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Candidates

Qualifications & Filing Fees

Offices Filing with the Secretary of State
Office Qualifications Filing Fee*
President
 (4-year term)
Must be at least 35 years of age, a natural born citizen, been 14 years a resident within the United States.

Primary $1,000.00 

General $500.00

Vice President
 

(4-year term)
Must be at least 35 years of age, a natural born citizen, been 14 years a resident within the United States.
(Filed with President) 
United States Senator
(Staggered 6-year term)
Must be at least 30 years of age, a U.S. citizen for 9 years, and, when elected, an inhabitant of the State for which he is chosen.
$500.00
United States Representative
(2-year term)
Must be at least 25 years of age, a U.S. citizen for 7 years, and, when elected, an inhabitant of the State for which he is chosen.
$500.00
Governor
 (4-year term)
Must be at least 30 years of age, and have been a citizen and resident of Kentucky for at least 6 years next preceding his election.
$500.00
Lieutenant Governor
 (4-year term)
Must be at least 30 years of age, and have been a citizen and resident of Kentucky for at least 6 years next preceding his election.
(Files with Governor) 
Attorney General 
(4-year term)
Must be at least 30 years of age at the time of his election, shall have been a resident citizen of the State at least 2 years next before his election, and shall have been a practicing lawyer 8 years before his election.
$500.00
Secretary of State 
(4-year term)
Must be at least 30 years of age at the time of his election, and shall have been a resident citizen of the State at least 2 years next before his election.
$500.00
Auditor of Public Accounts
(4-year term)
Must be at least 30 years of age at the time of his election, and shall have been a resident citizen of the State at least 2 years next before his election.
$500.00
State Treasurer
 (4-year term)
Must be at least 30 years of age at the time of his election, and shall have been a resident citizen of the State at least 2 years next before his election.
$500.00
Commissioner of Agriculture
(4-year term)
Must be at least 30 years of age at the time of his election, and shall have been a resident citizen of the State at least 2 years next before his election.
$500.00
State Senator
(Staggered 4-year term)
At the time of election, must be at least 30 years of age, a citizen of Kentucky, resided in the State 6 years next preceding his election, and the last year thereof in the district for which he may be chosen.
$200.00
State Representative
(2-year term) 
At the time of election, must be at least 24 years of age, a citizen of Kentucky, resided in the State 2 years next preceding his election, and the last year thereof in the county, town or city, which he may be chosen.
$200.00
Supreme Court Justice
(Staggered 8-year term)
Must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of both the Commonwealth and of the district from which he is elected for 2 years next preceding his taking office, licensed to practice law in the courts of the Commonwealth, and a licensed attorney for at least 8 years.
$200.00
Judge of the Court of Appeals
(8-year term)
Must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of both the Commonwealth and of the district from which he is elected for 2 years next preceding his taking office, licensed to practice law in the courts of the Commonwealth, and a licensed attorney for at least 8 years.
$200.00
Circuit Judge 
(8-year term)
Must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of both the Commonwealth and of the district from which he is elected for 2 years next preceding his taking office,  licensed to practice law in the courts of the Commonwealth, and a licensed attorney for at least 8 years.
$200.00
District Judge
 (4-year term)
Must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of both the Commonwealth and of the district from which he is elected for 2 years next preceding his taking office,  licensed to practice law in the courts of the Commonwealth, and a licensed attorney for at least 2 years.
$200.00
Commonwealth's Attorney
(6-year term)
At the time of election, must be at least 24 years of age, a citizen of Kentucky, resided in the State 2 years and 1 year next preceding his election in the county and district in which he is a candidate, and have been a licensed practicing lawyer for 4 years.
$200.00

Offices Filing with the County Clerk
Office
Qualifications
Filing Fee*
Circuit Court Clerk
 (6-year term)
At the time of election, must be at least 21 years of age, a citizen of Kentucky, has resided in the State 2 years, and 1 year next preceding his election in the county and district in which he is a candidate, and that he is qualified for the office for which he is a candidate.
 
