Who gets to run for president of the United States? Fewer rules than you might think, and that is good news for a democracy that belongs to everyone. The presidential eligibility requirements are short, clear and written right into the Constitution.
Quick answer: To be president, a person must be a natural-born citizen, at least 35 years old, and a US resident for 14 years. The 22nd Amendment also limits a president to two elected terms. No prior office, degree or party membership is required.
The three constitutional requirements
The Constitution lists exactly three qualifications to serve as president. They apply to every candidate, from every party, in every election. Here they are at a glance.
| Requirement | What it says |
|---|---|
| Citizenship | Must be a natural-born citizen |
| Age | Must be at least 35 years old |
| Residency | Must have been a US resident for 14 years |
That is the whole list in the original text. Beyond these three, there is one more limit that comes from a later amendment, which we cover below.
Natural-born citizen
The president must be a natural-born citizen. In plain terms, that means a person who was a US citizen from birth rather than someone who became a citizen later through naturalization.
The Constitution does not spell out every edge case, and we are not here to give legal advice. If you are curious about a specific situation, a qualified attorney or a nonpartisan legal resource is the right place to ask.
At least 35 years old
A president must be at least 35. That is the youngest a person can be to hold the office. It is the same age floor that applies today, whether the election is in 2028 or any other year.
Plenty of young people care deeply about this election. If you are under 35, you cannot be president yet, but you can register, vote, volunteer and organize your friends right now.
14 years of US residency
A president must have been a US resident for 14 years. The Constitution does not require those years to be consecutive or tied to one state, and it does not require holding any prior office.
The rulebook for who can run is short, and it opens the door wider than most people realize.
The 22nd Amendment: a two-term limit
The 22nd Amendment limits a president to two elected terms. That is the fourth rule voters should know, even though it is not part of the original three qualifications.
This matters for 2028 because the current president is term-limited. We break down what the amendment says and what it means for political chatter in our explainer, Can Trump Run for a Third Term? The 22nd Amendment.
What is NOT required to run for president
Many people assume there are hidden hurdles. There are not. The Constitution does not require:
- A college degree or any specific education
- Prior experience in elected office
- Membership in a political party
- A particular amount of wealth
That is why the field can include governors, senators, members of Congress, former cabinet officials and others. It is also why the door stays open to people who have never held office at all.
Meeting the constitutional rules makes someone eligible. Actually winning is a different matter. Parties have their own processes, states have ballot access rules, and candidates need money, volunteers and voters.
Eligible is not the same as on the ballot
The Constitution tells us who may serve. It does not tell us how a candidate gets from interested to on your ballot. That path runs through primaries, party rules and state-by-state procedures.
For Democrats, the 2028 primary season begins in the early window the DNC approved on August 15, 2026, at its summer meeting in Austin, Texas. The early states are:
- South Carolina: January 22, 2028
- Nevada: February 1, 2028
- New Hampshire: February 8, 2028
- New Mexico: February 15, 2028
- Michigan: February 22, 2028
- Virginia: February 29, 2028
Super Tuesday follows on March 7, 2028. Iowa is not in the Democratic early window. For the full run-down, see our 2028 Democratic primary calendar and our guide to how presidential primaries work.
One thing to watch: New Hampshire state law requires it to hold the first primary in the nation. That clashed with the DNC calendar in 2024, so changes are possible. We will update this page if the situation shifts.
Who might run in 2028?
Here is where things stand. As of October 5, 2026, no major Democrat has formally declared a 2028 presidential run. No major Republican has either. What exists right now is a lot of speculation about potential candidates.
Widely reported potential Democratic candidates include Gavin Newsom, Josh Shapiro, JB Pritzker, Gretchen Whitmer, Andy Beshear, Pete Buttigieg, Kamala Harris, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Cory Booker, Raphael Warnock, Ruben Gallego, Mark Kelly, Elissa Slotkin, Chris Van Hollen and Ro Khanna. These are potential candidates only. None has announced.
