How to run in Florida, 2028
What it takes to get on Florida'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)
- Florida requires a party candidate to have been a member of that party for at least 365 consecutive days before the qualifying period begins, and a candidate with no party affiliation to have not been a member of any party for at least 365 consecutive days before qualifying begins; the candidate swears to this in the qualifying papers (F.S. 99.021(1)). For an April 24, 2028 qualifying start, that would mean a party change no later than about April 25, 2027. source
Getting on the Florida ballot
| Where to file | Florida Department of State, Division of Elections, R.A. Gray Building, 500 South Bronough Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399 (qualifying officer for U.S. Senate and U.S. House). Petitions in lieu of fee go first to the Supervisor of Elections of each county where they were circulated. |
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| When | Federal qualifying runs from noon of the 120th day to noon of the 116th day before the primary (F.S. 99.061(1)); the primary is the Tuesday 11 weeks before the general election (F.S. 100.061), August 22, 2028, so the expected qualifying period is noon Monday, April 24, 2028 to noon Friday, April 28, 2028. In 2026 the Division began accepting qualifying documents 14 days before qualifying opened (F.S. 99.061(8)). Petitions in lieu of fee are due to county supervisors before noon of the 28th day before qualifying opens (F.S. 99.095(3)): March 27, 2028. (expected: follows state law; the 2028 calendar isn't published yet) |
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| How | File qualifying papers with the Division of Elections by the end of qualifying: a check from the campaign account for the qualifying fee (unless qualified by petition); the candidate's oath (F.S. 99.021) with ballot name and office, verified under oath; the written statement of party affiliation, or of no party affiliation; the federal-candidate statement required by F.S. 99.021(1)(d)2; the campaign treasurer/depository appointment form; a written oath stating whether the candidate holds citizenship of another country; and, for federal candidates, an oath stating whether the candidate previously held federal office and, if so, whether they traded stocks while in office other than through a trust or similar mechanism (F.S. 99.061(7)(a)). Write-in candidates qualify in the same period with no fee. |
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| Fee | Party candidates: 6% of the office's annual salary (3% filing fee + 1% election assessment + 2% party assessment, F.S. 99.092). Candidates with no party affiliation: 4% (filing fee + election assessment; no party assessment). Salary is computed as of July 1 before qualifying opens. |
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| Petition instead | In lieu of the qualifying fee and party assessment: signatures of registered voters in the district (House) or state (Senate) equal to at least 1% of registered voters as of the preceding general election compilation (F.S. 99.095(2)); signatures may be collected only after the campaign treasurer/depository appointment is filed. The same petition route is available to party and no-party-affiliation candidates; candidates with no party affiliation qualify directly for the general election ballot in the same qualifying period. |
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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
- Florida requires a party candidate to have been a member of that party for at least 365 consecutive days before the qualifying period begins, and a candidate with no party affiliation to have not been a member of any party for at least 365 consecutive days before qualifying begins; the candidate swears to this in the qualifying papers (F.S. 99.021(1)). For an April 24, 2028 qualifying start, that would mean a party change no later than about April 25, 2027. source
Getting on the Florida ballot
| Where to file | Florida Department of State, Division of Elections, R.A. Gray Building, 500 South Bronough Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399 (qualifying officer for U.S. Senate and U.S. House). Petitions in lieu of fee go first to the Supervisor of Elections of each county where they were circulated. |
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| When | Federal qualifying runs from noon of the 120th day to noon of the 116th day before the primary (F.S. 99.061(1)); the primary is the Tuesday 11 weeks before the general election (F.S. 100.061), August 22, 2028, so the expected qualifying period is noon Monday, April 24, 2028 to noon Friday, April 28, 2028. In 2026 the Division began accepting qualifying documents 14 days before qualifying opened (F.S. 99.061(8)). Petitions in lieu of fee are due to county supervisors before noon of the 28th day before qualifying opens (F.S. 99.095(3)): March 27, 2028. (expected: follows state law; the 2028 calendar isn't published yet) |
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| How | File qualifying papers with the Division of Elections by the end of qualifying: a check from the campaign account for the qualifying fee (unless qualified by petition); the candidate's oath (F.S. 99.021) with ballot name and office, verified under oath; the written statement of party affiliation, or of no party affiliation; the federal-candidate statement required by F.S. 99.021(1)(d)2; the campaign treasurer/depository appointment form; a written oath stating whether the candidate holds citizenship of another country; and, for federal candidates, an oath stating whether the candidate previously held federal office and, if so, whether they traded stocks while in office other than through a trust or similar mechanism (F.S. 99.061(7)(a)). Write-in candidates qualify in the same period with no fee. |
