Petition signature requirement
Definition
A petition signature requirement is the number of registered voters' signatures a candidate or ballot measure campaign must collect to qualify for the ballot. It is often used as an alternative or supplement to filing fees, and the exact count and validity rules vary by state.1
Why it matters
Signature requirements can be set high enough, or reviewed strictly enough, to screen out underfunded or last-minute candidates before voters ever weigh in. Because election officials can invalidate individual signatures for technical reasons, candidates can fall short even after collecting what looks like enough names.
Seen in the wild
In May 2024, former Michigan state Sen. Adam Hollier was disqualified from the 13th Congressional District primary after the Wayne County Clerk found only 863 of his 1,553 submitted signatures valid, 137 short of the 1,000 required, following evidence of forged petition sheets.2