Idaho Petition Signature Requirements (2026)
How many signatures you need to qualify for the ballot in Idaho, the 2026 petition filing windows, and how to validate your signatures against the Idaho voter file.
Signature requirements by office
| Office | Minimum signatures | % of enrolled voters |
|---|---|---|
| Secretary Of State, Attorney General, State Treasurer, State Comptroller | — | 5% |
| Governor, Lieutenant Governor | — | 5% |
| U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative | — | 5% |
| State Senator, State Representative | — | 5% |
2026 petition deadlines
Secretary Of State, Attorney General, State Treasurer, State Comptroller; Governor, Lieutenant Governor; U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative; State Senator, State Representative
- Primary petition opens:
- January 9, 2026
- Primary petition deadline:
- March 13, 2026
- General petition opens:
- May 20, 2026
- General petition deadline:
- August 26, 2026
- Primary election:
- May 19, 2026
- General election:
- November 3, 2026
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Start validating freeIdaho petition rules & details
Primary petition — signature rules
Statewide constitutional officers: file petition with 1,000 valid signatures plus filing fee (Idaho Code §34-708A)
Primary petition — deadline rules
Primary candidates must file by 5pm second Friday of March
General petition — signature rules
Independent statewide candidates: 1,000 valid signatures from registered voters statewide
General petition — deadline rules
Independent candidates must file by 5pm last Wednesday of August
Primary petition — signature rules
Statewide candidates: file petition with 1,000 valid signatures plus filing fee (Idaho Code §34-708A)
Primary petition — signature rules
Federal candidates: file petition with 1,000 valid signatures statewide plus filing fee (Idaho Code §34-708A)
General petition — signature rules
Independent federal candidates: 1,000 valid signatures from registered voters statewide
Primary petition — signature rules
State legislative candidates: file petition with 50 valid signatures (Idaho Code §34-708) plus filing fee
Primary petition — deadline rules
Primary candidates must file by 5pm second Friday of March (March 13, 2026)
General petition — signature rules
Independent legislative candidates: 50 valid signatures from registered voters in district
Frequently asked questions
How many signatures do I need to get on the ballot in Idaho?
Idaho signature requirements vary by office. Secretary Of State, Attorney General, State Treasurer, State Comptroller: 5% of enrolled voters; Governor, Lieutenant Governor: 5% of enrolled voters; U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative: 5% of enrolled voters. See the full table above for all offices.
What is the 2026 petition filing deadline in Idaho?
For the 2026 cycle in Idaho, the primary petition deadline is March 13, 2026, and the general petition deadline is August 26, 2026. Confirm exact dates for your office above and with your election authority.
Can I validate Idaho petition signatures myself?
Yes. Petition Validator lets you upload petition pages and automatically matches each signer against the Idaho voter file — checking registration, address, and duplicates in seconds per signature. You can start free, no paid Victory Waves account required.
How does signature validation work?
You upload images of your petition pages; our system transcribes each signature and matches the signer's name, address, and date against official voter registration data to confirm they're a registered voter in the correct jurisdiction.
Last updated for the 2026 cycle on May 27, 2026. Always confirm requirements and deadlines with your state or local election authority.