Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Arizona
|
Ballot access for major and minor party candidates |
---|
Ballot access for presidential candidates |
List of political parties in the United States |
Methods for signing candidate nominating petitions |
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker |
Note: This article is not intended to serve as an exhaustive guide to running for public office. Individuals should contact their state election agencies for further information.
|
In order to get on the ballot in Arizona, a candidate for president of the United States must meet a variety of 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. These laws are set at the state level. A presidential candidate must prepare to meet ballot access requirements in advance of primaries, caucuses, and the general election. State lawmakers have developed these procedures in an effort to prevent non-serious candidates from appearing on the ballot; meanwhile, critics contend that stringent ballot access requirements discourage candidate and voter participation in the electoral process.
There are three basic methods by which an individual may become a candidate for president of the United States.
- An individual can seek the nomination of a political party. Presidential nominees are selected by delegates at national nominating conventions. Individual states conduct caucuses or primary elections to determine which delegates will be sent to the national convention.[1]
- An individual can run as an independent. Independent presidential candidates typically must petition in each state in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.[1]
- An individual can run as a write-in candidate.[1]
The information on this page applies only to presidential candidates. For additional information about ballot access requirements for state and congressional candidates, see this page.
Note: States are still in the process of planning their presidential nominating events. This page will be updated as information becomes available. See something we missed? Email us.
Year-specific filing information
2024
The tables below detail filing requirements for presidential candidates in Arizona in the 2024 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Arizona, click here.
Presidential primary candidates
Filing requirements for presidential primary candidates in Arizona, 2024 | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
State | Party | Signatures required | Signature formula | Filing fee | Filing fee formula | Filing deadline | Source |
Arizona | Qualified parties | 500 | Fixed | N/A | N/A | 12/11/2023 | Source |
Independent presidential candidates
Filing requirements for independent candidates in Arizona, 2024 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
State | Signatures required | Signature formula | Filing fee | Filing fee formula | Filing deadline | Source |
Arizona | TBD | 3% of registered voters in the state based on voter registration statistics as of January 2, 2024. | N/A | N/A | 8/17/2024 | Source |
For filing information from previous years, click "[Show more]" below.
2020
The tables below detail filing requirements for presidential candidates in Arizona in the 2020 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Arizona, click here.
Presidential primary candidates
Filing requirements for presidential primary candidates in Arizona, 2020 | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
State | Party | Signatures required | Signature formula | Filing fee | Filing fee formula | Filing deadline | Source |
Arizona | Democratic[2] | 500 | Fixed by statute | N/A | N/A | 12/9/2019 | Source |
Independent presidential candidates
Filing requirements for independent candidates in Arizona, 2020 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
State | Signatures required | Signature formula | Filing fee | Filing fee formula | Filing deadline | Source |
Arizona | 37,769[3] | 3% of registered voters in the state who are not affiliated with a political party | N/A | N/A | 9/4/2020 | Source |
2016
The calendar below lists important filing deadlines in Arizona for the 2016 presidential election. For information about campaign finance reporting deadlines, see below.