On the Republican side, widely reported potential candidates include JD Vance, Marco Rubio, Ron DeSantis, Ted Cruz and Brian Kemp. Again, none has declared. Republicans are expected to keep Iowa first on their 2028 calendar, per RNC reports from September 2026, but that calendar is not final.
Want to dig into individual names? Start with our 2028 Democratic candidates tracker, or read profiles like Gavin Newsom 2028, Josh Shapiro 2028, JB Pritzker 2028 and Gretchen Whitmer 2028.
Anyone can be eligible. It takes voters, volunteers and organizers to turn a candidacy into a win.
How the campaign gets going
Before anyone formally announces, there is an unofficial phase of travel, fundraising and relationship-building. Political insiders call it the invisible primary. Our explainer, When Do 2028 Presidential Campaigns Start?, walks through how it works.
Once the field is set, expect debates. We plan to cover how presidential debates work and how to watch them as the calendar firms up. No debate dates have been announced yet.
Then comes the general election on Tuesday, November 7, 2028. The winner needs 270 of 538 electoral votes. Learn why that number matters in How the Electoral College Works, and see where the race could be decided in our 2028 electoral map guide. The Electoral College electors meet on December 18, 2028, and the inauguration is January 20, 2029. We will also explain what happens on Inauguration Day 2029 in a future article.
Start with 2026
The road to 2028 runs through this year. The 2026 midterm elections are on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, with all 435 House seats, about a third of the Senate and 36 governors on the ballot. Many of the governors and senators on those ballots, and some who are not, are talked about as future presidential contenders.
In our view, what happens in the midterms shapes the political ground for 2028. Read 2026 Midterm Elections: What’s at Stake for 2028 to see why every race matters.
Take action: Check your voter registration today at vote.gov, where every state’s official rules, deadlines and online registration links live. Then text one friend and ask if they are registered too. Not sure where to start? Our guide, How to Register to Vote, walks you through it. Always confirm your state’s deadlines on vote.gov or with your state election office.
Why this matters for the Democratic path ahead
Knowing the basics helps you cut through noise. When someone claims a candidate is disqualified, or that a rule says something it does not, you can check it against the Constitution. Facts first, opinions clearly labeled.
Here is our view: a healthy democracy needs more people participating, not fewer. Eligibility rules are the floor. Registering, voting, knocking on doors and making calls are how we build something on top of it. If you want to see where the party stands on the issues, explore Democratic Party platform issues, and follow the big picture on our 2028 presidential election hub.
You can also browse everything in our 2028 Election section as new stories are published.
Key takeaways
- The Constitution requires a president to be a natural-born citizen, at least 35 years old, and a US resident for 14 years.
- The 22nd Amendment limits a president to two elected terms.
- No degree, prior office, party membership or minimum wealth is required to run.
- As of October 5, 2026, no major Democrat or Republican has formally declared a 2028 run; names are only potential candidates.
- The general election is Tuesday, November 7, 2028, and 270 of 538 electoral votes win.
- Check your registration and rules at vote.gov or your state election office.
Last updated October 2026. Dates and candidate news change fast; we update this page as things are announced.
Frequently asked questions
What are the presidential eligibility requirements?
The Constitution requires a president to be a natural-born citizen, at least 35 years old, and a US resident for 14 years. The 22nd Amendment also limits anyone to two elected terms as president.
Can someone under 35 run for president?
The Constitution sets 35 as the minimum age to serve as president. Because the age requirement applies to holding the office, a candidate must meet it to take office. If you are under 35, you can still volunteer, organize and vote once you are eligible.
Do you have to be a politician or hold office to run for president?
No. The Constitution does not require any prior experience or office. The listed qualifications are citizenship status, age and residency, plus the two-term limit from the 22nd Amendment.
Can a president serve more than two terms?
The 22nd Amendment limits a president to two elected terms. For a deeper look at how that applies to current political talk, see our explainer on the 22nd Amendment and third-term questions.
Has anyone declared a run for president in 2028?
As of our latest check on October 5, 2026, no major Democrat has formally declared a 2028 presidential run, and no Republican has either. Many names are widely reported as potential candidates. We update our candidate tracker as news breaks.