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Ballot access requirements for political parties in Washington, D.C.
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| Ballot access for major and minor party candidates |
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| Ballot access for presidential candidates |
| Select a state below to learn more about ballot access requirements for candidates in that state. |
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| Ballot access requirements for political parties in the United States |
| List of political parties in the United States |
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Note: This article is not intended to serve as a guide to running for public office. Individuals should contact their state election agencies for further information.
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Although there are hundreds of political parties in the United States, only certain parties qualify to have the names of their candidates for office printed on election ballots. In order to qualify for ballot placement, a party must meet certain requirements that vary from state to state. For example, in some states, a party may have to file a petition in order to qualify for ballot placement. In other states, a party must organize around a candidate for a specific office; that candidate must, in turn, win a percentage of the vote in order for the party to be granted ballot status. In still other states, an aspiring political party must register a certain number of voters.
To learn more about ballot access requirements for political candidates in Washington, D.C., see this article.
Process for a political party to obtain ballot status
See statutes: Title 3 of the D.C. Municipal Regulations
The first step in establishing a new political party in Washington, D.C., is to file with the board of elections and register with the Office of Campaign Finance (OCF).[1]
Once a party is registered, it can submit its party name to the board of elections for approval. It is suggested that the application for party name approval be submitted no later than May 1 in an election year in order to ensure the name is approved in time to circulate a candidate's nominating petition for the general election. Nominating petitions will not be granted to candidates whose party's name has not been approved.[1][2]
Candidates of the new political party are nominated as minor party candidates and are only allowed to run in the general election. Minor party candidates are held to the same filing requirements as other candidates.[3]
In order to gain permanent ballot status, a new party's candidate must receive at least 7,500 votes cast in the general election for the office of delegate, mayor, chairman of the council, or member of the council.[4]
Political parties
As of April 2025, Washington, D.C. officially recognized three political parties. These are listed in the table below.[5]
| Party | Website link | By-laws/Platform link |
|---|---|---|
| D.C. Statehood Green Party | Link | Party platform |
| Democratic Party of Washington, D.C. | Link | Party by-laws |
| Republican Party of Washington, D.C. | Link | Party by-laws |
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See also
- Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Washington, D.C.
- Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Washington, D.C.
- List of political parties in the United States
- Democratic Party
- Republican Party
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 District of Columbia Board of Elections Website, "Candidate Guide to Ballot Access," accessed November 25, 2014
- ↑ D.C. Municipal Regulations, "Section 3-1605," accessed November 27, 2013
- ↑ District of Columbia Board of Elections Website, "Primary and General Elections," accessed December 20, 2013
- ↑ D.C. Municipal Regulations, "Section 3-1500," accessed December 20, 2013
- ↑ District of Columbia Board of Elections, "Register/Update Voter Registration," accessed April 29, 2025
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