Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Utah

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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 Utah, 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 Utah. 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).

DocumentIcon.jpg See state election laws

Year-specific filing information

2024

See also: Signature requirements and deadlines for 2024 U.S. Congress elections and Utah elections, 2024

U.S. Senate

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

Filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates, 2024
State Office Party Signatures required Filing fee Filing deadline Source
Utah U.S. Senate Ballot-qualified party 28,000 $1,355.00 1/8/2024 Source
Utah U.S. Senate Unaffiliated 1,000 $1,355.00 6/18/2024 Source

U.S. House

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

Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2024
State Office Party Signatures required Filing fee Filing deadline Source
Utah U.S. House Ballot-qualified party 7,000 $485.00 1/8/2024 Source
Utah U.S. House Unaffiliated 5% of registered voters in the district, or 300, whichever is less $485.00 6/18/2024 Source


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

Show more

2022

See also: Signature requirements and deadlines for 2022 U.S. Congress elections and Utah elections, 2022

U.S. Senate

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

Filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates, 2022
State Office Party Signatures required Filing fee Filing deadline Source
Utah U.S. Senate Ballot-qualified party 28,000 $1,355.00 3/4/2022 Source
Utah U.S. Senate Unaffiliated 1,000 $1,355.00 3/4/2022 Source

U.S. House

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

Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2022
State Office Party Signatures required Filing fee Filing deadline Source
Utah U.S. House Ballot-qualified party 7,000 $485.00 3/4/2022 Source
Utah U.S. House Unaffiliated 5% of registered voters in the district, or 300, whichever is less $485.00 3/4/2022 Source

2020

See also: Signature requirements and deadlines for 2020 U.S. Congress elections and Utah elections, 2020

U.S. House

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in Utah in the 2020 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Utah, 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
Utah 1st Congressional District Qualified party 7,000 Fixed number $485.00 Fixed number 3/19/2020 (declaration of candidacy); petitions due two weeks before party convention Source
Utah 2nd Congressional District Qualified party 7,000 Fixed number $485.00 Fixed number 3/19/2020 (declaration of candidacy); petitions due two weeks before party convention Source
Utah 3rd Congressional District Qualified party 7,000 Fixed number $485.00 Fixed number 3/19/2020 (declaration of candidacy); petitions due two weeks before party convention Source
Utah 4th Congressional District Qualified party 7,000 Fixed number $485.00 Fixed number 3/19/2020 (declaration of candidacy); petitions due two weeks before party convention Source
Utah 1st Congressional District Unaffiliated 300 Fixed number $485.00 Fixed number 3/19/2020 Source
Utah 2nd Congressional District Unaffiliated 300 Fixed number $485.00 Fixed number 3/19/2020 Source
Utah 3rd Congressional District Unaffiliated 300 Fixed number $485.00 Fixed number 3/19/2020 Source
Utah 4th Congressional District Unaffiliated 300 Fixed number $485.00 Fixed number 3/19/2020 Source

State House

The table below details filing requirements for Utah 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
Utah House of Representatives Qualified party 1,000 $82.06 3/19/2020 Source
Utah House of Representatives Unaffiliated 5% of registered voters in the district, or 300, whichever is less $82.06 3/19/2020 Source

State Senate

The table below details filing requirements for Utah 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
Utah State Senate Qualified party 2,000 $114.12 3/19/2020 Source
Utah State Senate Unaffiliated 5% of registered voters in the district, or 300, whichever is less $114.12 3/19/2020 Source

2018

See also: Signature requirements and deadlines for 2018 U.S. Congress elections and Utah elections, 2018

See below for 2018 candidate filing deadlines.

March 15, 2018

2016

See also: Signature requirements and deadlines for 2016 U.S. Congress elections and Utah elections, 2016

The calendar below lists important filing deadlines for political candidates in Utah in 2016.

Dates and requirements for candidates in 2016
Deadline Event type Event description
January 4, 2016 Ballot access Declaration of intent to gather signatures period opens
March 11, 2016 Ballot access Declaration of candidacy period opens
March 17, 2016 Ballot access Declaration of candidacy and intent to gather signature period closes
June 21, 2016 Campaign finance Candidate financial disclosure report due
June 28, 2016 Election date Primary election
September 9, 2016 Ballot access Final day for a write-in candidate to declare candidacy
September 30, 2016 Campaign finance Candidate financial disclosure report due
November 1, 2016 Campaign finance Candidate financial disclosure report due
November 8, 2016 Election date General election
January 10, 2017 Campaign finance Candidate financial disclosure report due
Source: Utah Lieutenant Governor, "2016 Election Information," accessed January 11, 2016

2015


2014


Process to become a candidate

Seal of Utah.

