Below you’ll find Daily Kos Elections’ calendar of major-party filing deadlines, primaries, and runoffs for the 2022 elections. For a chronological version of this calendar, click here. Beneath the table, you’ll find detailed notes on requirements for runoffs, exceptions to filing deadlines, and important conventions. Note: Shaded cells reflect dates that have been changed for some or all races (see notes below).
State |
Filing
Deadline |
Primary |
Runoff |
Alabama |
28-Jan-22 |
24-May-22 |
21-Jun-22 |
Alaska |
1-Jun-22 |
16-Aug-22 |
|
Arizona |
4-Apr-22 |
2-Aug-22 |
|
Arkansas |
1-Mar-22 |
24-May-22 |
21-Jun-22 |
California |
11-Mar-22 |
7-Jun-22 |
|
Colorado |
15-Mar-22 |
28-Jun-22 |
|
Connecticut |
7-Jun-22 |
9-Aug-22 |
|
Delaware |
12-Jul-22 |
13-Sep-22 |
|
Florida |
17-Jun-22 |
23-Aug-22 |
|
Georgia |
11-Mar-22 |
24-May-22 |
21-Jun-22 |
Hawaii |
7-Jun-22 |
13-Aug-22 |
|
Idaho |
11-Mar-22 |
17-May-22 |
|
Illinois |
14-Mar-22 |
28-Jun-22 |
|
Indiana |
4-Feb-22 |
3-May-22 |
|
Iowa |
18-Mar-22 |
7-Jun-22 |
|
Kansas |
1-Jun-22 |
2-Aug-22 |
|
Kentucky |
25-Jan-22 |
17-May-22 |
|
Louisiana |
22-Jul-22 |
8-Nov-22 |
10-Dec-22 |
Maine |
15-Mar-22 |
14-Jun-22 |
|
Maryland |
15-Apr-22 |
19-Jul-22 |
|
Massachusetts |
10-May-22
|
6-Sep-22 |
|
Michigan |
19-Apr-22 |
2-Aug-22 |
|
Minnesota |
31-May-22 |
9-Aug-22 |
|
Mississippi |
1-Mar-22 |
7-Jun-22 |
28-Jun-22 |
Missouri |
29-Mar-22 |
2-Aug-22 |
|
State |
Filing
Deadline |
Primary |
Runoff |
Montana |
14-Mar-22 |
7-Jun-22 |
|
Nebraska |
1-Mar-22 |
10-May-22 |
|
Nevada |
18-Mar-22 |
14-Jun-22 |
|
New Hampshire |
10-Jun-22 |
13-Sep-22 |
|
New Jersey |
4-Apr-22 |
7-Jun-22 |
|
New Mexico |
1-Feb-22 |
7-Jun-22 |
|
New York |
7-Apr-22 |
28-Jun-22 |
|
North Carolina |
4-Mar-22 |
17-May-22 |
26-July-22 |
North Dakota |
11-Apr-22 |
14-Jun-22 |
|
Ohio |
2-Feb-22 |
3-May-22 |
|
Oklahoma |
15-Apr-22 |
28-Jun-22 |
23-Aug-22 |
Oregon |
8-Mar-22 |
17-May-22 |
|
Pennsylvania |
15-Mar-22 |
17-May-22 |
|
Rhode Island |
29-Jun-22 |
13-Sep-22 |
|
South Carolina |
30-Mar-22 |
14-Jun-22 |
28-Jun-22 |
South Dakota |
29-Mar-22 |
7-Jun-22 |
16-Aug-22 |
Tennessee |
7-Apr-22 |
4-Aug-22 |
|
Texas |
13-Dec-21 |
1-Mar-22 |
24-May-22 |
Utah |
4-Mar-22 |
28-Jun-22 |
|
Vermont |
26-May-22 |
9-Aug-22 |
|
Virginia |
7-Apr-22 |
21-Jun-22 |
|
Washington |
20-May-22 |
2-Aug-22 |
|
West Virginia |
29-Jan-22 |
10-May-22 |
|
Wisconsin |
1-Jun-22 |
9-Aug-22 |
|
Wyoming |
27-May-22 |
16-Aug-22 |
|
State |
Filing
Deadline |
Primary |
Runoff |
Changes
- Alabama moved its filing deadline for U.S. House candidates from Jan. 28 to Feb. 11 due to an order by a federal court. The U.S. Supreme Court stayed that order on Feb. 7, however, making it unclear whether candidates who filed after that date but before Feb. 11 would still qualify for the ballot. The Alabama Republican Party declined to accept candidate filings received after Feb. 7.
