cast for Indiana Secretary of State in the most recent election in order to qualify for placement on the general election ballot.
  • A write-in candidate must file a declaration of intent in order to qualify for service should he or she be elected.
  • DocumentIcon.jpg See state election laws

    Year-specific filing information[edit]

    See also: Important dates in the 2024 presidential race

    2024[edit]

    The tables below detail filing requirements for presidential candidates in Indiana in the 2024 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Indiana, click here.

    Presidential primary candidates[edit]

    Filing requirements for presidential primary candidates in Indiana, 2024
    State Party Signatures required Signature formula Filing fee Filing fee formula Filing deadline Source
    Indiana Democratic and Republican 4,500 500 signatures from each congressional district N/A N/A 2/9/2024 Source

    Independent presidential candidates[edit]

    Filing requirements for independent candidates in Indiana, 2024
    State Signatures required Signature formula Filing fee Filing fee formula Filing deadline Source
    Indiana 36,943 2% of the total votes cast for secretary of state in the last general election N/A N/A 7/1/24 Source

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

    Show more

    2020[edit]

    The tables below detail filing requirements for presidential candidates in Indiana in the 2020 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Indiana, click here.

    Presidential primary candidates[edit]

    Filing requirements for presidential primary candidates in Indiana, 2020
    State Party Signatures required Signature formula Filing fee Filing fee formula Filing deadline Source
    Indiana Democratic and Republican 4,500 500 signatures from each congressional district N/A N/A 2/10/2020 Source

    Independent presidential candidates[edit]

    Filing requirements for independent candidates in Indiana, 2020
    State Signatures required Signature formula Filing fee Filing fee formula Filing deadline Source
    Indiana 44,935 2% of the total votes cast for secretary of state in the last general election N/A N/A 6/30/2020 Source

    2016[edit]

    The calendar below lists important filing deadlines in Indiana for the 2016 presidential election. For information about campaign finance reporting deadlines, see the chart further down the page.

    Legend:      Ballot access     Election date



    Dates and requirements for presidential candidates in 2016
    Deadline Event type Event description
    January 6, 2016 Ballot access Filing period opens for presidential candidates
    January 26, 2016 Ballot access Deadline for presidential primary candidates to file petitions with county-level voter registration offices for verification
    February 5, 2016 Ballot access Deadline for Democratic and Republican presidential primary candidates to file verified petitions with the secretary of state
    May 3, 2016 Election date Primary election
    June 30, 2016 Ballot access Deadline for independent candidates to file petitions with county-level voter registration offices for verification
    July 5, 2016 Ballot access Filing period closes for write-in presidential candidates
    July 15, 2016 Ballot access Deadline for independent candidates to file verified petitions with the secretary of state
    November 8, 2016 Election date General election
    Sources: Indiana Election Division, "CAN-2 Declaration of Candidacy for Primary Nomination in 2016," accessed August 13, 2015
    Indiana Election Division, "CAN-3 Declaration of Intent to be a Write-in Candidate in 2016," accessed August 13, 2015

    Qualifications[edit]

    Article 2, Section 1, of the United 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 the United 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

    The 14th Amendment to the United 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[edit]

    See also: Primary election and Caucus
    Hover over the terms below to display definitions.

    Ballot access laws
    Primary election
    Caucus
    Delegate
    Election Policy Logo.png

    A political party formally nominates its presidential candidate at a national nominating convention. At this convention, state delegates select the party's nominee. Prior to the nominating convention, the states conduct presidential preference primaries or caucuses. Generally speaking, only state-recognized parties—such as the Democratic Party and the Republican 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 Indiana, the major political parties nominate presidential candidates by primary election. State law defines major political parties as those whose candidates for secretary of state received the highest and second highest number of votes cast for that office in the most recent election. By contrast, minor parties, defined here as those other parties whose candidates for secretary of state received at least 2 percent of the total votes cast for that office in the most recent election, nominate their candidates by convention alone.[6]

    To be placed on a major party's primary ballot, a candidate must file a petition with the secretary of state's office. The petition must be signed by at least 4,500 registered state voters; at least 500 signatures must come from each of Indiana's congressional districts. Petition signatures must first be verified by county-level voter registration offices. Signatures must be verified by the voter registration office in the county in which they were collected. A candidate must submit his or her petitions to the appropriate county-level office no earlier than 118 days before the primary and no later than 98 days before the primary election. Petitions must then be filed with the secretary of state no later than 88 days before the primary election.[7][8][9]

    General election requirements[edit]

    The president is elected by the Electoral College, which comprises 538 electors from all 50 states, as well as Washington, D.C.

