The short version
Kansas nominates through party primaries in August. You get on the ballot either by filing a declaration of intent with a filing fee or by filing a petition with the required signatures. Independents don't run in the primary and qualify only by petition.
- Offices you can run for
- Federal (U.S. House and Senate); statewide offices (Governor and other state officials); the Kansas Senate and House; county and township offices; and judicial seats.
- How to get on the ballot
- File with the Secretary of State (national, state, legislative, and judicial offices) by submitting either a declaration of intent plus the filing fee or a petition with the required signatures — you aren't officially filed until the paperwork and fee are received. A $20 administrative fee applies to state and national offices. Independents must file by petition (a U.S. Senate independent needs 5,000 signatures).
- Who runs candidate filing
- Kansas Secretary of State — Elections Division
This is a plain-language overview, not legal advice. Filing deadlines and fees change every election cycle and vary by office — the official Kansas resources below are the final word. When in doubt, the elections authority is right and we're wrong.
Official Kansas candidate resources
Start here for the exact deadlines, fees, forms, and signature counts for your office and cycle.
Once you're on the ballot, Motion51 runs your field game.
Get your district's voter file loaded, cut into walkable turf, and onto an app your volunteers use at the door. Kansas is fully available — see how to get your voter file.
Talk to us about your Kansas race
Tell us what you're running for and we'll help you go from "qualified" to "knocking doors" — voter file loaded, turf cut, volunteers set up.