Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Pennsylvania

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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 Pennsylvania, 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.

There are three basic methods by which an individual may become a candidate for president of the United States.

  1. 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]
  2. 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]
  3. 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.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • In Pennsylvania, a presidential candidate seeking the nomination of a party must submit a nominating petition with 2,000 signatures and a $200 filing fee in order to gain access to the party's primary ballot. An independent candidate can get on the general election ballot by submitting to the secretary of the commonwealth an affidavit of candidacy, a $200 fee, and a petition containing 5,000 signatures.
    • DocumentIcon.jpg See state election laws

    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

    See also: Important dates in the 2024 presidential race

    2024

    The tables below detail filing requirements for presidential candidates in Pennsylvania in the 2024 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Pennsylvania, click here.

    Presidential primary candidates

    Filing requirements for presidential primary candidates in Pennsylvania, 2024
    State Party Signatures required Signature formula Filing fee Filing fee formula Filing deadline Source
    Pennsylvania Democratic TBD TBD TBD TBD 1/8/2024[2] Source
    Pennsylvania Other qualified parties TBD TBD TBD TBD 2/13/2024 Source

    Independent presidential candidates

    Filing requirements for independent candidates in Pennsylvania, 2024
    State Signatures required Signature formula Filing fee Filing fee formula Filing deadline Source
    Pennsylvania TBD TBD TBD TBD 8/1/2024 Source

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

    Show more

    2020

    The tables below detail filing requirements for presidential candidates in Pennsylvania in the 2020 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Pennsylvania, click here.

    Presidential primary candidates

    Filing requirements for presidential primary candidates in Pennsylvania, 2020
    State Party Signatures required Signature formula Filing fee Filing fee formula Filing deadline Source
    Pennsylvania Qualified parties 2,000 Fixed by statute $200.00 Fixed by statute 2/18/2020 Source

    Independent presidential candidates

    Filing requirements for independent candidates in Pennsylvania, 2020
    State Signatures required Signature formula Filing fee Filing fee formula Filing deadline Source
    Pennsylvania 5,000 Fixed by statute $200.00 Fixed by statute 8/3/2020 Source

    2016

    The calendar below lists important filing deadlines in Pennsylvania for the 2016 presidential election. For information about campaign finance reporting deadlines, see below.

    Legend:      Ballot access     Election date



    Dates and requirements for presidential candidates in 2016
    Deadline Event type Event description
    February 16, 2016 Ballot access Filing deadline for primary candidates
    April 26, 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:[3]

    “ 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.[4] ”
    —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.[4] ”
    —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.[4] ”
    —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
    Election Policy Logo.png

    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][5][6]

    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 Pennsylvania, a candidate seeking access to a party's primary ballot must submit a nominating petition containing 2,000 signatures. The signatures must be collected between the thirteenth Tuesday and the tenth Tuesday prior to the primary. All paperwork, along with a $200 filing fee, must be filed with the secretary of the commonwealth on or before the 10th Tuesday preceding the primary.[7][8][9]

    General election requirements

    The president is elected by the Electoral College, which comprises 538 electors from all 50 states, as well as Washington, D.C.

    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:[10][11]

    “ 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.[4] ”
    —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."[10][11]

    Pennsylvania was allocated 19 electoral votes in the 2024 presidential election, one fewer than it was allocated in the 2012, 2016, and 2020 presidential contests.[12]

    Political parties

    Candidates nominated by political parties may be placed on the general election ballot. The nominee of the party must certify the names of his or her presidential elector candidates with the secretary of the commonwealth no later than 30 days after the party's national convention. Political parties in Pennsylvania are defined as those groups whose candidates in the general election next preceding the primary received in at least 10 counties at least 2 percent of the largest entire vote cast in each of the counties for any elected candidate, and received at least 2 percent of the largest entire vote cast statewide for any elected candidate. In addition, the party's statewide registration must be equal to at least 15 percent of the combined statewide registration for all statewide political parties.[13][14]

    Minor party and independent candidates

    Candidates for minor political parties and independent candidates may petition for general ballot access. The candidate must submit to the secretary of the commonwealth an affidavit of candidacy, a $200 fee, and a petition containing signatures 5,000 signatures. Minor political parties in Pennsylvania are those whose candidates in the general election next preceding the primary received in at least 10 counties at least 2 percent of the largest entire vote cast in each of the counties for any elected candidate, and received at least 2 percent of the largest entire vote cast in the state for any elected candidate, and whose statewide registration is less than 15 percent of the combined statewide registration for all statewide political parties.[15][16][17]

    Sore loser laws

    See also: Sore loser laws for presidential candidates

    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 Pennsylvania state law, an unsuccessful primary candidate cannot run for the same office in the general election by filing a petition.[18][19][20]

    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.[21]

    Write-in requirements

    Voters may write in the names of candidates on the Pennsylvania general ballot.

