Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Missouri

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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.

In order to get on the ballot in Missouri, 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
  • Missouri state law does not provide for a primary election. Major party candidates are selected by parties at caucuses. An independent candidate must petition for placement on the general election ballot. At least 10,000 registered state voters must sign the petition. A write-in candidate must file a declaration of intent in order to have his or her votes tallied.
  • 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 Missouri in the 2024 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Missouri, click here.

    Presidential primary candidates[edit]

    Major party candidates are selected at party-run caucuses. The filing requirements listed here reflect those issued by the state party.

    Filing requirements for presidential primary candidates in Missouri, 2024
    State Party Signatures required Signature formula Filing fee Filing fee formula Filing deadline Source
    Missouri Democratic N/A N/A $2,500 Fixed 1/22/2024 Source, Source
    Missouri Republican Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Unknown Source, Source

    Independent presidential candidates[edit]

    Filing requirements for independent candidates in Missouri, 2024
    State Signatures required Signature formula Filing fee Filing fee formula Filing deadline Source
    Missouri 10,000 Fixed by statute N/A N/A 7/29/2024 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 Missouri in the 2020 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Missouri, click here.

    Presidential primary candidates[edit]

    Filing requirements for presidential primary candidates in Missouri, 2020[2]
    State Party Signatures required Signature formula Filing fee Filing fee formula Filing deadline Source
    Missouri Qualified political parties 5,000 Fixed by statute $1,000.00 Fixed by statute 12/24/2019 Source

    Independent presidential candidates[edit]

    Filing requirements for independent candidates in Missouri, 2020
    State Signatures required Signature formula Filing fee Filing fee formula Filing deadline Source
    Missouri 10,000 Fixed by statute N/A N/A 7/27/2020 Source

    2016[edit]

    The calendar below lists important filing deadlines in Missouri for the 2016 presidential election. For information about campaign finance reporting deadlines, see below.

    Legend:      Ballot access     Election date



    Dates and requirements for presidential candidates in 2016
    Deadline Event type Event description
    December 1, 2015 Ballot access Filing period opens for the presidential preference primary
    December 29, 2015 Ballot access Filing period closes for the presidential preference primary
    March 15, 2016 Election date Presidential preference primary
    July 19, 2016 Ballot access Filing period opens for the general election
    August 23, 2016 Ballot access Filing period closes for the general election
    November 8, 2016 Election date General election
    Source: Missouri Secretary of State, "2016 Missouri Election Calendar," accessed August 26, 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
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    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 Missouri, established political parties hold caucuses to determine their presidential nominees.[7]

    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:[8][9]

    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."[8][9]

    Missouri was allocated ten electoral votes in the 2024 presidential election, the same amount it was allocated in the 2012, 2016, and 2020 presidential contests.[10]

    Political parties[edit]

    The state committee of an established political party must certify to the secretary of state the names of its candidates for president and vice president. This certification must be filed no later than the 12th Tuesday preceding the general election, or within seven working days of the party selecting its nominees, whichever is later.[11]

    Independent candidates[edit]

    An independent presidential candidate must petition for placement on the general election ballot. The petition must name candidates for vice president and presidential electors, as well. At least 10,000 registered state voters must sign the petition, which must be submitted to the secretary of state by 5:00 p.m. on the 15th Monday immediately preceding the general election.[12][13]

    Running for multiple offices[edit]

    Some states prohibit candidates for the presidency from seeking other offices simultaneously. In Missouri, “No person shall file for one office and, without withdrawing, file for another office to be filled at the same election.”[14]

    Sore loser laws[edit]

    See also: Sore loser laws for presidential candidates

    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 Missouri state law, "no person who files as a party candidate for nomination or election to an office shall, without withdrawing, file as another party's candidate or an independent candidate for nomination or election to the office for the same term."[15][16][17]

    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.[18]

    Write-in requirements[edit]

    A write-in candidate for the presidency must file a declaration of intent with the secretary of state in order to have his or her votes tallied. This form must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on the second Friday preceding the general election.[19]

    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 Missouri, there were 15 such instances during this period. 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.[18]

