Order Code RS22320
November 8, 2005
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
Congressional Primaries and Filing
Deadlines, 2006 Schedule
Kevin Coleman
Analyst in American National Government
Government and Finance Division
Summary
This report provides the dates of congressional filing deadlines and primary and
runoff primary dates for 2006 for the states, the District of Columbia, and territories.
The dates are subject to change before the election cycle begins, pending state legislative
action. This report will be updated as events warrant.
Table 1. Congressional Primary Dates and Filing Deadlines, 2006
State
Filing Deadline
Primary
Runoff primarya
Alabama
April 7
June 6
June 27
Alaska
June 1
August 22
American Samoa
NA
NA
Arizona
June 14
September 12
Arkansas
April 4
May 23
June 13
California
March 10
June 6
Colorado
May 25
August 8
Connecticutb
May 2 -23
August 8
Delawarec
July 28
September 12
District of
July 5
September 12
Columbia
Florida
May 12
September 5d
Georgia
April 28
July 18
August 8
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

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CRS-2
State
Filing Deadline
Primary
Runoff primarya
Guam
NA
September 2
Hawaii
July 25
September 23
Idaho
March 17
May 23
Illinois
December 19, 2005
March 21
Indiana
February 17
May 2
Iowa
March 17
June 6
Kansas
June 12
August 1
Kentucky
January 31
May 16
Louisiana
August 11
November 7
December 9
Maine
March 15
June 13
Maryland
July 3
September 12
Massachusetts
June 6
September 19
Michigan
May 16
August 8
Minnesota
July 18
September 12
Mississippi
March 1
June 6
June 27
Missouri
March 28
August 8
Montana
March 23
June 6
Nebraska
February 15
May 9
(incumbents)
March 1
(non-incumbents)
Nevada
May 12
August 15
New Hampshire
June 16
September 12
New Jersey
April 10
June 6
New Mexico
February 14
June 6
New York
July 13
September 12
North Carolina
February 28
May 2
May 30
North Dakota
April 17
June 13
Ohio
February 16
May 2
Oklahoma
June 7
July 25
August 22

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CRS-3
State
Filing Deadline
Primary
Runoff primarya
Oregon
March 7
May 16
Pennsylvania
March 7
May 16
Puerto Rico
no election in 2006
Rhode Island
June 28
September 12
South Carolina
March 30
June 13
June 27
South Dakota
April 4
June 6
June 20
Tennessee
April 6
August 3
Texas
January 2
March 7
April 11
Utah
March 17
June 27
Vermont
July 17
September 12
Virginia
April 14
June 13
Virgin Islands
NA
September 9
Washington
July 28
September 19
West Virginia
January 28
May 9
Wisconsin
July 11
September 12
Wyoming
June 2
August 22
Source: Elections divisions in the states, the District of Columbia, and the territories.
NA — not available.
a. In Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas, a
runoff primary is held if no candidate receives at least 50% of the vote in the initial primary election.
In South Dakota, a runoff primary is held if no candidate receives at least 35% of the vote. In
Louisiana, a candidate who receives 50% or more of the vote in the primary is elected to the office.
If no candidate receives 50% of the vote in the primary, a runoff election is held. All Louisiana
candidates, regardless of party affiliation, compete against each other in the primary election, and the
two highest vote-getters compete in the runoff, even if they belong to the same political party.
b. Political party endorsing conventions may be held between May 2 and 23; a candidate subsequently files
for the primary within 14 days after the convention.
c. The Delaware legislature is to consider changes to the election calendar when it convenes in January
2006.
d. A law was enacted in 2005 that will eliminate Florida's runoff primary, effective January 1, 2006. The
run-off would have been held on October 3.

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