118: How to Get Your Name on the Ballot Congressional Dish

In this special episode, we take a look at the different rules for getting on the ballot for the House of Representatives in all fifty States, and take a look at how some States made it way too hard for Independents to qualify. Executive Producer: Nickolas Zacharias  Please support Congressional Dish: to contribute with PayPal or Bitcoin; click the PayPal "Make it Monthly" checkbox to create a monthly subscription to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Mail Contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North #4576 Crestview, FL 32536 Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Ballot Access Information Alabama Signatures Needed: 2016 Range: 4,109 - 6,174 Fees: Filing Deadline: Alaska At-large state Signatures Needed: registered voters Fees: None Filing Deadline: Arizona Signatures Needed: 2014 Range: 2,784 - 4,381 Fees: None Filing Deadline: Arkansas Signatures Needed: Fees: None Filing Deadline: California As of the 2012 election, California has had a ; in order to get on the General Election ballot, you have to be one of the top two vote getters in the Primary election. [caption id="attachment_1992" align="aligncenter" width="484"] Top 2 Primary clearly benefits Republicans and Democrats[/caption]   To appear on the Primary Election ballot, a candidate needs to either collect signatures or pay a fee, or a combination of the two. Signatures Needed: Fees: 2016: $1,740 Filing Deadline: Colorado Signatures Needed: Fees: None Filing Deadline: Connecticut Signatures Needed: Fees: None Filing Deadline: Either or Delaware At-large state Signatures Needed: Fees: None Filing Deadline: Florida Signatures Needed: 2016 Range: 3,512 - 5,072 Fees: 2016: $6,960 Candidates can file an and get the fee waived if they don't pay anyone to collect signatures or collect campaign contributions. Filing Deadline: Georgia Signatures Needed: Signature range unavailable because the Georgia Secretary of State's office does not provide the necessary voter registration statistics online and would not provide the signature requirements by phone or email. Fees: Can be waived if the candidate turns in a Filing Deadline: Hawaii In Hawaii, candidates, regardless of party, and receive at least 10% of the votes cast for the office or receive a vote equal to or greater than the lowest vote received by the partisan candidate who was nominated. Signatures Needed: Fees: Filing Deadline: Idaho Signatures Needed: Fees: None Filing Deadline: Illinois Signatures Needed: Fees: None Filing Deadline: Indiana Signatures Needed: Fees: None Filing Deadline: Iowa Signatures Needed: Fees: None Filing Deadline: Kansas Signatures Needed: Fees: 2016: $1750 Filing Deadline: Kentucky Signatures Needed: Fees: Filing Deadline: Louisiana Signatures Needed: Fees: Filing Deadline: Maine Signatures Needed: Fees: None Filing Deadline: Maryland Signatures Needed: 2016 Range: 4,624 - 5,155 Fees: Filing Deadline: Massachusetts Signatures Needed: Fees: None Filing Deadline: Michigan Signatures Needed: Fees: None Filing Deadline: Minnesota Candidates need to collect signatures or pay a filing fee to be on the General Election ballot Signatures Needed: Fees: Filing Deadline: Mississippi Signatures Needed: Fees: None Filing Deadline: Missouri Signatures Needed: 2016 Range: 3,073 - 4,622 Fees: None Filing Deadline: Montana At-large state Signatures Needed: 2016: 10,194 Fees: 2016: $1,740 Filing Deadline: Nebraska Signatures Needed: Fees: 2016: $1,740 Filing Deadline: Nevada Signatures Needed: 2016 Range: 803 - 1,863 Fees: Filing Deadline: New Hampshire Signatures Needed: Fees: Filing Deadline: New Jersey Signatures Needed: Fees: None Filing Deadline: New Mexico Official petition counts until March 2016. Signatures Needed: Fees: None Filing Deadline: New York Signatures Needed: 2014 Range: 3,0