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Primary election cancellations
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States have different laws governing primary elections, including what to do if a candidate in a primary election is unopposed.[1] Some states cancel the primary, leaving the candidate's name off the ballot, if that person is unopposed.
As of September 2025, 14 states cancel primaries in which a candidate is unopposed. Thirty-six states do not cancel primaries for unopposed races. See the table below for certain exceptions. This article does not cover laws governing presidential or local primaries.
Thirty-three of the 36 states that do not cancel primaries allow write-in candidates.
Primary elections allow voters to determine which candidates compete in the general election and can be nonpartisan or partisan. In partisan primaries, voters choose the candidates they prefer for a political party to nominate in the general election.
The laws governing primary elections vary from state to state and can even vary within states by locality and political party.
For example, only registered party members are allowed to vote in closed primaries, whereas in semi-closed primaries registered party members and unaffiliated voters are allowed to vote. In open primaries, all voters are allowed to vote.
In top-two primaries, top-four primaries, and blanket primaries, all candidates are listed on the same ballot and voters may vote for candidates from more than one party. And some states give parties discretion to decide if unaffiliated or voters registered with another party may participate in a primary election.
Primary cancellation by state
The map and table below identify 14 states in which primaries are canceled and candidates' names are left off the ballot when candidates are unopposed.[2]
| States that cancel primaries when a candidate is unopposed | |
|---|---|
| State | Are unopposed primaries canceled? |
| Alabama | Yes[3] |
| Alaska | No |
| Arizona | No |
| Arkansas | No[4] |
| California | No |
| Colorado | No[5] |
| Connecticut | Yes[6] |
| Delaware | Yes[7] |
| Florida | Yes[8] |
| Georgia | No |
| Hawaii | No |
| Idaho | No |
| Illinois | No[9][10] |
| Indiana | No[11] |
| Iowa | No |
| Kansas | No |
| Kentucky | Yes[12] |
| Louisiana | Yes[13][14] |
| Maine | No |
| Maryland | No |
| Massachusetts | No |
| Michigan | No |
| Minnesota | No[15] |
| Mississippi | No[16] |
| Missouri | No |
| Montana | No[17] |
| Nebraska | No |
| Nevada | Yes[18][19] |
| New Hampshire | No[20] |
| New Jersey | No |
| New Mexico | No |
| New York | Yes[21] |
| North Carolina | Yes[22] |
| North Dakota | No |
| Ohio | No[23] |
| Oklahoma | Yes[24] |
| Oregon | No |
| Pennsylvania | No |
| Rhode Island | No |
| South Carolina | Yes[25] |
| South Dakota | Yes[26] |
| Tennessee | No |
| Texas | No |
| Utah | Yes[27] |
| Vermont | No |
| Virginia | Yes[28] |
| Washington | No |
| West Virginia | No |
| Wisconsin | No[29] |
| Wyoming | No |
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See also
- Ballotpedia's elections coverage
- Caucus
- Closed primary
- Semi-closed primary
- Blanket primary
- Top-two primary
- Open primary
Footnotes
- ↑ Wisconsin Law Review, "ONE PERSON, NO VOTES: UNOPPOSED CANDIDATE STATUTES AND THE STATE OF ELECTION LAW," accessed June 3, 2025
- ↑ This does not include laws governing presidential or local primaries.
- ↑ Justia, "Code of Alabama, Section 17-13-5," accessed June 2, 2025
- ↑ According to Arkansas §§ 7-7-313, primary elections in which only one candidate has filed may be canceled if "there are no other ballot issues to be submitted for consideration."
- ↑ According to Colorado Revised Statutes 1-4-104.5, a designated election official may cancel a party’s primary if every candidate is unopposed.
- ↑ Connecticut Statutes, "Section 9-416," accessed September 5, 2025
- ↑ Delaware Code, "Title 15, Section 3105," accessed June 2, 2025
- ↑ The 2024 Florida Statutes, "Section 101.252," accessed June 3, 2025
- ↑ Under 10 Illinois Compiled Statutes 5/7-5, special elections for U.S. House are canceled if a candidate is unopposed.
- ↑ 10 Illinois Compiled Statutes 5/7-5 states that primaries can be canceled if all candidates from a political party in a township, municipality, or ward are unopposed.
- ↑ According to Indiana Code 3-10-1-5, if the only contested race on a party’s primary ballot is for precinct committeeman or a delegate to the party’s state convention, unopposed candidates only need to appear on the ballot if an appointed county election board member files a written request. Additionally, if the race for precinct committeeman or a delegate to the party’s state convention is unopposed, it can be left off the ballot, unless a written request is filed by an appointed county election board member.
- ↑ Kentucky Revised Statutes, "Title 10, Chapter 118, Section 185," accessed June 2, 2025
- ↑ Louisiana State Legislature, "RS 18:511," accessed June 3, 2025
- ↑ Louisiana State Legislature, "RS 18:410.9," accessed September 4, 2025
- ↑ According to Minnesota Statutes 204d-03, a primary is canceled for a given race if all candidates in each party are unopposed.
- ↑ According to Mississippi Code 23-15-361, a party's primary is canceled if every candidate is unopposed.
- ↑ According to Montana Code 13-10-209, a primary can be canceled if “(a) the party does not have candidates for more than half of the offices to appear on the ballot; and (b) no more than one candidate files for nomination by that party for any of the offices to appear on the ballot.”
- ↑ Nevada Election Law, "Chapter 293, Section 260," accessed June 3, 2025
- ↑ According to Nevada Revised Statutes 293-260, primaries are not canceled for nonpartisan offices, other than the office of judge of a district court, judge of the Court of Appeals, or justice of the Supreme Court.
- ↑ Under RSA 655:82, primary elections for special elections are canceled "if no party has more than one candidate file and no nonparty or other candidate files a declaration of intent."
- ↑ The New York State Senate, "Section 6-160," accessed June 3, 2025
- ↑ North Carolina General Statutes, "Section 163-110," accessed June 3, 2025
- ↑ Under O.R.C. §3513.32, primaries for special elections are canceled if a candidate is unopposed.
- ↑ Oklahoma Statutes, "Section 26-6-102," accessed June 3, 2025
- ↑ South Carolina Code of Laws, "Section 7-11-90," accessed June 3, 2025
- ↑ South Dakota Codified Laws, "Section 12-6-9," accessed June 3, 2025
- ↑ Utah Code, "Section 20A-9-403(5)(c)," accessed June 3, 2025
- ↑ Code of Virginia, "Section 24.2-526," accessed June 4, 2025
- ↑ Under Wis. Stat. §8.11, primary elections are canceled for state superintendent of public instruction, Wisconsin Supreme Court, and Wisconsin Court of Appeals if the races are unopposed. In addition, under Wis. Stat. §8.5(3)(b), a primary in a special election may be canceled if a candidate is unopposed.
