How to Run for Office in Indiana
Getting on the Ballot
Indiana primary candidates file a Declaration of Candidacy (Form CAN-2) during a filing window that runs from early January to a noon deadline in early February. Statewide, legislative, and multi-county candidates file with the Election Division in Indianapolis; local candidates file with the circuit court clerk / county election board. A statement of economic interests for the office must accompany the declaration - it can't be accepted without one.
Indiana's distinctive rule is the party affiliation requirement: to run in a party's primary, the last two Indiana primaries you voted in must have been that party's primaries - or you must attach a certification from the party's county chair affirming your membership. First-time candidates with mixed or nonpartisan voting histories should call their county chair early, because that certification is entirely at the chair's discretion.
Independent and minor-party candidates petition onto the general election ballot (signatures equal to 2% of the last Secretary of State vote in the district), and school board races are nonpartisan, appearing on the November ballot via their own petition process with a summer filing window.
Where Local Candidates File
The circuit court clerk's office (serving as the county election board) handles local declarations, petitions, and the county's campaign finance filings. Candidate committees (Form CFA-1) organize with the Election Division for state and legislative offices or the county election board for local offices, and Indiana's report deadlines are noon deadlines with per-day late penalties.
Worth Knowing
- Check your primary voting history before announcing - the two-primaries rule surprises more first-time Indiana candidates than anything else, and the fallback (county chair certification) is a political conversation, not a formality.
- Indiana loves noon deadlines - candidacy filings and finance reports alike. Treat every Indiana deadline as a morning task.
- The Election Division's annual Candidate Guide is thorough and office-by-office - start there before calling anyone.
Official Indiana Resources
Filing deadlines, fees, and signature requirements change from cycle to cycle. Always confirm current details with the official sources below.
This page was last reviewed on August 4, 2026. Process details above are believed current as of that date; deadlines and fees should always be verified with your election office.