Tennessee candidate filing & campaign-finance deadlines
Official 2026 report due dates for Tennessee state candidates file with Tennessee Registry of Election Finance (Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance).
2 more deadlines follow in this cycle.
Electbase emails you before every deadline — 14, 7, and 2 days out — and stays current as the official schedule changes.
Get deadline remindersIncluded in every Electbase plan · See pricingThis page also covers Tennessee candidate-filing (ballot access) deadlines for 2027–2028 — the process of becoming a qualified candidate, distinct from the campaign-finance reporting below. Here's how to run for office in Tennessee: what to file, when, and with whom.
6 report deadlines for the 2026 cycle.
These are the campaign-finance report due dates a Tennessee state candidate files with Tennessee Registry of Election Finance (Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance) for the 2026 election cycle, stored verbatim from the official schedule. The 2026 primary is Aug 6, 2026.
| Due | Type | Report | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Periodic | TN 1st Quarter Report First-quarter disclosure covering January 16 – March 31, 2026 (start shifts to the first contribution/expenditure if this is the committee's first report). |
Jan 16, 2026 – Mar 31, 2026 | |
| Periodic | TN 2nd Quarter Report Second-quarter disclosure covering April 1 – June 30, 2026. |
Apr 1, 2026 – Jun 30, 2026 | |
| Pre-election | TN Pre-Primary Report Pre-primary report for the August 6 primary, covering July 1 – 27, 2026. |
Jul 1, 2026 – Jul 27, 2026 | |
| Periodic | TN 3rd Quarter Report Third-quarter disclosure covering July 28 – September 30, 2026. |
Jul 28, 2026 – Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Pre-election | TN Pre-General Report Pre-general report for the November 3 general, covering October 1 – 24, 2026. Required only for general-election candidates. |
Oct 1, 2026 – Oct 24, 2026 | |
| Annual/Year-end | TN 4th Quarter (Year-End) Report Year-end disclosure covering October 25, 2026 – January 15, 2027 (general-election candidates; a non-general open account covers from October 1). |
Oct 25, 2026 – Jan 15, 2027 |
Shaded rows are deadlines that have already passed.
Good to know
State candidates on the August 6 primary / November 3 general track — TREF keys its schedule to the election track, not the office, so gubernatorial and legislative candidates on this track file the identical dates. Candidates without a contested primary, or on a different election track, follow a different TREF table. The Pre-General report is required only for November 3 general-election candidates. The 4th-Quarter start of Oct 25 is for general-election candidates (a non-general open account uses Oct 1). Contributions/expenditures in the 10 days before an election trigger an additional event-driven report. Local candidates file with their county election commission.
Tennessee candidate-filing deadlines — 2027–2028.
Deadlines to become a qualified candidate for office in Tennessee — declarations of candidacy, nominating petitions, and related ballot-access filing requirements — compiled from Tennessee Secretary of State. Distinct from the campaign-finance report deadlines above.
2027
Municipal
Metropolitan Mayor
Not yet published. Davidson County (Nashville-Davidson consolidated metropolitan government) holds its mayoral election in odd-numbered years. The 2027 election date and filing deadlines will be set by the election-calling resolution adopted by the Metropolitan Council, which has not yet been issued as of July 2026. Filing deadlines will likely follow the statutory formula in § 2-5-101 based on the election date once called.
Filing authority: Nashville-Davidson Election Commission; Metropolitan Clerk.
Next check: Nov 1, 2026.
Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2, Elections; Nashville-Davidson Metropolitan Charter · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Not yet independently verified
The official filing deadline for Metropolitan Mayor in Nashville-Davidson (Davidson County Metropolitan Government) for the 2027 Davidson County Metropolitan Mayoral Election has not yet been published; check with Nashville-Davidson Election Commission; Metropolitan Clerk. Source: Tennessee State Legislature; Nashville-Davidson Metropolitan Government.
