Ballot access
Definition
Ballot access is the set of state rules, filing fees, petition signatures, deadlines, and residency or age requirements, that determine whether a candidate or party actually appears on the ballot voters see. Rules are set state by state and vary widely.12
Why it matters
Because states write their own ballot-access rules, incumbents and major parties can set thresholds that are easy for themselves and hard for challengers or minor parties, functioning as a gatekeeping tool separate from what voters would actually prefer. Clearing a signature or fee threshold does not guarantee access either, since a procedural defect can still knock a qualified candidate off.
Seen in the wild
In August 2024, a New York state judge invalidated Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s presidential nominating petition and ordered the state Board of Elections to keep him off the New York ballot, ruling he had falsely listed a New York residence on his petitions.3