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Signature requirements and deadlines for 2012 state legislative elections
Signature filing deadlines
The state legislative filing deadlines listed by month were as follows:
2011
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January
February
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March
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April
May
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June
July |
***Note: The signature filing period in Texas was originally December 19, 2011 but re-opened once a final map was chosen by the courts
Primaries
The state primaries listed by month were as follows:
This map displays the month of each State legislative primary in 2012 |
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March
April
May
June
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July
August
September
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Primary Information for 2012
Note: The signature filing deadline is the date by which candidates must file nominating signatures with election officials in order to have their name placed on the ballot.
2012 State Legislative Primary Information |
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State | Signature Filing Deadline | Primary Date | Notes/Costs for candidates | Days from Deadline to Primary |
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Alaska | 6/1/2012 | 8/28/2012 | Major party candidates for the State Senate or House of Representatives must pay a $30 filing fee, while non-affliated candidates do not have to submit a fee. | 88 |
Arizona | 5/30/2012 | 8/28/2012 | Signature requirements vary by district. | 90 |
Arkansas | 3/1/2012[1] | 5/22/2012 | Individual parties set filing fees in Arkansas. Democrats must pay $4,500 (Senate) and $3,000 (House) while Republicans must pay $7,500 (Senate) and $3,000 (House). | 82 |
California | 3/9/2012 | 6/5/2012[2] | Candidates must pay 1% of the first year's salary ($952.91) or obtain 3,000 (Senate) and 1,500 (House) signatures in lieu of the fees. | 88 |
Colorado | 4/2/2012[3] | 6/26/2012[4] | Major party candidates must obtain signatures equal to the lesser of 1,000 or 30% of votes cast in the previous primary election. Minor party candidates must obtain signatures equal to the lesser of 600 (Senate) and 400 (House) or 2% of votes cast in the previous primary election. | 85 |
Connecticut | 6/12/2012[5] | 8/14/2012[5] | 158 | |
Delaware | 7/10/2012[6] | 9/11/2012[6] | Filing fees will be set in 2012. There are no signature requirements for major party candidates. Unaffiliated candidates must obtain signatures equal to 1% of the voters registered in the district. | 63 |
Florida | 6/8/2012[7] | 8/14/2012[7] | Major party candidates must pay $1,781.82. Minor party candidates must pay $1,187.88. Candidates must also obtain 1,552 (Senate) and 518 (House) signatures. | 67 |
Georgia | 5/25/2012[8] | 7/31/2012[8] | Candidates must pay $400 in filing fees. | 67 |
Hawaii | 6/5/2012[9] | 8/11/2012[9] | Candidates must pay $25 if they agree to the campaign finance affidavit or $250 if they don't agree. Candidates are also required to obtain 15 signatures. | 67 |
Idaho | 3/9/2012[10] | 5/15/2012[11] | 67 | |
Illinois | 12/5/2011 (Major party) 6/25/2012 (New Party / Independent)[12] |
3/20/2012[12] | Major party candidates must obtain 1,000 (Senate) and 500 (House) signatures. New party and independent candidates must obtain 3,000 (Senate) and 1,500 (House) signatures.[12] | 106 |
Indiana | 2/10/2012 | 5/8/2012 | Minor party and independent candidates must obtain 2% of the total votes cast in the previous election for Secretary of State in their district. | 88 |
Iowa | 3/16/2012 | 6/5/2012 | Candidates must obtain 100 (Senate) and 50 (House) signatures. | 81 |
Kansas | 6/11/2012[13] | 8/7/2012[13] | Candidates must obtain signatures equaling the lesser of 1% of Party and 75 (Senate) and 25 (House). Candidates must also pay $103 (Senate) and $105 (House) in filing fees or $55 if they petition. | 67 |
Kentucky | 1/31/2012[14] | 5/22/2012[14] | Candidates must pay $200 in filing fees. | 111 |
Maine | 3/15/2012[15] | 6/12/2012[15] | 2012 info will be posted on 12/16/2012. | 89 |
Massachusetts | 6/5/2012[16] | 9/6/2012[16] | Candidates must obtain 300 (Senate) and 150 (House) signatures. | 93 |
Michigan House of Representatives[17] | 5/15/2012 | 8/7/2012[18] | Major party candidates must obtain 200 signatures or pay $100 in lieu. Minor party candidates must obtain 600 signatures. | 84 |