Dates and requirements for presidential candidates in 2016 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Deadline | Event type | Event description | |
September 24, 2015 | Ballot access | First day to file new party petitions for the presidential preference primary | |
October 24, 2015 | Ballot access | Last day to file new party petitions for the presidential preference primary | |
November 13, 2015 | Ballot access | First day to file as a candidate for the presidential preference primary | |
December 14, 2015 | Ballot access | Last day to file as a candidate for the presidential preference primary | |
September 9, 2016 | Ballot access | Last day to file as an independent presidential candidate for the general election | |
September 29, 2016 | Ballot access | Last day to file as a write-in presidential candidate for the general election | |
March 22, 2016 | Election date | Presidential preference primary | |
November 8, 2016 | Election date | General election | |
Source: Arizona Secretary of State, "Elections Calendar," accessed August 19, 2015 |
Qualifications
Article 2, Section 1, of the United States Constitution sets the following qualifications for the presidency:[4]
“ | No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.[5] | ” |
—United States Constitution |
Article 2, Section 4, of the United States Constitution says an individual can be disqualified from the presidency if impeached and convicted:
“ | The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.[5] | ” |
—United States Constitution |
The 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution says an individual can also be disqualified from the presidency under the following conditions:
“ | No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.[5] | ” |
—United States Constitution |
Party nomination processes
- See also: Primary election and Caucus
Hover over the terms below to display definitions. | |
Ballot access laws | |
Primary election | |
Caucus | |
Delegate | |
A political party formally nominates its presidential candidate at a national nominating convention. At this convention, state delegates select the party's nominee. Prior to the nominating convention, the states conduct presidential preference primaries or caucuses. Generally speaking, only state-recognized parties—such as the Democratic Party and the Republican Party—conduct primaries and caucuses. These elections measure voter preference for the various candidates and help determine which delegates will be sent to the national nominating convention.[1][6][7]
The Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee, the governing bodies of the nation's two major parties, establish their own guidelines for the presidential nomination process. State-level affiliates of the parties also have some say in determining rules and provisions in their own states. Individuals interested in learning more about the nomination process should contact the political parties themselves for full details.
In Arizona, qualified political parties conduct presidential preference primaries. In order to qualify for placement on the primary ballot, a party must meet at least one of the following criteria:[8]
- The party's candidate for governor or president must have won at least 5 percent of the total votes cast for those offices in the most recent general election.
- At least two-thirds of 1 percent of the total registered voters in the state must affiliate with the party by October 1 in the year preceding the primary election.
A party that meets neither of these provisions may petition for access to the primary ballot. The petition must contain signatures equaling at least 1 and one-third percent of the total votes cast for governor in the most recent general election. These signatures must come from residents in at least five different counties. At least 10 percent of the individuals who sign the petition must be registered to vote in counties "with populations of less than 500,000 persons." This petition must be filed with the Arizona Secretary of State no earlier than 180 days and no later than 150 days before the presidential preference primary.[8][9][10]
A presidential candidate who seeks the nomination of a qualified party must petition for placement on the primary ballot. At least 500 qualified voters must sign this petition. The petition and required paperwork must be filed with the Arizona Secretary of State no earlier than 130 days and no later than 100 days before the primary election. A candidate is not required to petition for ballot placement if he or she can prove to the Arizona Secretary of State that he or she will appear on presidential primary ballots in at least two other states.[11]
General election requirements
The president of the United States is elected not by popular vote, but by the Electoral College. The Electoral College comprises a total of 538 electors. Each state is allocated a number of electors equal to the size of its congressional delegation. The Office of the Federal Register administers the Electoral College process:[12][13]
“ | On Election Day, the voters in each State choose the Electors by casting votes for the presidential candidate of their choice. The Electors’ names may or may not appear on the ballot below the name of the candidates running for President, depending on the procedure in each State. The winning candidate in each State—except in Nebraska and Maine, which have proportional distribution of the Electors—is awarded all of the State’s Electors.[5] | ” |
—The Office of the Federal Register |
Typically, electors are selected by state parties. Federal law does not require electors to vote "according to the results of the popular vote in their states." Some states and political parties have enacted policies requiring their electors to vote in accordance with the popular vote. According to the Office of the Federal Register, "throughout our history as a nation, more than 99 percent of electors have voted as pledged."[12][13]
Arizona was allocated 11 electoral votes for the 2024 presidential election, the same amount it was allocated in the 2012, 2016, and 2020 presidential contests, Arizona was allocated 11 electoral votes.[14]
Political parties
The chairman of the state committee of a qualified political party must submit a list of presidential electors to the Arizona Secretary of State no later than ten days after the primary election. The names of these electors are listed alongside the name of the party's presidential candidate on the general election ballot.[15][16]
In order to qualify as a political party, a party must meet at least one of the following criteria:[8]
- The party's candidate for governor or president must have won at least 5 percent of the total votes cast for those offices in the most recent general election.
- At least two-thirds of 1 percent of the total registered voters in the state must affiliate with the party by October 1 in the year preceding the primary election.
