Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Tennessee

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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 Tennessee, a candidate for state or federal office 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 candidate must prepare to meet ballot access requirements well in advance of primaries, caucuses, and the general election.

There are three basic methods by which an individual may become a candidate for office in a state.

1. An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
2. An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
3. An individual can run as a write-in candidate.

This article outlines the steps that prospective candidates for state-level and congressional office must take in order to run for office in Tennessee. For information about filing requirements for presidential candidates, see "Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Tennessee." Information about filing requirements for local-level offices is not available in this article (contact state election agencies for information about local candidate filing processes).

See state election laws

Year-specific filing information

2024

U.S. Senate

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates in Tennessee in the 2024 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Tennessee, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates, 2024
State	Office	Party	Signatures required	Signature formula	Filing fee	Filing fee formula	Filing deadline	Source
Tennessee	U.S. Senate	All candidates	25	Fixed number	N/A	N/A	4/4/2024	Source

U.S. House

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in Tennessee in the 2024 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Tennessee, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2024
State	Office	Party	Signatures required	Filing fee	Filing deadline	Source
Tennessee	U.S. House	All candidates	25	N/A	4/4/2022	Source

For filing information from previous years, click "[Show more]" below.

Show more

2022

U.S. House

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in Tennessee in the 2022 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Tennessee, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2022
State	Office	Party	Signatures required	Filing fee	Filing deadline	Source
Tennessee	U.S. House	All candidates	25	N/A	4/7/2022	Source

Governor

The table below details filing requirements for gubernatorial candidates in Tennessee in the 2022 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Tennessee, click here.

Filing requirements for gubernatorial candidates, 2022
State	Office	Party	Signatures required	Filing fee	Filing deadline	Source	Notes
Tennessee	Governor	All candidates	25	N/A	4/7/2022	Source

2020

U.S. Senate

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates in Tennessee in the 2020 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Tennessee, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates, 2020
State	Office	Party	Signatures required	Signature formula	Filing fee	Filing fee formula	Filing deadline	Source
Tennessee	U.S. Senate	All candidates	25	Fixed number	N/A	N/A	4/2/2020	Source

U.S. House

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in Tennessee in the 2020 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Tennessee, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2020
State	Office	Party	Signatures required	Signature formula	Filing fee	Filing fee formula	Filing deadline	Source
Tennessee	1st Congressional District	All candidates	25	Fixed number	N/A	N/A	4/2/2020	Source
Tennessee	2nd Congressional District	All candidates	25	Fixed number	N/A	N/A	4/2/2020	Source
Tennessee	3rd Congressional District	All candidates	25	Fixed number	N/A	N/A	4/2/2020	Source
Tennessee	4th Congressional District	All candidates	25	Fixed number	N/A	N/A	4/2/2020	Source
Tennessee	5th Congressional District	All candidates	25	Fixed number	N/A	N/A	4/2/2020	Source
Tennessee	6th Congressional District	All candidates	25	Fixed number	N/A	N/A	4/2/2020	Source
Tennessee	7th Congressional District	All candidates	25	Fixed number	N/A	N/A	4/2/2020	Source
Tennessee	8th Congressional District	All candidates	25	Fixed number	N/A	N/A	4/2/2020	Source
Tennessee	9th Congressional District	All candidates	25	Fixed number	N/A	N/A	4/2/2020	Source

State House

The table below details filing requirements for Tennessee House of Representatives candidates in the 2020 election cycle.

Filing requirements for state legislative candidates, 2020
Chamber name	Party	Signatures required	Filing fee	Filing deadline	Source
Tennessee House of Representatives	All candidates	25	N/A	4/2/2020	Source

State Senate

The table below details filing requirements for Tennessee State Senate candidates in the 2020 election cycle.

Filing requirements for state legislative candidates, 2020
Chamber name	Party	Signatures required	Filing fee	Filing deadline	Source
Tennessee State Senate	All candidates	25	N/A	4/2/2020	Source

2018

See also: State and federal candidate filing deadlines for 2018 and Tennessee elections, 2018

See below for 2018 candidate filing deadlines.

April 5, 2018

2016

See also: Tennessee elections, 2016

The calendar below lists important dates for political candidates in Tennessee in 2016.

