KY Presidential Ballot Access
Kentucky Presidential Ballot Access Requirements
State-level general-election presidential ballot access requirements for Kentucky, including party nomination, petition access, and write-in rules where available in the NASS summary.
Party Nomination
Political Party Nomination
A presidential candidate nominated by a political party or political organization may be placed on the general election ballot. Each political party or political organization must certify to the secretary of state no later than the Friday following the first Tuesday i n September the name of the presidential candidate and the names of the presidential electors. A political party is an organization of electors whose candidate received at least 20% of the total vote cast at the last preceding election for presidential electors. A political organization is a group not constituting a political party whose candidate received 2% or more of the vote at the last preceding election for presidential electors.
Petition Access
Petition / Independent Candidate Access
An independent presidential candidate, a political group presidential candidate, and a presidential candidate of a political organization not entitled to nominate by convention, may obtain ballot access for the general election by filing with the secretary of state no later than the Friday following the first Tuesday in September a nominating petition signed by at least 5,000 registered voters. The petition must include the names of the presidential electors.
Write-In
Write-In Rules
A write-in candidate for president must file a declaration of intent and a list of presidential electors with the secretary of state no later than the fourth Friday in October preceding the election.
Legal Citations
Source Citations
- Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 117.265, 118.015, 118.305, 118.315, 118.325, 118.365
Source and Use
How to Read This Ballot Access Data
This reference is generated from NASS Summary: State Laws Regarding Presidential Ballot Access for the General Election.
- Primary source
- NASS ballot access summary PDF
- Coverage
- General-election presidential ballot access requirements by state, as summarized by NASS.
- Use note
- Informational reference only; verify current law with the state election office, current statutes, and legal counsel.
- These entries summarize general-election presidential ballot access rules for political party nominees, petition candidates, fee access where listed, and write-in candidacies.
- Ballot access law can change through statutes, court decisions, and state election guidance. Verify requirements with the state election office before relying on them.
- This reference does not state whether any candidate has qualified for a state ballot.
- This page is informational and is not legal advice or a filing procedure guide.