A party that meets neither of these provisions may petition for access to the ballot. The petition must contain signatures equaling at least 1 and one-third percent of the total votes cast for governor in the most recent general election. These signatures must come from residents in at least five different counties. At least 10 percent of the individuals who sign the petition must be registered to vote in counties "with populations of less than 500,000 persons." This petition must be filed with the Arizona Secretary of State no earlier than 180 days and no later than 150 days before the presidential preference primary.[8][17][18]
Independent candidates
An independent presidential candidate must petition for placement on the general election ballot. The petition must contain signatures equaling at least 3 percent of all registered voters who are not affiliated with a qualified political party. The petition must include the name of a vice presidential candidate, as well as the names of presidential electors. The petition must be filed with the Arizona Secretary of State no earlier than 100 days and no later than 80 days before the general election.[19]
Running for multiple offices
Some states prohibit candidates for the presidency from seeking other offices simultaneously. Arizona state law stipulates that "a person is not eligible to be a candidate for nomination or election to more than one public office if the elections for those offices are held on the same day and if the person would be prohibited from serving int he offices simultaneously."[20]
Sore loser laws
Some states bar candidates who sought, but failed, to secure the nomination of a political party from running as independents in the general election. These restrictions are sometimes called sore loser laws. Arizona bans candidates from cross-filing in the same election.[21][22]
Write-in requirements
In Arizona, a write-in candidate for the presidency must file a nomination paper in order to have his or her votes tallied. This paper must include the names of a vice presidential candidate and of presidential electors. The requisite paperwork must be filed with the Arizona Secretary of State no later than 5:00 p.m. on the 40th day prior to the general election.[23]
Historical information
According to Richard Winger, publisher of Ballot Access News, between 1892 and 2012 there were 401 instances in which a state required an independent or unqualified party candidate to collect more than 5,000 signatures in order to appear on the general election ballot. In Arizona, there were nine such instances during this period. See the table below for further details. The first column lists the state, the second lists the year, and the third lists the signature requirement. Columns four through nine list candidates and/or parties that met the requirement.[24]
Filing requirements for independent and minor party candidates, 1894-2012 | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
State | Year | Requirement | Successful parties or candidates | |||||
Arizona | 1976 | 5,523 | Libertarian | McCarthy | Socialist Workers | -- | -- | -- |
Arizona | 1980 | 5,386 | Libertarian | Anderson | Socialist Workers | -- | -- | -- |
Arizona | 1984 | 7,264 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Arizona | 1988 | 8,670 | Libertarian | New Alliance | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Arizona | 1992 | 10,555 | Libertarian | R. Perot | Natural Law | Populist | Natural Law | -- |
Arizona | 1996 | 15,062 | Libertarian | Reform | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Arizona | 2004 | 14,694 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Arizona | 2008 | 20,449 | R. Nader | Green | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Arizona | 2012 | 23,041 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
Campaign finance requirements
- See also: Campaign finance requirements in Arizona
The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is the only agency authorized to regulate the financing of presidential and other federal campaigns (i.e., campaigns for the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives). The states cannot impose additional requirements on federal candidates. Federal law requires all presidential candidates to file a statement of candidacy within 15 days of receiving contributions or making expenditures that exceed $5,000. The statement of candidacy is the only federally mandated ballot access requirement for presidential candidates; all other ballot access procedures are mandated at the state level. The candidacy statement authorizes "a principal campaign committee to raise and spend funds" on behalf of the candidate. Within 10 days of filing the candidacy statement, the committee must file a statement of organization with the FEC. In addition, federal law establishes contribution limits for presidential candidates. These limits are detailed in the table below. The uppermost row indicates the recipient type; the leftmost column indicates the donor type.[25][26]
Federal contribution limits, 2023-2024 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Candidate committees | Political action committees | State and district party committees | National party committees | Additional national party committee accounts | |
Individual | $3,300 per election | $5,000 per year | $10,000 per year (combined) | $41,300 per year | $123,900 per account, per year |
Candidate committee | $2,000 per election | $5,000 per year | Unlimited transfers | Unlimited transfers | N/A |
Multicandidate political action committee | $5,000 per election | $5,000 per year | $5,000 per year (combined) | $15,000 per year | $45,000 per account, per year |
Other political action committee | $3,300 per election | $5,000 per year | $10,000 per year (combined) | $41,300 per year | $123,900 per account, per year |
State and district party committee | $5,000 per election | $5,000 per year | Unlimited transfers | Unlimited transfers | N/A |
National party committee | $5,000 per election | $5,000 per year | Unlimited transfers | Unlimited transfers | N/A |
Note: Contribution limits apply separately to primary and general elections. For example, an individual could contribute $3,300 to a candidate committee for the primary and another $3,300 to the same candidate committee for the general election. Source: Federal Election Commission, "Contribution limits," accessed May 8, 2023 |
Presidential candidate committees are required to file regular campaign finance reports disclosing "all of their receipts and disbursements" either quarterly or monthly. Committees may choose which filing schedule to follow, but they must notify the FEC in writing and "may change their filing frequency no more than once per calendar year."[27]
For contribution limits from previous years, click "[Show more]" below.
