Alabama
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STARTING A POLITICAL PARTY IN ALABAMA:
METHOD: PETITION
VALID SIGNATURES NEEDED: 3% of votes cast for governor in the latest election
VALID SIGNATURES NEEDED: 3% of votes cast for governor in the latest election
To be officially recognized by the state, a political party must follow the requirements set forth in Title 17 of the Code of Alabama to become ballot-qualified. This process is outlined below.
The party seeking official recognition by the state must (1) submit the party's emblem to the Alabama Secretary of State 60 days before the primary election. The emblem can be any graphic that provides a distinctive heading on a ballot, does not too closely resemble another party's emblem, and is no more than 1.5 inches square.
After the party emblem has been filed, but before the primary election, the new party must (2) hold a mass meeting or convention to nominate candidates. (3) Public notice of the meeting must be given five days in advance throughout the county where the convention will be held.
After the meeting/convention, the new party must (4) file a certificate of nomination with the secretary of state for each candidate nominated. These are due on the day of the primary election. Candidates of new parties will not be allowed access to the ballot if they ran in the primary election for another political party that same year.
(5) With the certificates of nomination, a petition containing the signatures of registered voters equal to 3 percent of the votes cast for governor in the last general election must also be filed with the secretary of state.
The party must run a candidate for state office who must receive at least 20 percent of the total votes cast for that office in the general election. If a candidate does not meet this threshold, the party must start the process over again for the next general election.
As of May 2017, Alabama officially recognized two political parties: the Democratic and Republican parties.
The party seeking official recognition by the state must (1) submit the party's emblem to the Alabama Secretary of State 60 days before the primary election. The emblem can be any graphic that provides a distinctive heading on a ballot, does not too closely resemble another party's emblem, and is no more than 1.5 inches square.
After the party emblem has been filed, but before the primary election, the new party must (2) hold a mass meeting or convention to nominate candidates. (3) Public notice of the meeting must be given five days in advance throughout the county where the convention will be held.
After the meeting/convention, the new party must (4) file a certificate of nomination with the secretary of state for each candidate nominated. These are due on the day of the primary election. Candidates of new parties will not be allowed access to the ballot if they ran in the primary election for another political party that same year.
(5) With the certificates of nomination, a petition containing the signatures of registered voters equal to 3 percent of the votes cast for governor in the last general election must also be filed with the secretary of state.
The party must run a candidate for state office who must receive at least 20 percent of the total votes cast for that office in the general election. If a candidate does not meet this threshold, the party must start the process over again for the next general election.
As of May 2017, Alabama officially recognized two political parties: the Democratic and Republican parties.