candidacies

Candidacies refer to the status and activities of individuals or parties that seek election to public office. A candidacy begins when a person publicly declares the intent to run and continues through nomination, campaigning, and the election itself. Eligibility to be a candidate is defined by law and typically includes criteria such as age, citizenship, residency, and compliance with conflicts of interest or other disqualifications.

Candidacies enter the field via various nomination methods. These include party nomination through primary elections or party conventions, endorsement by a political organization, or independent candidacy achieved through petition signatures and official filings. In some systems, parties may nominate multiple candidates for a single office, while in others, individuals run in single-member districts.

Ballot access and filing requirements govern when and how a candidacy appears on the ballot. Candidates must submit necessary paperwork, pay filing fees, or collect a specified number of signatures by specified deadlines. Campaign finance laws regulate fundraising and spending, requiring disclosure of contributors and, in some jurisdictions, imposing limits or offering public financing. Campaigns use a variety of methods to communicate with voters, including public events, media advertising, debates, and outreach, while balancing rules on advertising and contribution restrictions.

Candidacies can take several forms, including direct candidates for a position, party-list candidates in proportional systems, independent candidates not affiliated with a party, and write-in candidates whose names are not listed on the ballot but may be chosen by voters.

Political systems regulate candidacies to ensure fair competition and transparency. Debates over ballot access, resource inequities, and disclosure practices frequently drive reform discussions, such as automatic ballot access, public financing, or streamlined nomination procedures.