Massachusetts Petition Signature Requirements (2026)
How many signatures you need to qualify for the ballot in Massachusetts, the 2026 petition filing windows, and how to validate your signatures against the Massachusetts voter file.
Signature requirements by office
| Office | Minimum signatures | % of enrolled voters |
|---|---|---|
| Attorney General | — | 5% |
| Governor, Lieutenant Governor | — | 5% |
| State Senator, State Representative | — | 5% |
| U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative | — | 5% |
2026 petition deadlines
Attorney General; Governor, Lieutenant Governor; State Senator, State Representative; U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative
- Primary petition opens:
- January 2, 2026
- Primary petition deadline:
- May 26, 2026
- General petition opens:
- September 2, 2026
- General petition deadline:
- September 15, 2026
- Primary election:
- September 1, 2026
- General election:
- November 3, 2026
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Start validating freeMassachusetts petition rules & details
Primary petition — signature rules
Attorney General: 10,000 signatures from registered voters statewide
Primary petition — deadline rules
Nomination papers due by 5 PM on the last Tuesday in May
General petition — signature rules
Independent candidates need 10,000 signatures from registered voters
General petition — deadline rules
Independent nomination papers due 14 days after state primary
Primary petition — signature rules
Governor: 10,000 signatures from registered voters statewide
Primary petition — signature rules
State Senate: 300 signatures from district voters; State Rep: 150 signatures from district voters
General petition — signature rules
Independent candidates need signatures from at least 150 voters in the district
Primary petition — signature rules
US House: 1,000 signatures from district voters; US Senate: 10,000 signatures statewide
General petition — signature rules
Independent candidates need 1% of votes cast for that office in last election, minimum 1,000 signatures
Frequently asked questions
How many signatures do I need to get on the ballot in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts signature requirements vary by office. Attorney General: 5% of enrolled voters; Governor, Lieutenant Governor: 5% of enrolled voters; State Senator, State Representative: 5% of enrolled voters. See the full table above for all offices.
What is the 2026 petition filing deadline in Massachusetts?
For the 2026 cycle in Massachusetts, the primary petition deadline is May 26, 2026, and the general petition deadline is September 15, 2026. Confirm exact dates for your office above and with your election authority.
Can I validate Massachusetts petition signatures myself?
Yes. Petition Validator lets you upload petition pages and automatically matches each signer against the Massachusetts 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 November 20, 2025. Always confirm requirements and deadlines with your state or local election authority.