    The president of the United States is elected not by popular vote, but by the Electoral College. The Electoral 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:[10][11]

    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."[10][11]

    Indiana was allocated 11 electoral college votes in the 2024 presidential election, the same number it was allocated in the 2012, 2016, and 2020 presidential contests.[12]

    Political parties[edit]

    State-recognized political parties must file the names of their presidential candidates and electors with the Indiana Secretary of State no later than noon on the second Tuesday in September preceding the general election.[13][14]

    Independent candidates[edit]

    Independent presidential candidates must petition for access to the general election ballot. The petition must be signed by a number of registered voters equaling at least 2 percent of the total votes cast for secretary of state in the most recent election. Petition signatures must first be verified by county-level voter registration offices. Signatures must be verified by the voter registration office in the county in which they were collected. A candidate must submit his or her petitions to the appropriate county-level office no earlier than 118 days before the primary election and no later than noon on June 30. Petitions must then be submitted to the secretary of state by July 15. Independent presidential candidates must file their names and those of their designated electors with the secretary of state no later than noon on the second Tuesday in September preceding the general election.[13][15][16]

    Running for multiple offices[edit]

    Some states prohibit candidates for the presidency from seeking other offices simultaneously. In Indiana, "the name of a person who has been nominated as a candidate for an elected office may not appear in more than one place on a ballot." Exceptions are provided for the following instances:[17]

    1. a candidate for a federal office in a primary election
    2. a candidate for the vice presidency, who "may appear on the general election ballot as a candidate for federal office and for Vice President of the United States"

    Sore loser laws[edit]

    See also: Sore loser laws for presidential candidates

    Some states bar candidates who sought the nomination of a political party from running as independents in the general election. These restrictions are sometimes called sore loser laws. Under Indiana state law, a candidate who "is defeated in a primary election ... is not eligible to become a candidate for the same office in the next general [election]."[18][19][20]

    Richard Winger, publisher of Ballot Access News, has argued that, generally speaking, "sore loser laws have been construed not to apply to presidential primaries." His analysis of state sore loser laws and their applicability in presidential elections can be accessed here.[21]

    Write-in requirements[edit]

    In Indiana, a write-in candidate for the presidency must file a declaration of intent with the secretary of state. The declaration of intent must be filed no earlier than 118 days before the primary and no later than noon on July 3 in the year of the election. A write-in candidate who fails to do this will not be qualified to serve should he or she be elected.[22][23][24]

    Historical information[edit]

    See also: Historical signature requirements for independent and minor party presidential candidates

    According to Richard Winger, publisher of Ballot 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 Indiana, there were 20 such instances. See the table below for further details. The first column lists the state, the second lists the year, and the third lists the signature requirement. Columns four through nine list candidates and/or parties that met the requirement.[21]

    Filing requirements for independent and minor party candidates, 1894-2012
    State Year Requirement Successful parties or candidates
    Indiana 1936 7,213 Union Communist -- -- --
    Indiana 1940 7,798 Socialist Prohibition -- -- --
    Indiana 1944 6,446 Socialist -- -- -- --
    Indiana 1948 6,641 Progressive Socialist Socialist Labor -- --
    Indiana 1952 7,912 Progressive Socialist Labor -- -- --
    Indiana 1956 7,950 Socialist Labor -- -- -- --
    Indiana 1960 8,549 Socialist Labor -- -- -- --
    Indiana 1964 8,863 Prohibition Socialist Labor -- -- --
    Indiana 1968 8,320 American Prohibition Socialist Workers -- --
    Indiana 1972 8,466 Peace and Freedom Socialist Labor Communist -- --
    Indiana 1976 8,406 Socialist Workers U.S. Labor -- -- --
    Indiana 1980 6,982 Libertarian Anderson Citizens Socialist Workers Communist
    Indiana 1984 35,040 -- -- -- -- --
    Indiana 1988 31,077 New Alliance -- -- -- --
    Indiana 1992 29,909 Libertarian R. Perot -- -- --
    Indiana 1996 29,822 Reform -- -- -- --
    Indiana 2000 30,717 Reform -- -- -- --
    Indiana 2004 29,553 -- -- -- -- --
    Indiana 2008 32,742 -- -- -- -- --
    Indiana 2012 34,195 -- -- -- -- --

    Campaign finance requirements[edit]

    See also: Campaign finance requirements in Indiana

    The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is the only agency authorized to regulate the financing of presidential and other federal campaigns (i.e., campaigns for the United States Senate and the United 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 a statement 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]

    Federal contribution limits, 2023-2024
    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.

