State and federal candidate filing deadlines for 2026
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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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This article details primary election dates and partisan candidate filing deadlines for the 2026 election cycle. For additional information about ballot access requirements for political candidates, click here.
2026 filing deadlines
Primary election dates
The following table lists filing deadlines and primary election dates for statewide elections in 2026. Please note that dates are subject to change.
| 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. 11, 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 |
| Delaware | Sept. 15, 2026 | July 14, 2026 - Delaware statewide primary candidate filing deadline | Source |
| Florida | Aug. 18, 2026 | April 24, 2026 - Florida statewide primary candidate filing deadline | Source |
| Georgia | May 19, 2026 | March 6, 2026 - Georgia statewide primary candidate filing deadline | Source |
| Hawaii | Aug. 8, 2026 | June 2, 2026 - Hawaii 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 |
| Kentucky | May 19, 2026 | Jan. 9, 2026 - Kentucky statewide primary candidate filing deadline | Source |
| Louisiana | April 18, 2026 | Jan. 16, 2026 - Louisiana statewide party primary candidate filing deadline | Source |
| Maryland | June 23, 2026 | Feb. 24, 2026 - Maryland statewide primary candidate filing deadline | Source |
| Michigan | Aug. 4, 2026 | April 21, 2026 - Michigan statewide primary candidate filing deadline | Source |
| Missouri | Aug. 4, 2026 | March 31, 2026 - Missouri statewide primary candidate filing deadline | Source |
| Nevada | June 9, 2026 | March 13, 2026 - Nevada statewide primary candidate filing deadline | Source |
| North Carolina | March 3, 2026 | Dec. 19, 2025 - North Carolina 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 | June 24, 2026 - Rhode Island statewide primary candidate filing deadline | 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 |
| 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 |
| Wyoming | Aug. 18, 2026 | May 14, 2026 - Wyoming statewide primary candidate filing deadline | Source |
See also
External links
Footnotes
