Ballot Access and Initiatives

Before a vote can be cast, would-be candidates must navigate a myriad of laws to secure a spot on the ballot. Ballot access refers to the rules and procedures that determine who can appear on a ballot for an election. These rules can vary significantly from state to state, but generally involve meeting certain requirements such as:

Filing deadlines: Candidates must submit their paperwork by a specific deadline.

Petition signatures: Candidates may need to collect a certain number of signatures from registered voters to qualify.

Filing fees: Some states require candidates to pay a fee to appear on the ballot.

Party affiliation: Candidates may need to be affiliated with a recognized political party.

Zimolong LLC in a national leader on the niche art of ballot access. Federal and state candidates call upon Zimolong LLC for assistance in navigating state ballot access rules to assure that their candidacy achieves the critical first step of appearing on the ballot. In 2024, Partner James Fitzpatrick served as national ballot access counsel to Nikki Haley for President assuring Ambassador Haley's appearance on the ballot in all 50 states, 5 territories, and the District of Columbia. Zimolong LLC has also worked to assure that candidates that have failed to strictly follow ballot access rules do not appear on the ballot in contravention of state ballot access rules. 

 To learn more about how we can assist your campaign with ballot access contact James Fitzpartrick at [email protected] or Wally Zimolong at [email protected]