Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Kansas
 in Kansas |
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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 Kansas, 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.
- An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
- An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
- 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 Kansas. For information about filing requirements for presidential candidates, click here. 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).
Year-specific filing information
2024
U.S. Senate
For information on candidate ballot access requirements in Kansas, click here.
U.S. House
The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in Kansas in the 2024 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Kansas, click here.
| Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2024 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Office | Party | Signatures required | Filing fee | Filing deadline | Source |
| Kansas | U.S. House | Ballot-qualified party | 2% of the party's total voter registration in the district | $1,760.00 | 6/3/2024 | Source |
| Kansas | U.S. House | Unaffiliated | 4% of registered voters in the district, or 5,000, whichever is less | $1,760.00 | 8/5/2024 | Source |
For filing information from previous years, click "[Show more]" below.
2022
U.S. Senate
The table below details filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates in Kansas in the 2022 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Kansas, click here.
| Filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates, 2022 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Office | Party | Signatures required | Filing fee | Filing deadline | Source |
| Kansas | U.S. Senate | Democratic or Republican | 1% of total party registration | $1,760.00 | 6/1/2022 | Source |
| Kansas | U.S. Senate | Unaffiliated | 5,000 | $20.00 | 8/1/2022 | Source |
U.S. House
The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in Kansas in the 2022 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Kansas, click here.
| Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2022 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Office | Party | Signatures required | Filing fee | Filing deadline | Source |
| Kansas | U.S. House | Ballot-qualified party | 2% of the party's total voter registration in the district | $1,760.00 | 6/1/2022 | Source |
| Kansas | U.S. House | Unaffiliated | 4% of registered voters in the district, or 5,000, whichever is less | $20.00 | 8/1/2022 | Source |
Governor
The table below details filing requirements for gubernatorial candidates in Kansas in the 2022 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Kansas, click here.
| Filing requirements for gubernatorial candidates, 2022 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Office | Party | Signatures required | Filing fee | Filing deadline | Source | Notes |
| Kansas | Governor | Ballot-qualified party | 1% of total registered voters in the state who are registered with the candidate's party | $2,092.00 | 6/1/2022 | Source | Petition signatures only required in lieu of filing fee. |
| Kansas | Governor | Unaffiliated | 5,000 | $2,092.00 | 8/1/2022 | Source | |
2020
U.S. Senate
The table below details filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates in Kansas in the 2020 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Kansas, 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 |
| Kansas | U.S. Senate | Qualified party | N/A | N/A | $1,760.00 | 1% of annual salary plus administrative fees | 6/1/2020 | Source |
| Kansas | U.S. Senate | Unaffiliated | 5,000 | Fixed number | $20.00 | Fixed number (administrative fee) | 8/3/2020 | Source |
U.S. House
The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in Kansas in the 2020 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Kansas, 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 |
| Kansas | 1st Congressional District | Qualified party | N/A | N/A | $1,760.00 | 1% of annual salary plus administrative fees | 6/1/2020 | Source |
| Kansas | 2nd Congressional District | Qualified party | N/A | N/A | $1,760.00 | 1% of annual salary plus administrative fees | 6/1/2020 | Source |
| Kansas | 3rd Congressional District | Qualified party | N/A | N/A | $1,760.00 | 1% of annual salary plus administrative fees | 6/1/2020 | Source |
| Kansas | 4th Congressional District | Qualified party | N/A | N/A | $1,760.00 | 1% of annual salary plus administrative fees | 6/1/2020 | Source |
| Kansas | 1st Congressional District | Unaffiliated | 5,000 | Fixed number | $20.00 | Fixed number | 8/3/2020 | Source |
| Kansas | 2nd Congressional District | Unaffiliated | 5,000 | Fixed number | $20.00 | Fixed number | 8/3/2020 | Source |
| Kansas | 3rd Congressional District | Unaffiliated | 5,000 | Fixed number | $20.00 | Fixed number | 8/3/2020 | Source |
| Kansas | 4th Congressional District | Unaffiliated | 5,000 | Fixed number | $20.00 | Fixed number | 8/3/2020 | Source |
State House
The table below details filing requirements for Kansas 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 |
| Kansas House of Representatives | Qualified party | 2% of party's total registered voters in the district | $120.00 | 6/1/2020 | Source |
| Kansas House of Representatives | Unaffiliated | 4% of total registered voters in the district | $120.00 | 8/3/2020 | Source |
State Senate
The table below details filing requirements for Kansas 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 |
| Kansas State Senate | Qualified party | 2% of party's total registered voters in the district | $145.00 | 6/1/2020 | Source |
| Kansas State Senate | Unaffiliated | 4% of total registered voters in the district | $145.00 | 8/3/2020 | Source |
2018
See below for 2018 candidate filing deadlines.