Additional Requirement: must receive a passing grade of 70% or more on a written examination prepared and administered by the Administrative Office of the Courts.
 $50.00
County Judge/ Executive
(4-year term)
At the time of election, must be at least 24 years of age, a citizen of Kentucky, has resided in the State 2 years, and 1 year next preceding his election in the county and district in which he is a candidate.
$50.00
County Clerk  
(4-year term)
At the time of election, must be at least 21 years of age, a citizen of Kentucky, has resided in the State 2 years, and 1 year next preceding his election in the county and district in which he is a candidate.
$50.00
County Attorney
 (4-year term)
At the time of election, must be at least 24 years of age, a citizen of Kentucky, has resided in the State 2 years, and 1 year next preceding his election in the county in which he is a candidate, and have been a licensed practicing lawyer for 2 years.
$50.00
Sheriff
 (4-year term)
At the time of election, must be at least 24 years of age, a citizen of Kentucky, has resided in the State 2 years, and 1 year next preceding his election in the county and district in which he is a candidate. 
$50.00

Jailer
 (4-year term)
At the time of election, must be at least 24 years of age, a citizen of Kentucky, has resided in the State 2 years, and 1 year next preceding his election in the county and district in which he is a candidate.
 
The General Assembly has consolidated the offices of sheriff and jailer in counties containing a city of the first class and in urban county governments.
$50.00
Coroner
 (4-year term)
At the time of election, must be at least 24 years of age, a citizen of Kentucky, has resided in the State 2 years, and 1 year next preceding his election in the county and district in which he is a candidate.
$50.00
Property Valuation Administrator
(4-year term)
At the time of election, must be at least 24 years of age, a citizen of Kentucky, has resided in the State 2 years, and 1 year next preceding his election in the county and district in which he is a candidate.
 
Additional requirement: must possess a certificate issued by the Revenue Cabinet showing that he has been examined by it and that he is qualified for the office.
$50.00
Surveyor
 (4-year term)
At the time of election, must be at least 24 years of age, a citizen of Kentucky, has resided in the State 2 years, and 1 year next preceding his election in the county and district in which he is a candidate.

Additional requirement: at the time of filing must provide county clerk with evidence that he or she holds a Kentucky license as a professional land surveyor.
$50.00
Magistrate/Justice of the Peace
(4-year term)
At the time of election, must be at least 24 years of age, a citizen of Kentucky, has resided in the State 2 years, and 1 year next preceding his election in the county and district in which he is a candidate.
$50.00
County Commissioner 
(4-year term)
Must be at least 24 years of age, has been for 2 years next preceding his election, a resident of the county and a citizen of Kentucky, must have been a bona fide resident of the district he proposes to represent for at least 1 year immediately preceding his election.
$50.00
Constable 
(4-year term)
At the time of election, must be at least 24 years of age, a citizen of Kentucky, has resided in the State 2 years, and 1 year next preceding his election in the county and district in which he is a candidate. (Shall possess the same qualifications as Sheriffs.)
$50.00
Soil & Water Conservation District Supervisors
(Staggered 4-year term)
Shall be a resident of the county or district in which he serves as a supervisor, and upon moving from the county or district, the supervisor shall be ineligible to serve as a supervisor and his office shall be vacant.
 
$20.00
Mayor**
 (Staggered 4-year term)
Must be at least 21 years of age, a resident of the city for not less than 1 year prior to his or her election, a qualified voter in the city, and shall reside in the city throughout his term of office.
$50.00
Legislative Body** (2-year term)
Must be at least 18 years of age, a resident of the city for not less than 1 year prior to his or her election, a qualified voter in the city, and shall reside in the city throughout his term of office.
$50.00
Board of Education (School Board) Member
(Staggered 4-year term)
Must be at least 24 years of age, a citizen of Kentucky for at least 3 years preceding the election, a voter of the district for which he is elected, completed at least the 12th grade or has been issued a GED certificate or has received a high school diploma in the external diploma program, and files an affidavit certifying completion of the 12th grade or the equivalent with his nominating petition AND files a transcript evidencing completion of the 12th grade or results of a 12th grade equivalency examination.  The candidate must not hold any elective federal, state, county, or city office; or at the time of election is directly or indirectly interested in the sale to the board of services, supplies, or equipment purchased with school funds, nor has been removed from a board of education for cause, nor has a relative employed by the school district.
$20.00
Write-In Candidates
(Allowed only in General elections)
See qualifications for desired office.
$50.00

 * Citation for filing fees:  KRS 118.255

** Legislative Council of Jefferson County Metro Government and Jefferson County Metro Government Mayor filing qualifications are governed by KRS 67C.103 and 67C.105.

Article 4 of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County charter governs Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Mayor and Council filing qualifications.