Dates and requirements for candidates in 2016
Deadline	Event type	Event description
December 1, 2015	Ballot access	Filing deadline for presidential primary candidates
February 23, 2016	Campaign finance	Pre-primary campaign financial disclosure reports for March county primary due
March 1, 2016	Election date	Presidential preference primary election
April 7, 2016	Ballot access	Filing deadline for partisan primary candidates and independent general election candidates
April 11, 2016	Campaign finance	First quarter campaign financial disclosure reports due
April 26, 2016	Campaign finance	Pre-primary campaign financial disclosure reports for May primary due
May 3, 2016	Election date	County primary election (if applicable)
July 11, 2016	Campaign finance	Second quarter campaign financial disclosure reports due
July 28, 2016	Campaign finance	Pre-primary campaign financial disclosure reports for August primary due
July 28, 2016	Campaign finance	Pre-general campaign financial disclosure reports for August general due
August 4, 2016	Election date	State primary and county general election (if applicable)
October 11, 2016	Campaign finance	Third quarter campaign financial disclosure reports due
November 1, 2016	Campaign finance	Pre-general campaign financial disclosure reports for November general due
November 8, 2016	Election date	General election
January 25, 2017	Campaign finance	Fourth quarter campaign financial disclosure reports due
Source: Tennessee Secretary of State, "2016 Election Calendar," accessed June 12, 2015

2015

To view historical information for 2015, click [show] to expand the section.
See also: Tennessee elections, 2015 There were no regularly scheduled state executive, state legislative or congressional elections in Tennessee in 2015.

2014

To view historical information for 2014, click [show] to expand the section.

See also: Tennessee elections, 2014 Tennessee held a primary for state and federal offices on August 7, 2014, and a general election for state and federal offices on November 4, 2014. Voters elected candidates to serve in the following state and federal offices: Governor of Tennessee 9 seats in the United States House of Representatives 17 seats in the Tennessee State Senate 99 seats in the Tennessee House of Representatives The 2014 filing deadline for both partisan and independent candidates participating in the primary election and general elections was April 3, 2014. The deadline to qualify as a political party in time for the 2014 election was April 3, 2014. Legend:      Ballot access     Campaign finance     Election date Dates and requirements for candidates in 2014 Deadline Event type Event description April 3, 2014 Ballot access Filing deadline for partisan candidates running in the primary election. Filing deadline for independent candidates running in the general election Deadline to submit a petition to create a new political party April 10, 2014 Campaign finance First quarter campaign finance report (ending March 31) July 10, 2014 Campaign finance Second quarter campaign finance report (ending June 30) July 30, 2014 Campaign finance Pre-primary report (ending July 28) August 7, 2014 Election date Primary election date October 10, 2014 Campaign finance Third quarter campaign finance report (ending September 30) October 28, 2014 Campaign finance Pre-general report due (ending October 27) November 4, 2014 Election date General election January 25, 2014 Campaign finance Fourth quarter campaign finance report (ending January 15)

Process to become a candidate

See statutes: Chapter 2-5 and Chapter 2-7 of the Tennessee Code

State legislative candidates

A candidate running for the state legislature, whether partisan or independent, must adhere to the same ballot access requirements, which are detailed below.

1. The candidate must obtain a nominating petition from a county election commission office or the office of the state coordinator of elections.
2. The nominating petition must be signed by the candidate and at least 25 voters who are registered in the candidate's district.
3. The signer of a petition must include the address shown on his or her voter registration card in order for his or her signature to be counted.
4. The candidate must file the original nominating petition in the office of the county election commission by the first Thursday of April in his or her county of residence. The candidate must also file a certified duplicate in the county election commission office in each county wholly or partially within the candidate's district. This requirement applies to both political party candidates running in the primary and independent candidates running in the general election.
5. There are no filing fees.

Federal and statewide office

A partisan or independent candidate for governor, United States Representative, or United States Senator must obtain a nominating petition from a county election commission office or the office of the state coordinator of elections.

1. The nominating petition must be signed by at least 25 voters who are registered anywhere in Tennessee.
2. The signer of a petition must include the address shown on his or her voter registration card in order for the signature to be counted.
3. The candidate must file the nominating petition no later than noon on the first Thursday of April.
4. The candidate must file the original nominating petition in the office of the Tennessee State Election Commission. The candidate must also file a certified duplicate in the office of the state coordinator of elections. Both of these must be received by the qualifying deadline.
5. There are no filing fees.