2016
The calendar below lists important filing deadlines for political candidates in Kansas in 2016.
| Dates and requirements for candidates in 2016 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Deadline | Event type | Event description | |
| January 11, 2016 | Campaign finance | Report due covering January 1, 2015–December 31, 2015 | |
| June 1, 2016 | Ballot access | Candidate filing deadline for the primary election | |
| July 25, 2016 | Campaign finance | Report due covering January 1, 2016–July 21, 2016 | |
| July 28, 2016 | Campaign finance | Report due for last minute contributions of $300 or more received between July 22, 2016, and July 27, 2016 | |
| August 1, 2016 | Ballot access | Candidate filing deadline for the general election | |
| August 2, 2016 | Election date | Primary election | |
| October 31, 2016 | Campaign finance | Report due covering July 22, 2016–October 27, 2016 | |
| November 3, 2016 | Campaign finance | Report due for last minute contributions of $300 or more received between October 28, 2016, and November 2, 2016 | |
| November 8, 2016 | Election date | General election | |
| January 10, 2017 | Campaign finance | Report due covering October 28, 2016–December 21, 2016 | |
| Source: Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission, "2016 Election Cycle Reporting Periods and Due Dates for Campaign Finance Reports," updated April 21, 2015 Kansas Secretary of State, "2016 Election Information," accessed October 28, 2015 | |||
2015
To view historical information for 2015, click [show] to expand the section. | |||
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2014
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Process to become a candidate
For party candidates
See statutes: Kansas Statutes, Chapter 25, Article 2, Section 5
A candidate seeking the nomination of a party qualified to participate in primary elections can access the primary ballot either by filing a nomination petition or paying a filing fee.
By filing a nomination petition
Signature requirements for nomination petitions for party candidates vary according to the office being sought. For offices elected on a statewide basis, signatures must equal at least 1 percent of the state's current voter registration total of the party whose nomination the candidate is seeking. For offices elected by district, signatures must equal at least 2 percent of the district's current voter registration total of the party whose nomination the candidate is seeking.[2][3]
Nomination petitions for federal and state-level offices (including state legislative seats) must be submitted to the Kansas Secretary of State by noon on June 1, prior to the primary election. If June 1 falls on a holiday or weekend, petitions are due by noon on the next following business day.[2]
By paying a filing fee
A candidate may forgo the petition process by submitting a declaration of candidacy and paying a filing fee. The filing fee varies according to the office being sought. For statewide and federal offices, the fee is equal to 1 percent of the office's annual salary. For state senate candidates, the fee is $75. For state representative candidates, the fee is $50.[2][4]
The declaration and accompanying filing fee for federal and state-level offices (including state legislative seats) must be submitted to the Kansas Secretary of State by noon on June 1, prior to the primary election. If June 1 falls on a holiday or weekend, petitions are due by noon on the next following business day.[2]
In addition to the statutory filing fee, a candidate for federal and state offices must pay a $20 administrative fee to the Kansas Secretary of State. A state-level candidate must also pay a registration fee to the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission. For statewide executive offices, the fee is $480. For state legislative candidates, the fee is $35.[5][6]
For independent candidates
See statutes: Kansas Statutes, Chapter 25, Article 3, Section 3
Independent candidates must petition for access to the general election ballot. Signature requirements vary according to the office being sought. For any statewide office, at least 5,000 signatures must be collected. For district-level offices (such as congressional or state legislative seats), signatures must equal at least 4 percent of the current total of qualified voters in the district as determined by the Kansas Secretary of State.[7]
While an independent candidate is not liable for a statutory filing fee, he or she must still pay a $20 administrative fee to the Kansas Secretary of State. State-level candidates must also pay a registration fee to the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission. For statewide executive offices, the fee is $480. For state legislative candidates, the fee is $35.[5][6]
Independent nomination petitions for federal and state-level offices (including state legislative seats) must be submitted to the Kansas Secretary of State by noon on the Monday preceding the date of the primary election.[8]
For write-in candidates
See statutes: Kansas Statutes, Chapter 25, Article 3, Section 3
In order to have their votes tallied, certain write-in candidates must submit affidavits of candidacy. If a write-in candidate is running for governor, an affidavit must be filed with the Kansas Secretary of State by noon on the second Monday preceding the general election. If a write-in candidate is seeking another statewide office (except United States Senator), an affidavit must be filed with the Kansas Secretary of State by noon on the second Monday preceding the election at which the write-in candidate seeks nomination or election. Write-in candidates for other federal and state offices are not required to file affidavits.[5][8]
Petition requirements
In some cases, political parties and/or 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 Kansas.[9]
Format requirements
Petitions for candidates seeking the nomination of a political party at a primary election must be in substantially the following form:[10]
| “ | I, the undersigned, an elector of the county of _____, and state of Kansas, and a duly registered voter, and a member of _____ party, hereby nominate _____, who resides in the township of _____ (or at number _____ on _____ street, city of _____), in the county of _____ and state of Kansas, as a candidate for the office of (here specify the office) _____, to be voted for at the primary election to be held on the first Tuesday in August in _____, as representing the principles of such party; and I further declare that I intend to support the candidate herein named and that I have not signed and will not sign any nomination petition for any other person, for such office at such primary election.[11] | ” |
The specific form of an independent nomination petition is not stipulated in the relevant statutes. Nomination petition forms may be obtained from the Kansas Secretary of State.[12][9]
Circulation requirements
Due to a 2011 court ruling, circulators are no longer required to be registered voters or residents of the state. On May 8, 2014, Governor Sam Brownback signed HB 2130 into law, which formally repealed the circulator residency requirement. A circulator must include a signed, notarized affidavit indicating that he or she personally witnessed every signature placed on the petition. A circulator may circulate petitions in more than one county, provided that each petition sheet contains signatures from residents of the same county.[9][13]
Petitions must be filed within 180 days after the date the first signature was collected.[14]
Election administration agencies
Election agencies
- See also: State election agencies
Individuals seeking additional information about voting provisions in Kansas can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.