    Historical information

    See also: Historical signature requirements for independent and minor party presidential candidates

    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 Pennsylvania, there were 23 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.[21]

    Filing requirements for independent and minor party candidates, 1894-2012
    State Year Requirement Successful parties or candidates
    Pennsylvania 1924 5,608 Socialist Labor Workers American Single Tax --
    Pennsylvania 1928 5,515 Communist Socialist Labor -- -- --
    Pennsylvania 1932 9,143 Communist Socialist Labor Jobless -- --
    Pennsylvania 1936 8,401 Union Prohibition Communist Socialist Labor --
    Pennsylvania 1940 8,502 Socialist Communist Socialist Labor -- --
    Pennsylvania 1944 6,516 Socialist Prohibition Socialist Labor -- --
    Pennsylvania 1948 7,975 Progressive Prohibition Socialist Socialist Labor Socialist Workers
    Pennsylvania 1952 7,846 Progressive Prohibition Socialist Labor Socialist Workers Socialist
    Pennsylvania 1956 9,982 Socialist Labor Socialist Workers -- -- --
    Pennsylvania 1960 9,118 Socialist Labor Socialist Workers -- -- --
    Pennsylvania 1964 9,647 Socialist Labor Socialist Workers -- -- --
    Pennsylvania 1968 10,552 American Socialist Workers Socialist Labor Peace and Freedom. --
    Pennsylvania 1972 35,624 Socialist Workers -- -- -- --
    Pennsylvania 1976 30,584 McCarthy Socialist Workers Communist U.S. Labor --
    Pennsylvania 1980 48,134 Libertarian Consumer Anderson Socialist Workers Communist
    Pennsylvania 1984 49,933 Libertarian Communist Workers League -- --
    Pennsylvania 1988 25,568 Libertarian New Alliance Consumer Populist Workers League
    Pennsylvania 1992 37,216 Libertarian R. Perot New Alliance -- --
    Pennsylvania 1996 24,425 Libertarian Reform Constitution Natural Law --
    Pennsylvania 2000 21,739 Libertarian Green Constitution Reform --
    Pennsylvania 2004 25,697 Libertarian Green Constitution -- --
    Pennsylvania 2008 24,666 Libertarian R. Nader -- -- --
    Pennsylvania 2012 20,601 Libertarian Green -- -- --

    Campaign finance requirements

    See also: Campaign finance requirements in Pennsylvania

    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.[22][23]

    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."[24]

    For contribution limits from previous years, click "[Show more]" below.

    Show more
    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

    The Federal Election Commission is the only agency authorized to regulate campaign financing for federal candidates.

    Federal Election Commission

    1050 First Street, NE
    Washington, D.C. 20463
    Telephone: 800-424-9530
    Email: info@fec.gov

    Pennsylvania Department of State, Buraue of elections

    401 North Street, Rm 210
    Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120
    Telephone: 717-787-5280
    Email: RA-elections@pa.gov

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    See also

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    Footnotes

    1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Vote Smart, "Government 101: United States Presidential Primary," accessed November 29, 2023 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "votesmart" defined multiple times with different content
    2. ↑ Democratic candidates must submit a declaration of intent by 1/8/24. Petitions are due 2/13/24..
    3. ↑ The Constitution of the United States of America, "Article 2, Section 1," accessed August 3, 2015
    4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
    5. ↑ The Washington Post, "Everything you need to know about how the presidential primary works," May 12, 2015
    6. ↑ FactCheck.org, "Caucus vs. Primary," April 8, 2008
    7. ↑ WestlawNext, "§ 2867. Nomination petitions to be filed," accessed November 29, 2023
    8. ↑ WestlawNext, "§ 2868. Manner of signing nomination petitions; time of circulating," accessed November 29, 2023
    9. ↑ WestlawNext, "§ 2872.1. Number of signers required for nomination petitions of candidates at primaries," accessed November 29, 2023
    10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Archives.gov, "What is the Electoral College?" accessed August 25, 2015
    11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Archives.gov, "Who are the Electors?" accessed August 25, 2015
    12. ↑ Archives.gov, "Distribution of Electoral Votes," accessed November 29, 2023
    13. ↑ WestlawNext, "§ 2831. Definition of political parties and political bodies," accessed November 29, 2023
    14. ↑ WestlawNext, "§ 2878. Presidential electors; selection by nominees; certification; vacancies," accessed November 29, 2023
    15. ↑ WestlawNext, "§ 2872.2. Nominations by minor political parties," accessed November 29, 2023
    16. ↑ WestlawNext, "§ 2873. Place and time of filing nomination petitions; filing fees," accessed November 29, 2023
    17. ↑ Ballot Access News, "Pennsylvania Statewide Requirement for 2016 Will be 5,000 Signatures, with Severe Distribution Requirement for Statewide State Office," June 30, 2016
    18. ↑ SSRN, "Sore Loser Laws and Democratic Contestation," accessed November 29, 2023
    19. ↑ 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 29, 2023
    20. ↑ WestlawNext, "§ 2911. Nominations by political bodies," accessed November 29, 2023
    21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 This information comes from research conducted by Richard Winger, publisher and editor of Ballot Access News.
    22. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "The FEC and Federal Campaign Finance Law," updated January 2015
    23. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Quick Answers to Candidate Questions," accessed August 13, 2015
    24. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "2016 Reporting Dates," accessed June 17, 2022
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