Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Louisiana
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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.
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In order to get on the ballot in Louisiana, 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 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]
- 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]
- 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.
Year-specific filing information[edit]
2024[edit]
The tables below detail filing requirements for presidential candidates in Louisiana in the 2024 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Louisiana, click here.
Presidential primary candidates[edit]
| Filing requirements for presidential primary candidates in Louisiana, 2024[2] | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Party | Signatures required | Signature formula | Filing fee | Filing fee formula | Filing deadline | Source |
| Louisiana | Qualified political parties | 6,000 | Fixed by statue (1,000 signatures from each congressional district) | $750.00 | Fixed by statute | 12/15/2023 | Source |
Independent presidential candidates[edit]
| Filing requirements for independent candidates in Louisiana, 2024[2] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Signatures required | Signature formula | Filing fee | Filing fee formula | Filing deadline | Source |
| Louisiana | 5,000 | Fixed by statute (at least 500 signatures from each congressional district) | $500.00 | Fixed by state | 8/23/2024 | Source |
For filing information from previous years, click "[Show more]" below.
2020[edit]
The tables below detail filing requirements for presidential candidates in Louisiana in the 2020 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Louisiana, click here.
Presidential primary candidates[edit]
| Filing requirements for presidential primary candidates in Louisiana, 2020[2] | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Party | Signatures required | Signature formula | Filing fee | Filing fee formula | Filing deadline | Source |
| Louisiana | Qualified political parties | 6,000 | Fixed by statue (1,000 signatures from each congressional district) | $750.00 | Fixed by statute | 1/10/2020 | Source |
Independent presidential candidates[edit]
| Filing requirements for independent candidates in Louisiana, 2020[2] | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Signatures required | Signature formula | Filing fee | Filing fee formula | Filing deadline | Source |
| Louisiana | 5,000 | Fixed by statute (at least 500 signatures from each congressional district) | $500.00 | Fixed by state | 8/21/2020 | Source |
2016[edit]
The calendar below lists important filing deadlines in Louisiana for the 2016 presidential election. For information about campaign finance reporting deadlines, see below.
| Dates and requirements for presidential candidates in 2016 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Deadline | Event type | Event description | |
| December 2, 2015 | Ballot access | Filing period opens for presidential preference primary candidates | |
| December 4, 2015 | Ballot access | Filing period closes for presidential preference primary candidates | |
| March 5, 2016 | Election date | Presidential preference primary | |
| July 19, 2016 | Ballot access | Filing period opens for independent presidential candidates | |
| August 16, 2016 | Ballot access | Deadline for state central committees of recognized political parties to certify their presidential candidates for placement on the general election ballot | |
| August 19, 2016 | Ballot access | Filing period closes for independent presidential candidates | |
| November 8, 2016 | Election date | General election | |
| Source: Louisiana Secretary of State, "2016 Elections," accessed August 25, 2015 | |||
Qualifications[edit]
Article 2, Section 1, of the United States Constitution sets the following qualifications for the presidency:[3]
| “ | 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.[4] | ” |
| —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.[4] | ” |
| —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.[4] | ” |
| —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 | |
 | |
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][5][6]
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 Louisiana, qualified state political parties with at least 40,000 registered members participate in the statewide presidential preference primary election. A candidate belonging to a qualified party may petition for placement on the primary ballot. At least 6,000 registered voters belonging to the same party as the candidate must sign the petition. At least 1,000 signatures must come from each of Louisiana's congressional districts. Alternatively, a candidate may pay a filing fee in lieu of filing a petition. This filing fee amounts to $750, plus "any additional fee imposed by a political party state central committee." For example, in the 2016 presidential election, the Democratic Party and the Republican Party each levied an additional $375 filing fee; this resulted in a total filing fee of $1,125.[7][8]
All primary candidates, regardless of filing method, must file a notice of candidacy. All requisite forms and fees must be submitted to the Louisiana Secretary of State no earlier than the third Wednesday in December and no later than the following Friday in the year preceding the primary election.[9]
General election requirements[edit]
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.[4] | ” |
| —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]
Louisiana was allocated eight electoral votes in the 2024 presidential election, the same amount it was allocated in the 2012, 2016, and 2020 presidential contests.[12]
Political parties[edit]
Each political party recognized by the state must file a certificate of nomination naming the party's candidates for president, vice president, and presidential electors. A party's state central committee must file this certificate with the secretary of state by 4:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday in August in the year of the election. Alternatively, party's national chairman may file this certificate with the secretary of state by 4:30 p.m. on the first Friday following the third Tuesday in August. If a party fails to file this paperwork, the name of its presidential candidate will not be printed on the general election ballot.[13]
In order to qualify as a state-recognized party in Louisiana, a party must meet the following criteria:[14]
- At least 1,000 registered voters must register their affiliation with the party.