2028
Federal
President of the United States
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Party Primary · Deadline type: Party primary filing
Withdrawal deadline: Mar 21, 2028
Files with: Tennessee Secretary of State, Coordinator of Elections
Signatures: 25 or more registered voters in the state (for primary petition)
Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2, Elections, Chapter 5, Petitions · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Not yet independently verified
Filing for President of the United States in Statewide for the 2028 Tennessee Primary Election (Aug 3, 2028) closes Mar 14, 2028 at 12:00 PM America/Chicago. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Tennessee State Legislature.
President of the United States
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Independent · Deadline type: Independent candidate filing
Petition deadline: Aug 17, 2028 · Write-in deadline: Sep 18, 2028 · Withdrawal deadline: Aug 24, 2028
Files with: Tennessee Secretary of State, Coordinator of Elections
Signatures: 275 signatures (25 per state elector) of registered voters in Tennessee
Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2, Elections, Chapter 5, Petitions · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for President of the United States in Statewide for the 2028 Tennessee General Election (Nov 7, 2028) closes Aug 17, 2028 at 12:00 PM America/Chicago. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Tennessee State Legislature.
U.S. House of Representatives — All districts
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Party Primary · Deadline type: Party primary filing
Withdrawal deadline: Mar 21, 2028
Files with: Tennessee Secretary of State, Coordinator of Elections; County Election Commission in candidate's county of residence
Signatures: 25 or more registered voters in the congressional district (for primary petition)
Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2, Elections, Chapter 5, Petitions · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for U.S. House of Representatives in Statewide for the 2028 Tennessee Primary Election (Aug 3, 2028) closes Mar 14, 2028 at 12:00 PM America/Chicago. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Tennessee State Legislature.
U.S. House of Representatives — All districts
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Independent · Deadline type: Independent candidate filing
Petition deadline: Aug 17, 2028 · Write-in deadline: Sep 18, 2028 · Withdrawal deadline: Aug 24, 2028
Files with: Tennessee Secretary of State, Coordinator of Elections; County Election Commission
Signatures: 25 or more registered voters in the congressional district
Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2, Elections, Chapter 5, Petitions · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for U.S. House of Representatives in Statewide for the 2028 Tennessee General Election (Nov 7, 2028) closes Aug 17, 2028 at 12:00 PM America/Chicago. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Tennessee State Legislature.
State Legislative
Tennessee State Senate — Even-numbered districts (16 seats)
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Party Primary · Deadline type: Party primary filing
Withdrawal deadline: Mar 21, 2028
Files with: Tennessee Secretary of State, Coordinator of Elections; County Election Commission in candidate's county of residence
Signatures: 25 or more registered voters in the state senate district
Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2, Elections, Chapter 5, Petitions · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for Tennessee State Senate in Statewide for the 2028 Tennessee Primary Election (Aug 3, 2028) closes Mar 14, 2028 at 12:00 PM America/Chicago. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Tennessee State Legislature.
Tennessee State Senate — Even-numbered districts (16 seats)
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Independent · Deadline type: Independent candidate filing
Petition deadline: Aug 17, 2028 · Write-in deadline: Sep 18, 2028 · Withdrawal deadline: Aug 24, 2028
Files with: Tennessee Secretary of State, Coordinator of Elections; County Election Commission in candidate's county of residence
Signatures: 25 or more registered voters in the state senate district
Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2, Elections, Chapter 5, Petitions · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for Tennessee State Senate in Statewide for the 2028 Tennessee General Election (Nov 7, 2028) closes Aug 17, 2028 at 12:00 PM America/Chicago. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Tennessee State Legislature.
Tennessee House of Representatives — All districts (99 seats)
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Party Primary · Deadline type: Party primary filing
Withdrawal deadline: Mar 21, 2028
Files with: Tennessee Secretary of State, Coordinator of Elections; County Election Commission in candidate's county of residence
Signatures: 25 or more registered voters in the state house district
Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2, Elections, Chapter 5, Petitions · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for Tennessee House of Representatives in Statewide for the 2028 Tennessee Primary Election (Aug 3, 2028) closes Mar 14, 2028 at 12:00 PM America/Chicago. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Tennessee State Legislature.