    Filing requirements for independent and minor party candidates, 1894-2012
    State Year Requirement Successful parties or candidates
    Missouri 1956 18,710 -- -- -- -- -- --
    Missouri 1960 18,084 -- -- -- -- -- --
    Missouri 1964 18,874 -- -- -- -- -- --
    Missouri 1968 17,896 American -- -- -- -- --
    Missouri 1972 17,518 -- -- -- -- -- --
    Missouri 1976 18,657 McCarthy -- -- -- -- --
    Missouri 1980 19,336 Libertarian Anderson Socialist Workers -- -- --
    Missouri 1984 20,881 -- -- -- -- -- --
    Missouri 1988 21,083 New Alliance -- -- -- -- --
    Missouri 1992 20,860 Libertarian R. Perot -- -- -- --
    Missouri 1996 10,000 Reform Natural Law Constitution -- -- --
    Missouri 2000 10,000 Green Natural Law Constitution -- -- --
    Missouri 2004 10,000 Constitution -- -- -- -- --
    Missouri 2008 10,000 R. Nader Constitution -- -- -- --
    Missouri 2012 10,000 -- -- -- -- -- --

    Campaign finance requirements[edit]

    See also: Campaign finance requirements in Missouri

    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.[20][21]

    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."[22]

    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 Missouri can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.

    Missouri Election Authority

    Click here for a list

    Secretary of State, Elections Division

    Physical Address: 600 West Main Street
    Jefferson City, Missouri 65101
    Mailing Address: James C. Kirkpatrick State Information Center
    PO Box 1767
    Jefferson City, MO 65102-1767
    Phone: 573-751-2301
    Toll free: 800-669-8683
    Fax: 573-526-3242
    Email: elections@sos.mo.gov
    Website: https://www.sos.mo.gov

    Missouri Ethics Commission

    Physical Address: 3411A Knipp Drive, Suite A
    Jefferson City, Missouri 65109
    Mailing Address: P.O. Box 1370
    Jefferson City, Missouri 65102
    Phone: 573-751-2020
    Toll free: 800-392-8660
    Fax: 573-526-4506
    Email: helpdesk@mec.mo.gov
    Website: http://www.mec.mo.gov/

    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]

    Presidential election ballot access
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    Additional reading
    Click the links below to read more about ballot access in Missouri.




    External links[edit]

    Footnotes[edit]

    1. 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. Petition signatures are only required in lieu of filing fee.
    3. The Constitution of the United States of America, "Article 2, Section 1," accessed August 3, 2015
    4. 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.
    5. The Washington Post, "Everything you need to know about how the presidential primary works," May 12, 2015
    6. FactCheck.org, "Caucus vs. Primary," April 8, 2008
    7. Missouri Revised Statutes, "Section 115.776," accessed May 17, 2023
    8. 8.0 8.1 Archives.gov, "What is the Electoral College?" accessed August 25, 2015
    9. 9.0 9.1 Archives.gov, "Who are the Electors?" accessed August 25, 2015
    10. Archives.gov, "Distribution of Electoral Votes," accessed May 17, 2023
    11. Missouri Revised Statutes, "Section 115.399.1," accessed May 17, 2023
    12. Missouri Revised Statutes, "Section 115.321.1," accessed May 17, 2023
    13. Missouri Revised Statutes, "Section 115.329.1," accessed May 17, 2023
    14. Missouri General Assembly, “115.351,” accessed May 17, 2023
    15. SSRN, "Sore Loser Laws and Democratic Contestation," accessed May 9, 2023
    16. 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
    17. Missouri General Assembly, “115.351,” accessed May 17, 2023
    18. 18.0 18.1 This information comes from research conducted by Richard Winger, publisher and editor of Ballot Access News.
    19. Missouri Revised Statutes, "Section 115.453.1," accessed May 17, 2023
    20. Federal Election Commission, "The FEC and Federal Campaign Finance Law," updated January 2015
    21. Federal Election Commission, "Quick Answers to Candidate Questions," accessed August 13, 2015
    22. Federal Election Commission, "2016 Reporting Dates," accessed June 17, 2022

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