Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in New Jersey
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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.
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In order to get on the ballot in New Jersey, 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. 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.
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 New Jersey in the 2024 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in New Jersey, click here.
Presidential primary candidates
| Filing requirements for presidential primary candidates in New Jersey, 2024 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Party | Signatures required | Signature formula | Filing fee | Filing fee formula | Filing deadline | Source |
| New Jersey | Qualified parties | 1,000 | Fixed | N/A | N/A | 3/25/24 | Source |
Independent presidential candidates
| Filing requirements for independent candidates in New Jersey, 2024 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Signatures required | Signature formula | Filing fee | Filing fee formula | Filing deadline | Source |
| New Jersey | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | N/A |
For filing information from previous years, click "[Show more]" below.
2020
Note: We have not yet collected complete information on presidential candidate filing requirements for this state in 2020. We will update this page with additional information as soon as possible.
2016
The calendar below lists important filing deadlines in New Jersey 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 | |
| April 4, 2016 | Ballot access | Filing deadline for primary candidates | |
| June 7, 2016 | Election date | Presidential preference primary | |
| August 1, 2016 | Ballot access | Independent candidate filing deadline | |
| November 8, 2016 | Election date | General election | |
Qualifications
Article 2, Section 1, of the United States Constitution sets the following qualifications for the presidency:[2]
| “ | 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.[3] | ” |
| —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.[3] | ” |
| —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.[3] | ” |
| —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][4][5]
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 New Jersey, a candidate seeking the nomination of a recognized party must petition for placement on the primary ballot. This petition must be signed by at least 1,000 members of the candidate's party. The candidate must file the petition with the secretary of state no later than 64 days prior to the primary.[6]
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:[7][8]
| “ | 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.[3] | ” |
| —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."[7][8]
New Jersey was allocated 14 electoral votes in the 2024 presidential election, the same number it was allocated in the 2012, 2016, and 2020 presidential contests.[9]
Political parties
Recognized political parties are entitled to have the names of their presidential candidates placed on the general election ballot. A party must certify the names of its candidates with the secretary of state within one week after the party's national convention. A party's state convention must be held within one week following the close of the party’s national convention.[10][11]
Independent candidates
An independent candidate seeking general election ballot access must file a petition with the secretary of state containing the signatures of 800 qualified state voters. This petition must be filed no later than 99 days before the general election.[12]
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. Under New Jersey state law, "a candidate who unsuccessfully sought the nomination of a political party" in a primary cannot run as an independent candidate for that same office in the general election.[13][14][15]
Richard Winger, publisher of Ballot Access News, has argued that, generally speaking, "sore loser laws have been construed not to apply to presidential primaries." His analysis of state sore loser laws and their applicability in presidential elections can be accessed here.[16]
Write-in requirements
New Jersey state law does not appear to require write-in candidates to file any special paperwork in advance of an election.[17]
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 New Jersey, there were no such instances during this period. See this article for more information.[16]
Campaign finance requirements
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.[18][19]
| 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."[20]
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
Federal Election Commission
- 1050 First Street, NE
- Washington, D.C. 20463
- Telephone: 800-424-9530
- Email: info@fec.gov
New Jersey Department of State
- New Jersey Division of Elections
- P.O. Box 304
- Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0304
- Telephone: 609-292-3760
- Email: Feedback@sos.nj.gov
Noteworthy events
2021
On April 20, 2021, the Judge Peter Sheridan, of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, struck down as unconstitutional a state statute requiring that petition circulators for presidential primary candidates be residents of New Jersey. In his ruling, Sheridan wrote, "The Court finds that the residency requirement in N.J. Stat. Ann. § 19:23-11 is unnecessarily restrictive and does not survive strict scrutiny. This ruling on the validity of the residency requirement does not affect the remainder of the provisions of that statute." Sheridan (a George W. Bush (R) appointee) said, "[The] State has discretion to craft other procedures that are less restrictive than the in-state residency requirement for circulators" adding that "any such measures should be communicated to the parties on or before December 1, 2021."[21][22]
2018
On November 1, 2018, Gov. Phil Murphy (D) signed AB 4674 into law, establishing that congressional candidates can run for both congressional offices and the offices of president or vice-president simultaneously. The bill cleared the New Jersey Assembly on October 29, 2018, by a vote of 47 to 26, with seven members not voting. The bill cleared the New Jersey State Senate the same day by a voice vote.[23][24]
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See also
- Ballot access requirements for political candidates in New Jersey
- Presidential election, 2024
- Ballot access for presidential candidates
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Vote Smart, "Government 101: United States Presidential Primary," accessed November 28, 2023 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "votesmart" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ The Constitution of the United States of America, "Article 2, Section 1," accessed August 3, 2015
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 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
- ↑ New Jersey Revised Statutes, "Section 19:25-3," accessed November 28, 2023
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Archives.gov, "What is the Electoral College?" accessed August 25, 2015
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Archives.gov, "Who are the Electors?" accessed August 25, 2015
- ↑ Archives.gov, "Distribution of Electoral Votes," accessed November 28, 2023
- ↑ New Jersey Department of State, "19:5-1. Powers of and restrictions upon political parties; party columns on official ballot," accessed November 28, 2023
- ↑ New Jersey Revised Statutes, "Section 19:13-15," accessed November 28, 2023
- ↑ New Jersey Department of State, "19:13-5 Signatures to petition; number," accessed November 28, 2023
- ↑ SSRN, "Sore Loser Laws and Democratic Contestation," accessed November 28, 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 November 28, 2023
- ↑ New Jersey Statutes, "Section 19:13-8.1," accessed November 28, 2023
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 This information comes from research conducted by Richard Winger, publisher and editor of Ballot Access News.
- ↑ New Jersey Department of State, "19:14-2.1. Inclusion on general election ballot of candidate with votes in primary by irregular ballot or write-in vote; requirements", accessed November 28, 2023
- ↑ 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
- ↑ Ballot Access News, "Rocky De La Fuente Wins New Jersey Lawsuit on Out-of-State Circulators for Primary Petitions," April 22, 2021
- ↑ United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, "Arsenault v. Way: Memorandum and Order Granting Plaintiffs' Motion for Summary Judgment," April 20, 2021
- ↑ LegiScan, "NJ A4674," accessed November 5, 2018
- ↑ Politico, "Murphy signs law allowing Booker to run for president, Senate simultaneously," November 1, 2018
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