- The party must submit a statement of registration to the secretary of state.
- The party must pay a $1,000 registration fee to the secretary of state.
Independent candidates[edit]
An independent presidential candidate may petition for placement on the general election ballot. At least 5,000 registered voters must sign the petition. At least 500 signatures must come from each of the state's congressional districts. Alternatively, an independent candidate may pay a filing fee in lieu of submitting a petition. The fee amounts to $500. Regardless of filing method, an independent candidate must also file a notice of candidacy. All required paperwork must be filed with the secretary of state no earlier than the third Tuesday in July and no later than the first Friday following the third Tuesday in August.[15][16]
Running for multiple offices[edit]
Some states prohibit candidates for the presidency from seeking other offices simultaneously. In Louisiana, a candidate may not run for multiple offices in the same general or primary elections.[17]
Sore loser laws[edit]
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 called sore loser laws. Under Louisiana state law, an independent candidate for president cannot have been "a candidate for that office supported by a recognized political party."[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]
Louisiana state law does not permit write-in candidates.[22][23]
Historical information[edit]
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 Louisiana, there were no such instances during this period. See this article for more information.[21]
Campaign finance requirements[edit]
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.[24][25]
| 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."[26]
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 | |||||
Election administration agencies[edit]
Election agencies[edit]
- See also: State election agencies
Individuals seeking additional information about voting provisions in Louisiana can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.
Louisiana Registrar of Voters
Secretary of State, Elections Division
- Physical address: 8585 Archives Ave.
- Baton Rouge, LA 70809
- Mailing address: P.O. Box 94125
- Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9125
- Phone: 225-922-0900
- Toll free: 1-800-883-2805
- Fax: 225-922-0945
- Website: http://www.sos.la.gov/
Louisiana Ethics Administration Program
- Physical address: 617 North Third Street
- LaSalle Building, Suite 10-36
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802
- Mailing address: P.O. Box 4368
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70821
- Phone: 225-219-560
- Toll free: 1-800-842-6630
- Fax: 225-381-7271
- Email: https://ethics.la.gov/ContactUsEmail.aspx
- Website: https://ethics.la.gov/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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See also[edit]
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External links[edit]
Additional reading[edit]
- Louisiana Secretary of State, "Qualifying Information for Presidential Nominee Candidates"
- Louisiana Secretary of State, "Qualifying Information for Independent Candidates for President"
Footnotes[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Vote Smart, "Government 101: United States Presidential Primary," accessed May 17, 2023 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "votesmart" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Candidates can obtain ballot placement either by submitting a petition or paying the requisite filing fee.
- ↑ The Constitution of the United States of America, "Article 2, Section 1," accessed August 3, 2015
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Note: 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," April 8, 2008
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, "Qualifying Information for Presidential Nominee Candidates," accessed May 17, 2023
- ↑ Louisiana Revised Statutes, "Title 18, Section 1280.21," accessed May 17, 2023
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, "Section 1280.22," accessed May 17, 2023
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Archives.gov, "What is the Electoral College?" accessed August 25, 2015
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Archives.gov, "Who are the Electors?" accessed August 25, 2015
- ↑ Archives.gov, "Distribution of Electoral Votes," accessed May 17, 2023
- ↑ Louisiana Revised Statutes, "Title 18, Section 1253," accessed May 17, 2023
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, "Louisiana Political Parties," accessed May 17, 2023
- ↑ Louisiana Revised Statutes, "Title 18, Section 1254," accessed May 17, 2023
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, "Qualifying Information for Independent Candidates for President (Electors)," accessed May 17, 2023
- ↑ Louisiana Revised Statutes, "Title 18, Section 453," accessed May 17, 2023
- ↑ SSRN, "Sore Loser Laws and Democratic Contestation," accessed May 9, 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 9, 2023
- ↑ Louisiana Revised Statutes, "Section 18:1254," accessed September 16, 2015
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 This information comes from research conducted by Richard Winger, publisher and editor of Ballot Access News.
- ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, "Voting on Election Day," accessed May 17, 2023
- ↑ Bloomberg Business, "The Ins and Outs of Write-Ins," November 1, 2004
- ↑ 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
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