In the 2024 United States presidential election, different laws and procedures govern whether or not a candidate or political party is entitled to appear on voters' ballots. Under Article 2, Section 1 of the United States Constitution, laws about election procedure are established and enforced by the states. Additionally, there are often different requirements for primary and general elections, and requirements for primary elections may additionally differ by party.
Additionally, the filing requirements to appear on the ballot often differ between parties and independents, leading some independents such as Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to create a party to get on the ballot in states where the requirement is lower for party-sponsored candidates. Conversely, parties like the Libertarians and Greens will have their nominee petition as an independent in states where such a route is less restrictive.
All dates are in the year 2024 unless otherwise stated.
The following is a table of which parties and independent candidates received presidential ballot access in which states.
<span style=background:#DDFFDD;"></span> indicates that the party or candidate was on the ballot in 2024.
<span style=background:#FFFFBB;"></span> indicates that the state has automatic write-in access.
indicates that the candidate was a recognized write-in candidate.
indicates that the party or candidate did not qualify for the ballot.
indicates that the party or candidate did qualify for the ballot, but withdrew.
indicates that the party or candidate was listed on the ballot, but votes for them were considered spoiled due to lawsuits.
Parties which did not field candidates for president and parties without presidential ballot access are not included in this table.
As a territory, Guam does not receive electoral votes in the presidential election. However, beginning in 1980, the island has held a non-binding advisory primary. Seven candidates qualified for the ballot.
As a territory, Puerto Rico does not receive electoral votes in the presidential election. For the first time, the island held a non-binding advisory primary. Two candidates qualified for the ballot.
The Chief State Administrative Law Judge kicked Kennedy, Stein, West and Cruz off the ballot in his rulings on Democratic lawsuits. Three days later, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger restored Stein, West and Cruz to the ballot and ruled Kennedy's ballot access was moot, as he had withdrawn. Democrats were considering an appeal. Kennedy, West and Cruz were challenged for collecting signatures in the name of the presidential candidate, rather than each of the 16 elector candidates. Stein was challenged over whether the Green Party had ballot access in 20 other states. Kennedy was also challenged over his address.
In 2020 the state of New York tightened its ballot access prerequisites, among other things raising the threshold for parties to automatically qualify onto the ballot and for candidates to independently petition onto it. In a separate issue, Kennedy's petition was denied by a state judge for using a false address. As a result, the state is the only one where all third-party or independent candidates failed to qualify to be on the ballot.
On November 30, 2023, the Florida Democratic Party only submitted Joe Biden's name to the secretary of state. Candidates can be placed on the ballot either by petition, or having the party submit their name to the secretary of state. As his name was the only one on the ballot, the Democratic primary was cancelled under Florida law. Democratic presidential candidate Dean Phillips heavily criticized the decision, stating "Americans would expect the absence of democracy in Tehran, not Tallahassee." A lawsuit attempting to place Phillips as well as Marianne Williamson and Cenk Uygur candidates was lost in district court.
Tennessee secretary of state Tre Hargett only certified Joe Biden's name for the Democratic primary ballot. Dean Phillips's petition to be placed on the ballot was rejected, as he did not collect enough valid signatures. As voters are still able to vote for Uncommitted as well as write-in candidates, the primary still took place. Joe Biden won the Tennessee primary against Uncommitted by 84 percentage points.
Former Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie failed to make the Maine primary ballot, as he did not submit the required 2,000 signatures to the Secretary of State by the November 20 deadline. Christie attempted to appeal the decision, but the Maine Superior Court upheld the secretary's ruling.
<small>Candidates listed in italics have suspended their campaigns.</small>