Minnesota | 6/5/2012[19] | 8/14/2012[20] | Candidates must pay $100 in filing fees. | 70 |
Missouri | 3/27/2012[21] | 8/7/2012[22] | Candidates must pay $100 (Senate) and $50 (House) in filing fees. | 133 |
Montana | 3/12/2012[23] | 6/5/2012[23] | Candidates must pay $15 in filing fees. | 85 |
Nebraska | 2/15/2012 (Incumbents), 3/1/2012 (non-incumbnets) | 5/15/2012[24] | Candidates must pay $120 in filing fees. | 89 |
Nevada | 3/16/2012[25] | 6/12/2012[25] | Candidates must pay $100 in filing fees. | 88 |
New Hampshire | 6/15/2012 | 9/11/2012[26] | Major party candidates must pay $10 (Senate) and $2 (House) or obtain 20 (Senate) and 5 (House) signatures in lieu. Independent candidates must pay $10 (Senate) and $2 (House) or obtain 750 (Senate) and 150 (House) signatures in lieu. | 88 |
New Mexico | 3/20/2012[27] | 6/5/2012[27] | Candidates for both Senate and House must submit a $50 filing fee. Signature requirements vary with a 2% and 4% threshold and depending on political party and office. | 77 |
New York | 7/12/2012 | 9/13/2012[28] | Candidates must obtain signatures equal to the lesser of 5% of the enrolled voters of the political party in the district and 1,000 (Senate) or 500 (House). The minimum numbers are from 2011. New minimum figures will be released on 4/1/2012. | 61 |
North Carolina | 2/29/2012 | 5/8/2012 | Candidates must pay a filing fee equal to 1% of the salary of the office sought. | 69 |
North Dakota | 4/13/2012 | 6/12/2012 | Major party candidates must obtain signatures equal to 1% of the total population in the district. Minor party candidates must obtain signatures equal to 2% of the total population in the district. | 60 |
Ohio | 12/7/2011 | 3/6/2012 | Candidates must pay a filing fee of $85. Major party candidates must obtain 50 signatures and minor party candidates 25. Major party candidates must submit at least 50 signatures and minor party candidates at least 25 signatures. Independent candidates have signature requirements based on the number of votes cast in the congressional district in the last general election for governor. If there were fewer than 5,000 votes in the last election, the signature requirement would be 25 signatures, or 5% of the vote, whichever is less. If there were more than 5,000 votes in the last election, the signature requirement would be 1% of the vote. | 90 |
Oklahoma | 4/13/2012[29] | 6/26/2012[29] | 74 | |
Oregon | 3/6/2012[30] | 5/15/2012[30] | Candidates must pay $25 in fees and an additional $750 to be included in the voter's pamphlet. Candidates may obtain 300 signatures in lieu of the $750. | 70 |
Pennsylvania | 2/16/2012[31] | 4/24/2012[31] | Candidates must pay $100 and obtain 500 (Senate) and 300 (House) signatures. | 68 |
Rhode Island | 6/27/2012 | 9/11/2012 | Candidates must obtain 100 (Senate) and 50 (House) signatures. | 96 |
South Carolina | 3/30/2012[32] | 6/12/2012[32] | 2012 primary fees will be posted in January 2012 | 74 |
South Dakota | 3/27/2012 | 6/5/2012[33] | Signature Requirements vary with district and political party | 70 |
Tennessee | 4/5/2012 | 8/2/2012[34] | Candidates must obtain 25 signatures. | 119 |
Texas | 3/9/2011 | 5/29/2012 | Major party candidates must pay $1,250 (Senate) and $750 (House) in filing fees or obtain 2% (500) of votes for gubernatorial candidates cast in the applicable territory in the 2010 general election. Independent candidates must obtain 5% (1,250) of votes for gubernatorial candidates cast in the applicable territory in the 2010 general election. | 81 |
Utah | 3/15/2012 | 6/26/2012[35] | Major and minor party candidates must pay $26.30 (Senate) and $13.20 (House) in filing fees. Minor party candidates must also obtain signatures equaling the lesser of 300 and 5% of registered voters in their district. | 102 |
Vermont | 6/14/2012[36] | 8/28/2012[36] | Candidates must obtain 100 (Senate) and 50 (House) signatures. | 75 |
Washington | 5/18/2012[37] | 8/7/2012 | Filing requirements will be made available in January 2012. | 81 |
West Virginia | 1/28/2012 | 5/8/2012 | Major party candidates must pay $200 (Senate) and $100 (House) in filing fees. Minor party candidates must obtain 1% of the last general election votes. | 101 |
Wisconsin | 6/1/2012 | 8/14/2012[38] | Candidates must obtain 400 (Senate) and 200 (House) signatures. | 74 |
Wyoming | 6/1/2012[39] | 8/21/2012[39] | Candidates must pay $25 in filing fees. New party and independent candidates must also obtain 3,740 signatures. | 81 |
States with no 2012 election
- See also: State legislative elections, 2012
The following seven states did not hold state legislative elections in 2012.
