Candidates need 1,000 signatures to get their own names on Ohio presidential primaries. Also, they need separate petitions for their candidates for Delegates. The Delegate petitions need 50 signatures within any particular U.S. House district.

Only the Democratic and Republican Parties are currently ballot-qualified in Ohio. Republican presidential candidates who turned in the 1,000-signature petition are: Giuliani, Huckabee, McCain, Paul, Romney, and Thompson. Democrats who turned in the 1,000-signature petition are: Biden, Clinton, Edwards, Kucinich, Obama, and Richardson. This list is not necessarily final. Also, Ohio checks petitions, so just because a candidate submitted a petition is no guarantee that he or she will qualify. Furthermore, not every candidate who submitted the 1,000-signature petition necessarily did U.S. House delegate petitions in each district.

Although Joe Biden withdrew on the evening of January 3, his campaign had already submitted his Ohio statewide petition, so he will probably be on the ballot unless he withdraws. Chris Dodd did not submit a petition; he also withdrew on the evening of January 3.

On January 3, the New Jersey Senate passed A4225 by a vote of 22-13. It is the National Popular Vote Plan. The bill now goes to the Governor, who is expected to sign it.

The Texas deadline for candidates to file in the primary (for all office) was January 2. No Democrat filed to run in for U.S. House, 14th district, so Ron Paul (assuming he wins the Republican U.S. House primary) will have no trouble being re-elected. Paul does have one Republican opponent in the March primary.