Filing deadline

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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.

For candidates to have their names printed on election ballots, they must submit certain information prior to a filing deadline. Filing deadlines are the dates by which candidates must submit required paperwork to state election administrators.

This required paperwork may include simple forms, petitions, filing fees, or a combination of these items. Filing deadlines are either established by state law or at the discretion of state election officials. As a result, filing deadlines vary significantly from state to state. Deadlines can also vary within a state, depending on the type of office being sought.

Filing deadlines and primary dates for statewide elections

See also: Signature requirements and deadlines for 2026 state government elections

The following table lists primary dates and filing deadlines for statewide elections in 2026.

Statewide filing deadlines

State	Election date	Filing deadline	Source
Alabama	May 19, 2026	Jan. 23, 2026 - Alabama statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Alaska	Aug. 18, 2026	June 1, 2026 - Alaska statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Arizona	Aug. 4, 2026	April 6, 2026 - Arizona statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Arkansas	March 3, 2026	Nov. 12, 2025 - Arkansas statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
California	June 2, 2026	March 6, 2026 - California statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Colorado	June 30, 2026	March 18, 2026 - Colorado statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Connecticut	Aug. 11, 2026	June 9, 2026 - Connecticut statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Delaware	Sept. 15, 2026	July 14, 2026 - Delaware statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Florida	Aug. 18, 2026	April 24, 2026 - Florida statewide candidate filing deadline (Congress, state supreme court) June 12, 2026 - Florida statewide candidate filing deadline (governor, attorney general, agriculture commissioner, chief financial officer, state senator, state representative)	Source
Georgia	May 19, 2026	March 6, 2026 - Georgia statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Hawaii	Aug. 8, 2026	June 2, 2026 - Hawaii statewide candidate filing deadline	Source
Idaho	May 19, 2026	Feb. 27, 2026 - Idaho statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Illinois	March 17, 2026	Nov. 3, 2025 - Illinois statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Indiana	May 5, 2026	Feb. 6, 2026 - Indiana statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Iowa	June 2, 2026	March 13, 2026 - Iowa statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Kansas	Aug. 4, 2026	June 1, 2026 - Kansas statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Kentucky	May 19, 2026	Jan. 9, 2026 - Kentucky statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Louisiana	May 16, 2026	Feb. 13, 2026 - Louisiana statewide party primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Maine	June 9, 2026	March 15, 2026 - Maine statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Maryland	June 23, 2026	Feb. 24, 2026 - Maryland statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Massachusetts	Sept. 1, 2026	June 2, 2026 - Massachusetts statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Michigan	Aug. 4, 2026	April 21, 2026 - Michigan statewide primary Court of Appeals non-incumbent candidate filing deadline March 23, 2026 - Michigan statewide primary Court of Appeals incumbent candidate filing deadline April 21, 2026 - Michigan statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source, Source
Minnesota	Aug. 11, 2026	June 2, 2026 - Minnesota statewide candidate filing deadline	Source
Mississippi	March 10, 2026	Dec. 26, 2025 - Mississippi statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Missouri	Aug. 4, 2026	March 31, 2026 - Missouri statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Montana	June 2, 2026	March 4, 2026 - Montana statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Nebraska	May 12, 2026	March 2, 2026 - Nebraska statewide primary non-incumbent candidate filing deadline Feb. 17, 2026 - Nebraska statewide primary incumbent candidate filing deadline	Source
Nevada	June 9, 2026	March 13, 2026 - Nevada statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
New Hampshire	Sept. 8, 2026	June 12, 2026 - New Hampshire statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
New Mexico	June 2, 2026	Feb. 3, 2026 - New Mexico statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
North Carolina	March 3, 2026	Dec. 19, 2025 - North Carolina statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
North Dakota	June 9, 2026	April 6, 2026 - North Dakota statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Ohio	May 5, 2026	Feb. 4, 2026 - Ohio statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Oklahoma	June 16, 2026	April 3, 2026 - Oklahoma statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Oregon	May 19, 2026	March 10, 2026 - Oregon statewide primary new candidate filing deadline March 3, 2026 - Oregon statewide primary incumbent candidate filing deadline	Source
Rhode Island	Sept. 8, 2026	July 10, 2026 - Rhode Island statewide deadline to submit nomination papers June 24, 2026 - Rhode Island statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source, Source
South Dakota	June 2, 2026	March 31, 2026 - South Dakota statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Tennessee	Aug. 6, 2026	March 10, 2026 - Tennessee statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Texas	March 3, 2026	Dec. 8, 2025 - Texas statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Utah	June 23, 2026	March 13, 2026 - Utah statewide primary candidate filing deadline (U.S. House) Jan. 8, 2026 - Utah statewide primary candidate filing deadline (Board of Education, state senator, state representative)	Source
Vermont	Aug. 11, 2026	May 28, 2026 - Vermont statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Washington	Aug. 4, 2026	May 8, 2026 - Washington statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
West Virginia	May 12, 2026	Jan. 31, 2026 - West Virginia statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Wisconsin	Aug. 11, 2026	June 1, 2026 - Wisconsin statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source
Wyoming	Aug. 18, 2026	May 29, 2026 - Wyoming statewide primary candidate filing deadline	Source

See also

• Glossary of election policy terms
• Ballot access for major and minor party candidates
• Ballot access for presidential candidates
• Ballotpedia:Calendar

Footnotes

Election information

Resources

Sample Ballot Lookup • Elections calendar • State poll opening and closing times • Ballot access for major and minor party candidates • Elections by state and year • State voter ID laws • Absentee voting • Early voting • Online voter registration • Election result canvassing • Where do I vote • List of absentee/mail-in ballot request websites by state • List of official voter registration websites by state • State of Election Administration Legislation Reports

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