How to run in Alabama, 2028
What it takes to get on Alabama's 2028 ballot for the U.S. House, U.S. Senate or President, from the state's election office and laws.
U.S. House
Who can run
- At least 25 years old
- A U.S. citizen for at least 7 years
- Living in the state when elected (the Constitution doesn't require living in the district)
Getting on the Alabama ballot
| Where to file | Party candidates: the state party chair (Ala. Code 17-13-5(a)). Independent candidates: Elections Division, Office of the Secretary of State, State Capitol, 600 Dexter Avenue, Room E-208, Montgomery (PO Box 5616, Montgomery, AL 36103-5616). |
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| When | Party primary: declaration of candidacy due to the state party chair by 5:00 p.m. 116 days before the primary, which is Friday, November 12, 2027 for the March 7, 2028 primary (SOS election chart lists 2028 primary 3/7/2028, runoff 4/4/2028). The statute sets only the deadline; the opening date is set by each party. Independent petitions: due by 5:00 p.m. on the primary election date, March 7, 2028 (Ala. Code 17-9-3(a)(3)). (expected: follows state law; the 2028 calendar isn't published yet) |
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| How | Party candidates file a declaration of candidacy with the state party chair, who certifies primary candidates to the Secretary of State by 82 days before the primary. A candidate unopposed when filing closes does not appear on the primary ballot and becomes the party nominee. Independent candidates file a ballot-access petition (numbered pages; each signer's name, residential address, date of birth and signature; Ala. Admin. Code 820-2-4-.05) with the Secretary of State. An independent may not have been a candidate in that year's primary. |
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| Fee | Party qualifying fees are set by the party, not by statute or the Secretary of State. No qualifying fee for independent candidates. |
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| Petition instead | No petition alternative to the party qualifying process. Independent route: a petition signed by registered Alabama voters equal to at least 3% of those who voted for governor in the last general election in the congressional district (Ala. Code 17-9-3(a)(3)); the Secretary of State's Elections Division (334-242-7210) provides the district figure. |
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Official filing information · U.S. Constitution
U.S. Senate
Who can run
- At least 30 years old
- A U.S. citizen for at least 9 years
- Living in the state when elected
Getting on the Alabama ballot
| Where to file | Party candidates: the state party chair (Ala. Code 17-13-5(a)). Independent candidates: Elections Division, Office of the Secretary of State, State Capitol, 600 Dexter Avenue, Room E-208, Montgomery (PO Box 5616, Montgomery, AL 36103-5616). |
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| When | Party primary: declaration of candidacy due to the state party chair by 5:00 p.m. 116 days before the primary, which is Friday, November 12, 2027 for the March 7, 2028 primary (SOS election chart lists 2028 primary 3/7/2028, runoff 4/4/2028). The statute sets only the deadline; the opening date is set by each party. Independent petitions: due by 5:00 p.m. on the primary election date, March 7, 2028 (Ala. Code 17-9-3(a)(3)). (expected: follows state law; the 2028 calendar isn't published yet) |
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| How | Party candidates file a declaration of candidacy with the state party chair, who certifies primary candidates to the Secretary of State by 82 days before the primary. A candidate unopposed when filing closes does not appear on the primary ballot and becomes the party nominee. Independent candidates file a ballot-access petition (numbered pages; each signer's name, residential address, date of birth and signature; Ala. Admin. Code 820-2-4-.05) with the Secretary of State. An independent may not have been a candidate in that year's primary. |
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| Fee | Party qualifying fees are set by the party, not by statute or the Secretary of State. No qualifying fee for independent candidates. |
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| Petition instead | No petition alternative to the party qualifying process. Independent route: a petition signed by registered Alabama voters equal to at least 3% of the statewide vote for governor in the last general election (Ala. Code 17-9-3(a)(3)). The figure for 2028 will be based on the November 2026 governor's race; the 2026 statewide figure was 42,458. |
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Official filing information · U.S. Constitution · Alabama's 2028 Senate race
President
Who can run: At least 35 years old; A natural-born U.S. citizen; A U.S. resident for at least 14 years (U.S. Constitution).
Getting on Alabama's presidential primary ballot
| How | Presidential preference primary. A candidate qualifies by filing a petition with the state chair of the political party whose primary they are entering: either one statewide petition signed by at least 500 qualified electors, or separate petitions signed by at least 50 qualified electors in each congressional district. The party chair prescribes the petition form (each signer's county of residence is required) and the chair's decision on the petitions is final. Parties may set additional rules consistent with state law (Ala. Code 17-13-101, 17-13-102). |
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| Where | The state chair of the political party (not the Secretary of State). |
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| When | Petitions due 116 days before the presidential preference primary. The primary is held the first Tuesday in March of presidential years (Ala. Code 17-13-100), which is March 7, 2028, so the deadline is Friday, November 12, 2027. (For 2024 the SOS guide listed November 10, 2023 for a March 5, 2024 primary.) (expected: follows state law) |
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| Fee | Whatever fee the political party prescribes, paid to the party chair at the time of filing (Ala. Code 17-13-103). |
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| Petition | 500 qualified electors statewide, or 50 qualified electors in each congressional district (separate petition per district); signers must list county of residence; affirmation under penalty of perjury required. |
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Sources: Code of alabama (alison.legislature.state.al.us)
Running as an independent in November
| How | File a nominating petition signed by at least 5,000 qualified voters of Alabama; the petition must contain each signer's signature and address. The petition must be accompanied by a list of presidential electors (one per electoral vote, 9 in 2024), each a qualified Alabama voter, and each elector must sign the statutory statement consenting to serve and pledging to vote for the named President and Vice President candidates (Ala. Code 17-14-31). |
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| Where | Elections Division, Office of the Secretary of State, PO Box 5616, Montgomery, AL 36103-5616. |
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| When | No later than 74 days before the general election (Ala. Code 17-14-31(b), as amended by Act 2024-168), which is Friday, August 25, 2028 for the November 7, 2028 election. (expected: follows state law) |
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| Fee | None stated in statute. |
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| Petition | At least 5,000 signatures of qualified Alabama voters, with addresses. |
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| Also | The Vice-President candidate must be named: the elector statement names both the President and Vice-President nominees, and the full elector slate with signed statements must be filed with the petition. The SOS 2024 guide (Presidential Candidate Ballot Access, Election 2024) listed 5,000 signatures and an August 23, 2024 petition deadline. |
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Sources: Code of alabama (alison.legislature.state.al.us)
Campaign money
- Once you raise or spend more than $5,000, file a Statement of Candidacy (FEC Form 2) within 15 days.
- Your campaign committee then files a Statement of Organization (FEC Form 1) within 10 days and reports to the FEC.
FEC: registering as a candidate · FEC campaign guides
Checked November 4, 2026. Rules can change; confirm with Alabama's election office and the FEC before you file. ← All states
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