How to run in Tennessee, 2028
What it takes to get on Tennessee's 2028 ballot for the U.S. House or President, from the state's election office and laws. Tennessee has no U.S. Senate seat up in 2028.
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)
- The Secretary of State lists an additional requirement to qualify as a candidate in a primary election: a citizen of Tennessee for 3 years and a resident of the county represented for 1 year immediately preceding the election (TCA 2-13-209). source
Getting on the Tennessee ballot
| Where to file | Tennessee Coordinator of Elections, State Division of Elections, 312 Rosa L. Parks Avenue, 7th Floor, William R. Snodgrass Tower, Nashville, TN 37243 (original petition). Primary candidates also file a certified duplicate with their state party by the same deadline. |
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| How | Obtain an original nominating petition from the Coordinator of Elections or a county election commission office (copies are not valid; ask for more pages if needed). The candidate signs the petition; each signer lists the full address shown on their voter registration. File the original petition with the State Division of Elections by the noon deadline; primary candidates also deliver a certified duplicate (marked as a true copy, with the copier's signature, title and date) to their party. The same petition and deadline apply to August primary candidates and to independent candidates for the November ballot. |
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| Fee | No government filing fee. The Secretary of State notes that parties may have their own fees. |
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| Petition instead | At least 25 signatures of voters registered in a county that is part of the congressional district (the candidate's own signature does not count). Independent candidates use the same 25-signature petition and the same deadline as primary candidates. |
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Official filing information · U.S. Constitution
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 Tennessee's presidential primary ballot
| How | Two routes to a party's Presidential Preference Primary (PPP) ballot (T.C.A. § 2-5-205, per the Secretary of State guide): (1) designation by the party, where the chair of each statewide political party certifies candidate names to the Secretary of State, who submits each party's list to the State Election Commission; or (2) a candidate petition signed by registered voters. If no candidate will appear on a party's primary ballot, no PPP is held for that party (T.C.A. § 2-13-205). |
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| Where | Tennessee Division of Elections / State Election Commission, 312 Rosa L. Parks Avenue, 7th Floor, William R. Snodgrass Tower, Nashville, TN 37243. For a petition, the original goes to the State Election Commission, the first certified duplicate to the Coordinator of Elections (same address), and the second certified duplicate to the chair of the state executive committee of the candidate's party. |
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| When | Party lists and candidate petitions are due by the first Tuesday in December of the year before the election (petitions by 12:00 noon Central), December 7, 2027. Petitions are available from the Division of Elections starting 90 days before that deadline. Withdrawal deadline: 12:00 noon Central on the second Tuesday in December, December 14, 2027, by affidavit to the State Election Commission. The guide does not state the 2028 PPP date (the 2024 PPP was March 5, 2024). (expected: follows state law) |
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| Fee | None ("There are no filing fees"). |
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| Petition | At least 2,500 registered voters, filed as an original plus two certified duplicates (photocopies marked "This is a true copy of the original" and signed, with the copier's name, title and date). |
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Sources: Qualifying procedures for president of the united states (sos.tn.gov)
Running as an independent in November
| How | File a nominating petition obtained from the Division of Elections, in person or by mail. File the original with the State Election Commission and one certified duplicate with the Coordinator of Elections. A postmark does not count; the petition must be received by the deadline. |
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| Where | Tennessee Division of Elections, 312 Rosa L. Parks Avenue, 7th Floor, William R. Snodgrass Tower, Nashville, TN 37243. |
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| When | Petitions are available starting 90 days before the qualifying deadline. The deadline is 12:00 noon Central on the third Thursday in August, August 17, 2028. (expected: follows state law) |
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| Fee | None ("There are no filing fees"). |
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| Petition | Signatures and addresses of at least 275 voters registered anywhere in Tennessee. |
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| Also | Yes, both must be named at filing. With the petition, and by the qualifying deadline, the candidate must file the names, addresses and signatures of the vice-presidential candidate and the 11 electors who agree to represent the candidate: one elector from each of Tennessee's 9 congressional districts plus 2 who may live anywhere in the state. |
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Sources: Qualifying procedures for president of the united states (sos.tn.gov)
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 Tennessee's election office and the FEC before you file. ← All states
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