- Kansas moved its filing deadline for U.S. House candidates to June 10.
- Kentucky moved its filing deadline from Jan. 7 to Jan. 25.
- Maryland moved its filing deadline a second time, from March 22 to April 15. The original deadline had been Feb. 22. Its primary was also moved from June 28 to July 19. All changes were due to orders by the state Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court.
- Massachusetts moved its primary from Sept. 20 to Sept. 6.
- New York moved its primaries for congressional and state Senate races from June 28 to Aug. 23 due to an order by a state trial court. Candidates who previously qualified to run need only inform election officials of which new district they’ll be seeking by May 31. New candidates must file petitions to appear on the primary ballot by June 10.
- North Carolina stayed its filing deadline (originally set for Dec. 17, 2021), then reinstated it for March 4. It also moved its primary from March 8 to May 17. Runoffs would take place 10 weeks later on July 26. If only state races—and no federal races—require runoffs, those would instead happen on July 5. All changes were due to orders by the state Supreme Court.
- Ohio moved its filing deadline for U.S. House candidates to March 4.
- Pennsylvania stayed its filing deadline (originally set for March 8), then reinstated it for March 15, due to an order by the state Supreme Court.
- Utah moved its filing deadline from March 11 to March 4.
RUNOFFS
- Primary runoffs between the top two vote-getters may take place in some states if no candidate receives over a certain threshold of the vote in the primary:
- 30% in North Carolina (only if requested by the runner-up)
- 35% in South Dakota
- 50% in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas.
- Georgia conducts a general election runoff between the top two vote-getters on Dec. 6 if no candidate receives a majority on Nov. 8.
- Louisiana conducts a general election runoff between the top two vote-getters on Dec. 10 if no candidate receives a majority on Nov. 8.
FILING DEADLINES
- All filing deadlines on the calendar above are for major-party candidates and only apply to congressional and statewide races unless noted below. Independent and third-party candidates, or contests for other races, may be subject to different deadlines.
- California’s filing deadline is extended to Mar. 16 in races where no incumbent files for re-election.
- Massachusetts requires candidates to file with local election officials by May 10; then, they must file again with the commonwealth secretary by Jun. 7. The first step is therefore necessary but not sufficient for candidates to appear on the primary ballot.
- Missouri’s filing deadline is extended to April 8 in races where a candidate withdraws within two business days of the original March 29 deadline.
- Nebraska’s filing deadline for incumbents, regardless of whether they seek re-election or another office, is Feb. 15.
- New Mexico allows major-party candidates who fail to obtain 20% of the vote at party conventions (which must be held by March 13) to submit additional signatures by March 24 in order to appear on the primary ballot.
- Utah requires candidates to file a declaration of candidacy with the lieutenant governor’s office by Mar. 4, then either submit sufficient signatures by April 9 or win sufficient support at a party convention on April 23. The first step is therefore necessary but not sufficient for candidates to appear on the primary ballot.
CONVENTIONS
- Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, and Utah parties typically conduct conventions prior to their primaries that can impact primary ballot access.
- Indiana, Michigan, and South Dakota parties select nominees for downballot statewide office (such as attorney general and secretary of state) at conventions.
- Iowa parties conduct conventions to select nominees if no candidate receives over 35% of the vote in the primary.
- Minnesota parties conduct conventions after which candidates who fail to win their party’s endorsement often (but by no means always) drop out.
- Virginia parties, at their discretion, may select nominees at conventions rather than via primaries.
Sources: Green Papers; FEC; NCSL; state elections sites and statutes