Federal contribution limits, 2019-2020 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Candidate committees | Political action committees | State and district party committees | National party committees | Additional national party committee accounts | |
Individual | $2,800 per election | $5,000 per year | $10,000 per year (combined) | $33,500 per year | $106,500 per account, per year |
Candidate committee | $2,000 per election | $5,000 per year | Unlimited transfers | Unlimited transfers | N/A |
Multicandidate political action committee | $5,000 per election | $5,000 per year | $5,000 per year (combined) | $15,000 per year | $45,000 per account, per year |
Other political action committee | $2,800 per election | $5,000 per year | $10,000 per year (combined) | $35,500 per year | $106,500 per account, per year |
State and district party committee | $5,000 per election | $5,000 per year | Unlimited transfers | Unlimited transfers | N/A |
National party committee | $5,000 per election | $5,000 per year | Unlimited transfers | Unlimited transfers | N/A |
Note: Contribution limits apply separately to primary and general elections. For example, an individual could contribute $2,800 to a candidate committee for the primary and another $2,800 to the same candidate committee for the general election. Source: Federal Election Commission, "Contribution limits," accessed August 8, 2019 |
Federal contribution limits, 2015-2016 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Candidate committees | Political action committees | State and district party committees | National party committees | Additional national party committee accounts | |
Individual | $2,700 per election | $5,000 per year | $10,000 per year (combined) | $33,400 per year | $100,200 per account, per year |
Candidate committee | $2,000 per election | $5,000 per year | Unlimited transfers | Unlimited transfers | N/A |
Multicandidate political action committee | $5,000 per election | $5,000 per year | $5,000 per year (combined) | $15,000 per year | $45,000 per account, per year |
Other political action committee | $2,700 per election | $5,000 per year | $10,000 per year (combined) | $33,400 per year | $100,200 per account, per year |
State and district party committee | $5,000 per election | $5,000 per year | Unlimited transfers | Unlimited transfers | N/A |
National party committee | $5,000 per election | $5,000 per year | Unlimited transfers | Unlimited transfers | N/A |
Note: Contribution limits apply separately to primary and general elections. For example, an individual could contribute $2,700 to a candidate committee for the primary and another $2,700 to the same candidate committee for the general election. Source: Federal Election Commission, "The FEC and Federal Campaign Finance Law," updated January 2015 |
Election agencies
Election administration agencies
Election agencies
- See also: State election agencies
Individuals seeking additional information about voting provisions in Arizona can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.