    Show more
    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


    Election administration agencies[edit]

    Election agencies[edit]

    Seal of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission
    See also: State election agencies

    Individuals seeking additional information about voting provisions in Indiana can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.

    Indiana Election Administrators

    Click here for a list

    Indiana Secretary of State, Election Division

    302 West Washington Street, Room E-204
    Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
    Phone: 317-232-3939
    Fax: 317-233-6793
    Email: elections@iec.in.gov
    Website: https://www.in.gov/sos/elections/

    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


    Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker[edit]

    Election tracker site ad.png


    State election laws are changing. Keeping track of the latest developments in all 50 states can seem like an impossible job.

    Here's the solution: Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker.

    Ballotpedia's Election Administration Tracker sets the industry standard for ease of use, flexibility, and raw power. But that's just the beginning of what it can do:

    • Ballotpedia's election experts provide daily updates on bills and other relevant political developments
    • We translate complex bill text into easy-to-understand summaries written in everyday language
    • And because it's from Ballotpedia, our Tracker is guaranteed to be neutral, unbiased, and nonpartisan

    The Ballot Bulletin[edit]

    Ballot-Bulletin-Header-D2.jpg


    The Ballot 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 our Election Administration Legislation Tracker. You'll also be able to track relevant legislation, with links to and summaries of the bills themselves.

    Recent issues[edit]

    Click below to view recent issues of The Ballot Bulletin.

    Subscribe[edit]

    Enter your email address below to subscribe to The Ballot Bulletin.



    See also[edit]

    Presidential election ballot access
    Use the dropdown menu below to navigate Ballotpedia's coverage of presidential election ballot access.
    Additional reading
    Click the links below to read more about ballot access in Indiana.




    External links[edit]

    Footnotes[edit]

    1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Vote Smart, "Government 101: United States Presidential Primary," accessed October 13, 2023 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "votesmart" defined multiple times with different content
    2. The Constitution of the United States of America, "Article 2, Section 1," accessed August 3, 2015
    3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
    4. The Washington Post, "Everything you need to know about how the presidential primary works," May 12, 2015
    5. FactCheck.org, "Caucus vs. Primary," April 8, 2008
    6. Indiana Code, "Title 3, Article 5, Chapter 2, Section 30," accessed October 13, 2023
    7. Indiana Code, "Title 3, Article 8, Chapter 3, Section 2," accessed October 13, 2023
    8. Indiana Code, "Title 3, Article 8, Chapter 3, Section 4," accessed October 13, 2023
    9. Indiana Code, "Title 3, Article 8, Chapter 2, Section 4," accessed October 13, 2023
    10. 10.0 10.1 Archives.gov, "What is the Electoral College?" accessed August 25, 2015
    11. 11.0 11.1 Archives.gov, "Who are the Electors?" accessed August 25, 2015
    12. Archives.gov, "Distribution of Electoral Votes," accessed October 13, 2023
    13. 13.0 13.1 Indiana Code, "Title 3, Article 10, Chapter 4, Section 5," accessed October 13, 2023
    14. Indiana Code, "Title 3, Article 8, Chapter 4, Section 10," accessed October 13, 2023
    15. Indiana Code, "Title 3, Article 8, Chapter 6, Section 3," accessed October 13, 2023
    16. Indiana Code, "Title 3, Article 8, Chapter 6, Section 10," accessed October 13, 2023
    17. Indiana Code, "Title 3, Article 8, Chapter 7, Section 19," accessed October 13, 2023
    18. SSRN, "Sore Loser Laws and Democratic Contestation," accessed October 13, 2023
    19. 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 October 13, 2023
    20. Indiana Code, "Title 3, Article 8, Chapter 1, Section 5.5," accessed October 13, 2023
    21. 21.0 21.1 This information comes from research conducted by Richard Winger, publisher and editor of Ballot Access News.
    22. Indiana Code, "Title 3, Article 8, Chapter 2, Section 2.5," accessed October 13, 2023
    23. Indiana Code, "Title 3, Article 8, Chapter 2, Section 4," accessed October 13, 2023
    24. Indiana Code, "Title 3, Article 8, Chapter 2, Section 5," accessed October 13, 2023
    25. Federal Election Commission, "The FEC and Federal Campaign Finance Law," updated January 2015
    26. Federal Election Commission, "Quick Answers to Candidate Questions," accessed August 13, 2015
    27. Federal Election Commission, "2016 Reporting Dates," accessed June 17, 2022

    Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 | Original source: https://ballotpedia.org/Ballot_access_requirements_for_presidential_candidates_in_Indiana
    Encyclosphere.org EncycloReader is supported by the EncyclosphereKSF