DocumentIcon.jpg See statutes: Title 20, Chapter 9 of the Utah Election Code

Political party candidates

A political party candidate must first file a declaration of candidacy in person with either the Office of the Utah Lieutenant Governor or the county clerk in the candidate's county of residence. The filing period opens on January 2 of the year in which the regular general election is held. If January 2 is one a weekend, the filing period opens the first business day after January 2. The filing period ends on the fourth business day after the opening of the filing period.[3][4][5]

The candidate must provide a certified copy of the declaration of candidacy to the chair of the county or state political party of which the candidate is a member. The candidate must also file a fair campaign practices pledge with the Office of the Utah Lieutenant Governor. The candidate must provide a certified copy of the candidate's pledge to the chair of his or her county or state political party.[5]

A candidate must also pay a filing fee. The filing fee is $50 plus one-eighth of 1 percent of the total salary for the full term of the office that the candidate is seeking. A person who is unable to pay the filing fee may file a declaration of candidacy without payment of the filing fee upon a showing of "impecuniosity" (i.e., lacking sufficient funds) as evidenced by an affidavit of impecuniosity filed with the filing officer and, if requested by the filing officer, a financial statement filed at the time the affidavit is submitted.[5]

A political party candidate can be nominated via the convention process or the petition process. Conventions, and nominations made via convention, are conducted in accordance with political party bylaws. If a candidate opts to petition for ballot placement, he or she must collect signatures. Prior to doing so, the candidate must file a notice of intent to gather signatures with either the lieutenant governor's office of the county clerk in the candidate's county of residence (this form is distinct from the declaration of candidacy form noted above). Signature requirements vary according to the office being sought.[6]

Signature requirements
Office Signature requirement
Statewide offices (e.g., governor, United States Senator) 28,000
United States Representative 7,000
Utah State Senate 2,000
Utah House of Representatives 1,000

In order to sign a petition for a political party candidate, a voter must be allowed to vote in that party's primary election. A voter cannot sign more than one petition for the same office. Completed petitions must be submitted to either the lieutenant governor's office or the county clerk for candidates whose districts lie entirely within a single county. The filing deadline is two weeks prior to the party's nominating convention.[6]

Independent candidates

A candidate who does not wish to affiliate with a ballot-approved political party may appear on the general election ballot by submitting a petition and a certificate of nomination form. A candidate for the office of governor must submit a petition with the signatures of at least 1,000 registered Utah voters. A candidate for the United States Senate must submit a petition with the signatures of at least 1,000 registered Utah voters. A candidate for the United States House of Representatives must submit a petition with the signatures of at least 300 registered voters residing within the congressional district, or at least 5 percent of the registered voters residing within the congressional district, whichever is less. A candidate for the state legislature must submit a petition with the signatures of at least 300 registered voters residing within the political division, or at least 5 percent of the registered voters residing within the political division, whichever is less.[5][7]

The names on the petition must be verified by the appropriate county clerk(s). After the petition has been verified, a candidate for state office is required to file the same petition and a certificate of nomination with the Office of the Utah Lieutenant Governor. The filing period opens on January 2 of the year in which the regular general election is held. If January 2 is one a weekend, the filing period opens the first business day after January 2. The filing period ends on the fourth business day after the opening of the filing period.[8][5]

Write-in candidates

To become a valid write-in candidate for a state office, an individual must file a declaration of write-in candidacy no later than 60 days before the regular general election. A candidate for statewide offices must file the declaration in person with the Office of the Utah Lieutenant Governor. All other state office candidates may file the declaration in person either with the county clerk in their counties of residence or with the Office of the Utah Lieutenant Governor.[5]


Election administration agencies

Election agencies

Seal of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission
See also: State election agencies

Individuals seeking additional information about voting provisions in Utah can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.

Utah County Clerks

Click here for a list

Utah Lieutenant Governor, Elections Office

350 North State St, Suite 220
P.O. Box 142325
Salt Lake City, Utah 84114
Phone: 801-538-1041
Fax: 801-538-1133
Email: https://cs.utah.gov/s/elections-request
Website: https://elections.utah.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: [email protected]
Website: https://www.eac.gov
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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

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

State executives in Utah are not subject to term limits.

State legislators

See also: State legislatures with term limits

There are no term limits placed on Utah state legislators.

Congressional partisanship

Portal:Legislative Branch
See also: List of United States Representatives from Utah and List of United States Senators from Utah

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

Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Utah
Party U.S. Senate U.S. House Total
Democratic 0 0 0
Republican 2 4 6
Independent 0 0 0
Vacancies 0 0 0
Total 2 4 6

State legislative partisanship

Portal:State legislatures

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

Utah State Senate

Party As of November 2024
     Democratic Party 6
     Republican Party 23
     Other 0
     Vacancies 0
Total 29

Utah House of Representatives

Party As of November 2024
     Democratic Party 14
     Republican Party 61
     Other 0
     Vacancies 0
Total 75

Related legislation

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The embedded table below lists state bills affecting ballot access requirements for candidates introduced in Utah. 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

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External links

Official state and federal links

Other information

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Utah Lieutenant Governor's Office, "How to Become a Candidate," accessed November 6, 2013
  2. ↑ Ballotpedia, "Phone communication with the Office of the Utah Lieutenant Governor," October 9, 2013
  3. ↑ Utah Legislature, "SB1070," accessed April 12, 2022
  4. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named sb54FAQ
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Utah Code, "Title 20, Chapter 9," accessed June 17, 2015
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Office of the Utah Lieutenant Governor, "State of Utah 2018 Candidate Manual," accessed October 19, 2017
  7. ↑ Utah Lieutenant Governor's Office, "Becoming a Federal Candidate," accessed March 12, 2014
  8. ↑ Utah Legislature, "SB1070," accessed April 12, 2022
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