Arizona County Election Officials
Office of the Secretary of State, Elections Division
- 1700 W. Washington Street, Floor 7
- Phoenix, Arizona 85007
- Phone: 602-542-4285
- Toll free: 1-877-THE-VOTE
- Email: https://azsos.gov/webform/contact?department=1005
- Website: http://www.azsos.gov/
Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission
- Physical Address: 1110 W. Washington St., Suite 250
- Phoenix, Arizona 85007
- Mailing address: 1802 W. Jackson St. #129
- Phoenix, Arizona 85007
- Phone: 602-364-3477
- Toll free: 877-631-8891
- Fax: 602-364-3487
- Email: ccec@azcleanelections.gov
- Website: http://www.azcleanelections.gov/
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
- 633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200
- Washington, DC 20001
- Phone: 301-563-3919
- Toll free: 1-866-747-1471
- Email: clearinghouse@eac.gov
- Website: https://www.eac.gov
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker
State election laws are changing. Keeping track of the latest developments in all 50 states can seem like an impossible job.
Here's the solution: Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker.
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Tracker sets the industry standard for ease of use, flexibility, and raw power. But that's just the beginning of what it can do:
- Ballotpedia's election experts provide daily updates on bills and other relevant political developments
- We translate complex bill text into easy-to-understand summaries written in everyday language
- And because it's from Ballotpedia, our Tracker is guaranteed to be neutral, unbiased, and nonpartisan
The Ballot Bulletin
The Ballot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy. The Ballot Bulletin tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from our Election Administration Legislation Tracker. You'll also be able to track relevant legislation, with links to and summaries of the bills themselves.
Recent issues
Click below to view recent issues of The Ballot Bulletin.
- The Ballot Bulletin: June 28, 2024
- The Ballot Bulletin: June 21, 2024
- The Ballot Bulletin: June 14, 2024
- The Ballot Bulletin: June 7, 2024
- The Ballot Bulletin: May 31, 2024
Subscribe
Enter your email address below to subscribe to The Ballot Bulletin.
See also
Use the dropdown menu below to navigate Ballotpedia's coverage of presidential election ballot access.
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Vote Smart, "Government 101: United States Presidential Primary," accessed October 25, 2023 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>
tag; name "votesmart" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Note: The Republican Party declined to participate in the primary election. Candidates who could demonstrate that they had obtained ballot access in two other states did not have to file petitions.
- ↑ Note: Estimate based on available voter registration figures.
- ↑ The Constitution of the United States of America, "Article 2, Section 1," accessed August 3, 2015
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Everything you need to know about how the presidential primary works," May 12, 2015
- ↑ FactCheck.org, "Caucus vs. Primary," April 8, 2008
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Arizona Revised Statutes, "Section 16-244," accessed October 25, 2023
- ↑ Arizona Revised Statutes, "Section 16-804," accessed October 25, 2023
- ↑ Arizona Revised Statutes, "Section 16-801," accessed October 25, 2023
- ↑ Arizona Revised Statutes, "Section 16-242," accessed October 25, 2023
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Archives.gov, "What is the Electoral College?" accessed August 25, 2015
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Archives.gov, "Who are the Electors?" accessed August 25, 2015
- ↑ Archives.gov, "Distribution of Electoral Votes," accessed October 25, 2023
- ↑ Arizona Revised Statutes, "Section 16-344," accessed October 25, 2023
- ↑ Arizona Revised Statutes, "Section 16-507," accessed October 25, 2023
- ↑ Arizona Revised Statutes, "Section 16-804," accessed October 25, 2023
- ↑ Arizona Revised Statutes, "Section 16-801," accessed October 25, 2023
- ↑ Arizona Revised Statutes, "Section 16-341," accessed October 25, 2023
- ↑ Arizona Revised Statutes, "Section 38-296.01," accessed October 25, 2023
- ↑ SSRN, "Sore Loser Laws and Democratic Contestation," accessed October 25, 2023
- ↑ Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy, "“If You Ain’t First, You’re Last”: How State “Sore-Loser” Laws Make It Impossible For Trump To Run A Successful Third-Party Campaign If He Loses The Republican Primary," accessed October 25, 2023
- ↑ Arizona Revised Statutes, "Section 16-312," accessed October 25, 2023
- ↑ This information comes from research conducted by Richard Winger, publisher and editor of Ballot Access News.
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "The FEC and Federal Campaign Finance Law," updated January 2015
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Quick Answers to Candidate Questions," accessed August 13, 2015
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "2016 Reporting Dates," accessed June 17, 2022
|