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State Coverage  ›  Tennessee  ›  Run for office

How to run for office in Tennessee.

The short, plain-English version: what you can run for, how to get on the ballot, and the official Tennessee resources that are the final word. Then, when you're qualified, Motion51 gets your voters on a map and your volunteers knocking.

Running this cycle, or getting ready for the next one? The first step comes before any filing deadline: know your voters. Motion51 puts your voter file on a map, free, so you can start finding your supporters now.

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The short version

Tennessee uses partisan primaries, and getting on the ballot is unusually simple: you file a nominating petition that requires only a small number of signatures. Primary winners and qualifying independents advance to the November general election.

Offices you can run for
Federal (U.S. House and Senate); statewide (Governor); the Tennessee Senate and House; county and municipal offices; and judicial seats.
How to get on the ballot
Get an original nominating petition from the Coordinator of Elections or your county election commission and collect at least 25 signatures from registered Tennessee voters (your own signature doesn't count toward the 25). File the original with the appropriate election commission and a certified duplicate with the Coordinator of Elections by the qualifying deadline.
Who runs candidate filing
Tennessee Secretary of State — Division of Elections

This is a plain-language overview, not legal advice. Filing deadlines and fees change every election cycle and vary by office; the official Tennessee resources below are the final word. When in doubt, the elections authority is right and we're wrong.

Find your Tennessee county

Every county runs its own filing office and its own local races. See all 95 Tennessee counties, each with its election office, fees, deadlines and local facts.

Official Tennessee candidate resources

Start here for the exact deadlines, fees, forms, and signature counts for your office and cycle. Note: 2026 filing has closed in most states, so these resources govern the standing rules; check the official calendar for your next filing window.

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. Tennessee is fully available; see how to get your voter file.

Get your Tennessee voter file →

Talk to us about your Tennessee 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.

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