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| Fee | Party candidates: 6% of the office's annual salary (3% filing fee + 1% election assessment + 2% party assessment, F.S. 99.092). Candidates with no party affiliation: 4% (filing fee + election assessment; no party assessment). Salary is computed as of July 1 before qualifying opens. |
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| Petition instead | In lieu of the qualifying fee and party assessment: signatures of registered voters in the district (House) or state (Senate) equal to at least 1% of registered voters as of the preceding general election compilation (F.S. 99.095(2)); signatures may be collected only after the campaign treasurer/depository appointment is filed. The same petition route is available to party and no-party-affiliation candidates; candidates with no party affiliation qualify directly for the general election ballot in the same qualifying period. |
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Official filing information · U.S. Constitution · Florida'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 Florida's presidential primary ballot
| How | Presidential preference primary for each political party other than a minor party. Candidates do not file with the state: each party submits to the Secretary of State a list of its presidential candidates to be placed on its ballot (Fla. Stat. 103.101(2)). The Secretary publishes the list and notifies each listed candidate by registered mail. A listed candidate's name is printed unless the candidate files an affidavit with the Department of State stating they are not and do not intend to become a candidate at the nominating convention. If a party has only one presidential candidate, no name is printed for that party. |
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| Where | The political party (its state executive committee) submits the list to the Florida Secretary of State / Department of State, Division of Elections. |
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| When | Party lists due by November 30, 2027. The Secretary publishes the list by Tuesday, December 7, 2027 (first Tuesday after the first Monday in December); withdrawal affidavits due before Tuesday, December 14, 2027; names certified to supervisors by Tuesday, December 21, 2027. Primary: third Tuesday in March (Fla. Stat. 103.101(1)), March 21, 2028. (expected: follows state law) |
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| Fee | None by state statute (no state candidate filing). |
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| Petition | None by state statute. |
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Sources: Statutes (leg.state.fl.us)
Running as an independent in November
| How | Candidates for President and Vice President with no party affiliation get on the ballot by petition signed by 1% of Florida's registered voters, as shown by the Department of State's compilation for the last preceding general election (Fla. Stat. 103.021(3)). A separate petition is submitted for each county where signatures are gathered, to that county's supervisor of elections, who checks the names, certifies the count, and forwards it to the Department of State. If the 1% threshold is met, the Department places the candidates on the ballot and allows the required number of presidential electors (equal to Florida's U.S. senators plus representatives) to be certified as for party candidates. A minor party not affiliated with a national party uses the same 1% petition; a minor party affiliated with an FEC-recognized national party files a certificate naming its candidates and electors by 5 p.m. August 24 (103.021(4)). |
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| Where | Supervisor of elections in each county where signatures are collected; certified to the Florida Department of State, Division of Elections. |
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| When | County petitions due no later than noon on July 15, 2028 (Fla. Stat. 103.021(3)); supervisors certify counts on or before the primary election date. (expected: follows state law) |
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| Fee | No filing fee, but the person requesting verification pays each supervisor the signature-checking cost set in Fla. Stat. 99.097. |
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| Petition | 1% of Florida registered voters per the Department of State's compilation for the 2026 general election. |
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| Also | The petition is for the President and Vice President candidates jointly (both are named). The statute provides for certifying the elector slate once the petition qualifies; it does not say the electors must be listed on the petition. Florida does not print elector names on the ballot. |
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Sources: Statutes (leg.state.fl.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 Florida's election office and the FEC before you file. ← All states
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