Easy Filing For Major Party Candidates Makes For Crowded Primary Ballots

Maryland voters wondering why there are so many candidates running for so many offices, including some of the most prestigious, may not be surprised to learn that Maryland is one of the easiest states for major party candidates to get on the ballot.

In a prime example, 20 challengers – six Democrats, 11 Republicans, and one each from the Green, Constitution and Libertarian parties – are vying to take the seat of longtime Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski, who is seeking a fifth six-year term.

In order to get on the ballot, these Senate candidates needed only to cough up a $290 filing fee -- as long as they met federal age and campaign finance requirements. Unlike other states, they didn’t need to come up with thousands in a filing fee or collect signatures on a petition.

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