Kansas County Election Officers
Secretary of State Office, Elections Division
- Memorial Hall, 1st Floor
- 120 SW 10th Avenue
- Topeka, KS 66612-1594
- Phone: 785-296-4564
- Toll free: 1-800-262-8683
- Email: election@sos.ks.gov
- Website: http://www.kssos.org/
Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission
- 901 S. Kansas Avenue
- Topeka, Kansas 66612
- Phone: 785-296-4219
- Fax: 785-296-2548
- Email: KGEC_Ethics@ks.gov
- Website: https://ethics.kansas.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
Do you need information about elections in your area? Are you looking for your local election official? Click here to visit the U.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool. |
Term limits
State executives
Kansas state executives are subject to term limits. These limits are established in Article 1 of the Kansas Constitution. The state executive term limits in Kansas are as follows:[15]
- The governor may serve no more than two consecutive terms.
- The lieutenant governor may serve no more than two consecutive terms.
State legislators
- See also: State legislatures with term limits
Kansas does not place term limits on state legislators.
Congressional partisanship
Below is the current partisan breakdown of the congressional delegation from Kansas.
| Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Kansas | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | U.S. Senate | U.S. House | Total |
| Democratic | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Republican | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vacancies | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 2 | 4 | 6 |
State legislative partisanship
Below is the current partisan breakdown of the state legislature of Kansas.
Kansas State Senate
| Party | As of November 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 11 | |
| Republican Party | 29 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 40 | |
Kansas House of Representatives
| Party | As of November 2024 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 40 | |
| Republican Party | 85 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 125 | |
Related legislation
The embedded table below lists state bills affecting ballot access requirements for candidates introduced in Kansas. 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 Kansas
- Ballot access requirements for political parties in Kansas
- Kansas elections, 2024
- Campaign finance requirements in Kansas
- Counties in Kansas
- List of United States Representatives from Kansas
- List of United States Senators from Kansas
- 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
- Kansas Secretary of State
- Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission
- Federal Election Commission
- Kansas Secretary of State, "Candidate Information"
- Kansas Secretary of State, "How to Become a Candidate 2022"
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
Footnotes
- ↑ Kansas Secretary of State, "2014 Election Calendar," accessed March 12, 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Kansas Statutes, "Chapter 25, Article 2, Section 5," accessed March 12, 2014
- ↑ Kansas Statutes, "Chapter 25, Article 40, Section 5," accessed March 12, 2014
- ↑ Kansas Statutes, "Chapter 25, Article 2, Section 6," accessed March 12, 2014
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Kansas Election Standards, "Chapter IV. - Candidates," revised April 1, 2012
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission, "Campaign Finance Handbook for Candidates and Treasurers, 2014," accessed March 12, 2014
- ↑ Kansas Statutes, "Chapter 25, Article 3, Section 3," accessed March 12, 2014
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Kansas Statutes, "Chapter 25, Article 3, Section 5," accessed March 12, 2014
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Kansas Election Standards, "Chapter V. - Petitions," revised April 1, 2012
- ↑ Kansas Statutes, "Chapter 25, Article 2, Section 5," accessed March 12, 2014
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Kansas Statutes, "Chapter 25, Article 3, Section 3," accessed March 12, 2014
- ↑ Ballot Access News, "Kansas Governor Signs Bill, Repealing Ban on Out-of-State Circulators," May 8, 2014
- ↑ Kansas Statutes, "Chapter 25, Article 36, Section 2," accessed March 12, 2014
- ↑ Kansas Constitution, "Article 1, Section 1," accessed November 11, 2013
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