For write-in candidates

In order to have his or her votes tallied, a write-in candidate must file a certificate of write-in candidacy no later than noon on the 50th day before the general election in each county that makes up the district of the listed office. For the offices of governor, United States Senator, and United States Representative, this form must be filed with the Tennessee Coordinator of Elections.

Petition requirements

See also: Methods for signing candidate nominating petitions

See statutes: Chapter 2-5 of the Tennessee Code

In some cases, candidates may need to obtain signatures via the petition process to gain access to the ballot. This section outlines the laws and regulations pertaining to petitions and circulators in Tennessee.

Nominating petitions shall not be issued by any administrator, deputy, county election commissioner, or employee of the coordinator's office more than 60 days before the qualifying deadline for the office for which the petition is issued. In any year where reapportionment must occur, the coordinator of elections shall determine the earliest date on which petitions may be issued.

The relevant statutes do not address petition circulator requirements.

Election-related agencies

See also: State election agencies

Tennessee Secretary of State, Division of Elections

312 Rosa L. Parks Avenue

9th Floor, William Snodgrass Tower

Nashville, Tennessee 37243-0309

Phone: 615-741-7956

Toll-free: 1-877-850-4959

Email: tennessee.elections@tn.gov

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Term limits

State executives

See also: State executives with term limits and States with gubernatorial term limits

The state executive term limits in Tennessee are as follows:

• The governor must wait four years and/or one full term before becoming eligible to serve again after serving two consecutive terms.
• The attorney general is appointed by the State Supreme Court for a term of eight years.

State legislators

See also: State legislatures with term limits

There are no term limits placed on Tennessee state legislators.

Congressional partisanship

See also: List of United States Representatives from Tennessee and List of United States Senators from Tennessee

Below is the current partisan breakdown of the congressional delegation from Tennessee.

Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Tennessee
Party	U.S. Senate	U.S. House	Total
Democratic	0	1	1
Republican	2	8	10
Independent	0	0	0
Vacancies	0	0	0
Total	2	9	11

State legislative partisanship

Below is the current partisan breakdown of the state legislature of Tennessee.

Tennessee State Senate

Party		As of January 2024
	Democratic Party	6
	Republican Party	27
	Other	0
	Vacancies	0
Total		33

Tennessee House of Representatives

Party		As of January 2024
	Democratic Party	24
	Republican Party	75
	Independent	0
	Vacancies	0
Total		99

Noteworthy events

2018

On April 2, 2018, Governor Bill Haslam (R) signed SB 2497 into law. The legislation, upon enactment, reduced the candidate qualifying period from 90 days to 60 days. The legislation cleared the Tennessee State Senate on March 1, 2018, by a vote of 26-2. On March 19, 2018, the Tennessee House of Representatives approved the legislation by a vote of 77-16 (with one member present and not voting).

Related legislation

The embedded table below lists state bills affecting ballot access requirements for candidates introduced in Tennessee. The following information is included for each bill:

• State
• Bill number
• Official name or caption
• Most recent action date
• Legislative status
• Topics dealt with by the bill

Bills are organized alphabetically, first by state and then by bill number. To view additional results, use the arrows in the upper-right corner of the table. For more information about a particular bill, simply click the bill number. This will open a separate page with additional information.

Ballotpedia’s comprehensive Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker is the basis for this data. This user-friendly tracker covers thousands of election-related bills in state legislatures, and organizes them by topic with neutral, expert analysis from Ballotpedia’s election administration researchers.

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See also

• Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Tennessee
• Ballot access requirements for political parties in Tennessee
• Tennessee elections, 2024
• Campaign finance requirements in Tennessee
• Counties in Tennessee
• List of United States Representatives from Tennessee
• List of United States Senators from Tennessee
• Methods for signing candidate nominating petitions
• State executives with term limits
• States with gubernatorial term limits
• State legislatures with term limits

External links

Official state and federal links

• Tennessee Secretary of State
• Federal Election Commission
• Candidate information, from the Tennessee Secretary of State

Other information

• Ballot Access News – News updates and analysis of ballot access issues
• ThirdPartyPolitics.us – Blog about American third party and independent politics
• National Voter Outreach – Political consulting firm that specializes in organizing petition signature drives