TX Presidential Ballot Access
Texas Presidential Ballot Access Requirements
State-level general-election presidential ballot access requirements for Texas, 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 may be placed on the general election ballot. Political parties must certify the names of the candidates for president and vice-president and the names of the presidential electors before the later of the 71st day before the presidential election, or the first business day after the date of final adjournment of a party’s national nominating convention. A political party that is authorized or required to nominate candidates by primary election is entitled to have its nominee for president placed on the general election ballot. A political party is authorized to nominate by primary if the party’s nominee for governor in the most recent gubernatorial general election received at least 2% of the total number of votes received by all candidates for governor in the election; a political party is required to nominate by primary if that candidate received more than 20% of the vote. A political party that nominates candidates by convention is entitled to have its nominee for president placed on the general election ballot if the party had a nominee for statewide office at the last general election receive a number of votes equal to at least 5% of the total number of voters received by all candidates for that office. A political party that nominates by convention may also qualify to place a presidential candidate on the general election ballot if the party files with the secretary of state no later than the 75th day after precinct conventions a list of convention participant’s indicating that the number of participants equals at least 1% of the total number of votes received by all candidates for governor in the most re cent gubernatorial general election. If the number of convention participants is fewer than the number required, the party may qualify for ballot access at the general election by filing a petition with secretary of state containing a number of signatures that when added to the number of convention participants on the list equals at least 1% of the total number of voters received by all candidates for governor in the most recent gubernatorial election.
Petition Access
Petition / Independent Candidate Access
An independent presidential candidate may obtain ballot access for the general election by filing with the secretary of state no later than the 2nd Monday in May an application and a petition containing the number of signatures equal to at least 1% of the total vote received in the state by all candidates for president in the most recent presidential election. The application must include the names of the presidential electors.
Write-In
Write-In Rules
A write-in candidate for president must file a declaration of write-in candidacy and the names of the presidential electors with the secretary of state no later than the 78th day before the election.
Legal Citations
Source Citations
- Tex. Elections Code Ann. §§ 146.023, 146.025, 172.002, 181.005, 181.006, 192.003, 192.032, 192.033
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.