Running for U.S. Congress and the presidency simultaneously
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| Ballot access for presidential candidates |
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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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In order to get on the ballot, a candidate for president of the United States must meet a variety of complex, 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. A presidential candidate must prepare to meet ballot access requirements well in advance of primaries, caucuses, and the general election.
In most states, a candidate for the presidency cannot simultaneously seek election or re-election to congressional office. However, 10 states – Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Ohio, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin– permit simultaneous bids for congressional office and the presidency. See the map and table below for further details.[1][2][3][4][5]
For more information on presidential ballot access requirements, see this article. For information on laws that bar candidates who sought, but failed, to secure the nomination of a political party from running as independents or as nominees for another party in the general election, click here.
State laws governing simultaneous congressional and presidential candidacies
| State | Does the state permit simultaneous congressional and presidential candidacies |
|---|---|
| Alabama | No |
| Alaska | No |
| Arizona | No |
| Arkansas | No |
| California | Unclear[6] |
| Colorado | No |
| Connecticut | No |
| Delaware | No |
| Florida | Yes |
| Georgia | No |
| Hawaii | Yes |
| Idaho | No |
| Illinois | No |
| Indiana | No |
| Iowa | No |
| Kansas | No |
| Kentucky | No |
| Louisiana | No |
| Maine | No |
| Maryland | No |
| Massachusetts | Yes |
| Michigan | No |
| Minnesota | No |
| Mississippi | No |
| Missouri | No |
| Montana | No |
| Nebraska | No |
| Nevada | No |
| New Hampshire | No |
| New Jersey | Yes |
| New Mexico | No |
| New York | No |
| North Carolina | No |
| North Dakota | No |
| Ohio | Yes |
| Oklahoma | No |
| Oregon | No |
| Pennsylvania | No |
| Rhode Island | No |
| South Carolina | No |
| South Dakota | No |
| Tennessee | No |
| Texas | Yes |
| Utah | No |
| Vermont | No |
| Virginia | No |
| Washington | No |
| Washington, D.C. | No |
| West Virginia | Yes |
| Wisconsin | Yes |
| Wyoming | No |
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ Connecticut General Assembly, "RUNNING FOR TWO OFFICES," August 31, 2000
- ↑ Roll Call, "Can You Run for Congress and President? Depends Where," November 30, 2018
- ↑ Associated Press, "Tired of Texans running for president? 2024 may be reprieve," February 24, 2023
- ↑ Tallahassee Democrat, "DeSantis signs law OK'ing him to run for president without resigning, makes big election changes," May 24, 2023
- ↑ Wisconsin Legislature, "CHAPTER 8 NOMINATIONS, PRIMARIES, ELECTIONS," accessed July 2, 2025
- ↑ According to Roll Call and the National Conference of State Legislatures, it is unclear whether California's law prohibiting dual candidacies applies to presidential candidates.
