Ballot access requirements for political parties in Indiana

in Indiana

Fiscal Budgets Indiana state budget and finances Tax policy in Indiana Finance Financial regulation in Indiana Pensions Public pensions in Indiana Pension health in Indiana Civil liberties Affirmative action in Indiana Campaign finance requirements in Indiana Campaign finance requirements for Indiana ballot measures Nonprofit regulation in Indiana Education Charter schools in Indiana Higher education in Indiana Public education in Indiana School choice in Indiana Elections Ballot access Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Indiana Ballot access requirements for political parties in Indiana Political parties in Indiana Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Indiana Redistricting in Indiana Voting in Indiana Energy and Environment Energy policy in Indiana Fracking in Indiana Oil and gas extraction on federal land in Indiana Endangered species in Indiana Environmental policy in Indiana Healthcare Healthcare policy in Indiana Medicaid spending in Indiana Effect of the Affordable Care Act in Indiana Immigration Immigration in Indiana

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.

Although there are hundreds of political parties in the United States, only certain parties qualify to have the names of their candidates for office printed on election ballots. In order to qualify for ballot placement, a party must meet certain requirements that vary from state to state. For example, in some states, a party may have to file a petition in order to qualify for ballot placement. In other states, a party must organize around a candidate for a specific office; that candidate must, in turn, win a percentage of the vote in order for the party to be granted ballot status. In still other states, an aspiring political party must register a certain number of voters.

To learn more about ballot access requirements for political candidates in Indiana, see this article.

See state election laws

Process for a political party to obtain ballot status

Seal of Indiana

See statutes: Title 3, Article 8 of the Indiana Code

In Indiana a political party is defined as a group of voters whose candidate for secretary of state received at least 2 percent of the total votes cast for that office in the most recent election.^[1]

In order to be recognized as a political party, a group must first file a statement of organization with the Indiana Secretary of State no later than 10 days after raising or spending $100, or no later than August 21, whichever occurs first. The new political party must also file the names of its candidates and a party device with the secretary of state by that date in order for the office to certify it in time for the general election. The party device is a logo, including words or pictures, that helps distinguish one party from another.^[2]

The party's candidates must then file by petition method, in the same manner as independent candidates. On the nominating petition, however, candidates can designate the party they are running with and use the party device to further distinguish themselves from independent candidates.^[3]

If the new party's candidate for secretary of state receives at least 2 percent of the total votes cast for that office, the party can nominate its candidates at a state convention rather than by petition method in future elections. If the new party's candidate for secretary of state receives at least 10 percent of the total votes cast for that office, the party can nominate its candidates via primary election.^[4][5]

Political parties

See also: List of political parties in the United States

As of May 2024, Indiana officially recognized three political parties. In order to be officially recognized by the state, a political party's candidate for secretary of state must have received at least 2 percent of the total votes cast for that office in the most recent general election.^[6]

Historical events

2014

In the 2014 election for secretary of state, Libertarian candidate Karl Tatgenhorst received 3.4 percent of the vote. As a result, the Libertarian Party retained recognized status, permitting it to nominate candidates via convention in 2016.^[7]

2010

In the 2010 election for secretary of state, Libertarian candidate Mike Wherry received 5.9 percent of the vote.^[8] This guaranteed the that Libertarian Party would retain recognized status, permitting it to nominate candidates via convention in 2012 and 2014.^[9][10]

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: July 12, 2024
• The Ballot Bulletin: June 28, 2024
• The Ballot Bulletin: June 21, 2024
• The Ballot Bulletin: June 14, 2024
• The Ballot Bulletin: June 7, 2024

Subscribe

Enter your email address below to subscribe to The Ballot Bulletin.

See also

• Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Indiana
• Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Indiana
• List of political parties in the United States
• Democratic Party of Indiana
• Republican Party of Indiana

External links

• Indiana Democratic Party
• Indiana Republican Party

Footnotes

v • e Election policy Voting policy Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming Ballot access for state and federal candidates Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming Ballot access for political parties Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming Ballot access for presidential candidates Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming Redistricting Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming

	v • e State of Indiana Indianapolis (capital)
Elections	What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2024 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures
Government	Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy