Kentucky
We encourage everyone to contact their Senators and Representative in Congress.
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STARTING A POLITICAL PARTY IN KENTUCKY:
METHOD: PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
SIGNATURES NEEDED: 20% of votes for President
SIGNATURES NEEDED: 20% of votes for President
In Kentucky, no paperwork is required to establish a political party. Instead, political entities are distinguished by the number of votes their candidates receive in the general election.
The state recognizes three types of political entities: political parties, political organizations, and political groups. Each is allowed to place candidates on the ballot in different ways.
For specific information on the candidate process, see this article.
Political parties
A political party is defined as an entity whose candidate received at least 20 percent of the votes cast in the most recent presidential election. Political parties must nominate their candidates via primary elections.
Political organizations
A political organization is defined as an entity whose candidate won between 2 and 20 percent of the votes cast in the most recent presidential election. A political organization may nominate its candidates by either primary election or convention. Candidates may also be nominated by petition.
Political group
A political group is defined as an entity that did not meet the qualifications to recognized as a political organization. A political group may only nominate candidates by petition.
The state recognizes three types of political entities: political parties, political organizations, and political groups. Each is allowed to place candidates on the ballot in different ways.
For specific information on the candidate process, see this article.
Political parties
A political party is defined as an entity whose candidate received at least 20 percent of the votes cast in the most recent presidential election. Political parties must nominate their candidates via primary elections.
Political organizations
A political organization is defined as an entity whose candidate won between 2 and 20 percent of the votes cast in the most recent presidential election. A political organization may nominate its candidates by either primary election or convention. Candidates may also be nominated by petition.
Political group
A political group is defined as an entity that did not meet the qualifications to recognized as a political organization. A political group may only nominate candidates by petition.
As of May 2017, Kentucky officially recognized two political parties: the Democratic and Republican parties.
See statutes: Chapter 118 of the Kentucky Revised Statutes