Note: Michigan did not hold any state senate elections in 2012.
See also
- State legislative elections, 2012
- Signature requirements and deadlines for 2011 state government elections
Footnotes
- ↑ Confirmed via email with Arkansas Board of Elections, June 20, 2011
- ↑ Confirmed via email with California Secretary of State office, July 12, 2011
- ↑ Colorado Secretary of State, 2012 Election Calendar
- ↑ Confirmed via email with Colorado Board of Elections, June 28, 2011
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 http://www.sots.ct.gov/sots/lib/sots/electionservices/calendars/2012_election/2012_election_calendar.pdf
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Confirmed with Delaware Secretary of State office, September 9, 2011
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Florida Division of Elections, Calendar of Election Dates, accessed June 17, 2011
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Confirmed via email with Georgia Secretary of State office, July 12, 2011
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Hawaii.gov, 2012 ELECTION CALENDAR, accessed June 17, 2011
- ↑ Idaho.gov, Idaho Statutes, accessed July 6, 2011
- ↑ Idaho.gov, Idaho Statutes, accessed July 6, 2011
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 http://www.elections.il.gov/Downloads/ElectionInformation/PDF/2012CanGuide.pdf
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Confirmed via email with the Kansas Legislative Research Dept. on July 18, 2011]
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Kentucky 2012 election calendar
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Confirmed via email with Maine Secretary of State-Elections Division, July 12, 2011
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Massachusetts Secretary of State "2012 State Election Calendar"
- ↑ Michigan will not be holding any state senate elections in 2012.
- ↑ Michigan Secretary of State, Important Dates and Filing Deadlines, accessed July 6, 2011
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, Filing Periods, accessed July 7, 2011
- ↑ Minnesota Secretary of State, Important Election Dates, accessed July 7, 2011
- ↑ Confirmed via email with the Missouri State Legislature on July 6, 2011]
- ↑ Confirmed via email with the Missouri State Legislature on July 6, 2011]
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Confirmed via email with the Montana Legislative Services on August 4, 2011]
- ↑ Nebraska Secretary of State Candidate Filing Periods for 2012, accessed June 6, 2011
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 Confirmed via email with the Nevada Legislature on 7/6/2011.
- ↑ Confirmed via email with New Hampshire Secretary of State-Elections Division, July 12, 2011
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 Confirmed via email with the New Mexico Legislative Council Service, July 15, 2011]
- ↑ WHAM, "New York Primary Date Changed," May 15, 2012
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 Confirmed via email with Oklahoma Board of elections, July 18, 2011
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 Oregon Secretary of State, May 15, 2012 Primary Election, March 18, 2011
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 [Confirmed via phone with Secretary of State's Office in August 2011]
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 [Confirmed via email with State Senate office in September 2011]
- ↑ South Dakota Secretary of State Primary Election Candidates, accessed July 13, 2011
- ↑ Tennessee Department of State - Division of Elections Election Calendar, accessed July 13, 2011
- ↑ Confirmed via email with the Utah Legislature on August 11, 2011]
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 Confirmed via email with the Vermont Legislative Council on July 8, 2011]
- ↑ Washington Secretary of State 2012 Election Calendar, accessed Aug. 23, 2011
- ↑ JSOnline, Assembly passes bill to move presidential primary, Sept. 13, 2011
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 2012 Key Election Dates
- ↑ Alabama Secretary of State, Offices up for Election 2012
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