Tennessee House of Representatives — All districts (99 seats)
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Independent · Deadline type: Independent candidate filing
Petition deadline: Aug 17, 2028 · Write-in deadline: Sep 18, 2028 · Withdrawal deadline: Aug 24, 2028
Files with: Tennessee Secretary of State, Coordinator of Elections; County Election Commission in candidate's county of residence
Signatures: 25 or more registered voters in the state house district
Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2, Elections, Chapter 5, Petitions · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for Tennessee House of Representatives in Statewide for the 2028 Tennessee General Election (Nov 7, 2028) closes Aug 17, 2028 at 12:00 PM America/Chicago. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Tennessee State Legislature.
Judicial
Trial Court Judges (Circuit, Criminal, Chancery, Juvenile, Probate, General Sessions) — All districts
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Nonpartisan · Deadline type: Nonpartisan filing
Withdrawal deadline: Mar 21, 2028
Files with: Tennessee Secretary of State, Coordinator of Elections; County Election Commission in candidate's county of residence
Signatures: 25 or more registered voters in the judicial district
Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2, Elections, Chapter 5, Petitions · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for Trial Court Judges (Circuit, Criminal, Chancery, Juvenile, Probate, General Sessions) in Statewide for the 2028 Tennessee Primary Election (Aug 3, 2028) closes Mar 14, 2028 at 12:00 PM America/Chicago. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Tennessee State Legislature.
Trial Court Judges (Circuit, Criminal, Chancery, Juvenile, Probate, General Sessions) — All districts
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Nonpartisan · Deadline type: Nonpartisan filing
Petition deadline: Aug 17, 2028 · Write-in deadline: Sep 18, 2028 · Withdrawal deadline: Aug 24, 2028
Files with: Tennessee Secretary of State, Coordinator of Elections; County Election Commission in candidate's county of residence
Signatures: 25 or more registered voters in the judicial district
Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2, Elections, Chapter 5, Petitions · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for Trial Court Judges (Circuit, Criminal, Chancery, Juvenile, Probate, General Sessions) in Statewide for the 2028 Tennessee General Election (Nov 7, 2028) closes Aug 17, 2028 at 12:00 PM America/Chicago. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Tennessee State Legislature.
County
County Mayor and County Commission — All county districts
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Party Primary · Deadline type: Party primary filing
Withdrawal deadline: Mar 21, 2028
Files with: Tennessee Secretary of State, Coordinator of Elections; County Election Commission in candidate's county of residence
Signatures: 25 or more registered voters in the county
Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2, Elections, Chapter 5, Petitions · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for County Mayor and County Commission in Statewide (County offices) for the 2028 Tennessee Primary Election (Aug 3, 2028) closes Mar 14, 2028 at 12:00 PM America/Chicago. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Tennessee State Legislature.
County Mayor and County Commission — All county districts
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Independent · Deadline type: Independent candidate filing
Petition deadline: Aug 17, 2028 · Write-in deadline: Sep 18, 2028 · Withdrawal deadline: Aug 24, 2028
Files with: Tennessee Secretary of State, Coordinator of Elections; County Election Commission in candidate's county of residence
Signatures: 25 or more registered voters in the county
Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2, Elections, Chapter 5, Petitions · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for County Mayor and County Commission in Statewide (County offices) for the 2028 Tennessee General Election (Nov 7, 2028) closes Aug 17, 2028 at 12:00 PM America/Chicago. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Tennessee State Legislature.
Explore more states
Electbase compiles these dates from official state sources as a workflow aid. It is not legal advice. Confirm every deadline with your filing authority before you rely on it.
Last updated August 27, 2026