How many signatures do you need to get a candidate on the ballot?

[A18]

In the state with the least number of required signatures, and the state with the most?

Thanks

[Sam Spade]

I think you only have to pay a fee to be on the ballot in Colorado (like $500) and some other state, like Louisiana.

I think the states where you have to get the most sigs are in California, Texas, North Carolina, West Virginia and New Mexico, but I could be wrong.  I know that Texas is practically impossible; you have to get like 60,000 signatures from people who didn't vote in the primaries.  When I was there, you'd typically only see the Greens and the Libertarians on the ballot and only in a couple of races.

[Democratic Hawk]

In the state with the least number of required signatures, and the state with the most?

Thanks

Thinking about running one day Philip?

Dave

[badnarikin04]

I know Oklahoma has been a real harda$$ about allowing anybody but Bush and Kerry on the ballot. They require an INSANE amount of signatures, like 55,000, which is a lot considering this is Oklahoma.

[Redefeatbush04]

It is up to the individual state.
For state by state requirements:

www.ballot-access.org

[Sulfur]

Interesting. How many signatures do you need to get an initiative on the ballot in the state that requires the least number of signatures.

[jimrtex]

In the state with the least number of required signatures, and the state with the most?

In Texas, you can be a write-in candidate without any signatures.  However, you must provide a full slate of elector candidates, along with their consent (in Texas this is 34).  There was one candidate who failed to get 34 votes statewide, so apparently even his would-be electors didn't vote for themselves).