Palin could run a non-traditional presidential campaign in all kinds of ways, eschewing the traditional structures of staff and organization in favor of her brash, seat-of-her-pants style. But she would still have to meet a complex web of state-by-state ballot access requirements to get into all the different primaries.

“Regardless of how you want to run your campaign, if you have not complied with state ballot requirements, you can’t be on the ballot, and if you’re not on the ballot, you can’t get delegates allocated to you,” said Jason Torchinsky, an election lawyer who advised the campaigns of George W. Bush in 2004 and Rudy Giuliani in 2008, and is currently working with Rep. Thad McCotter…

To the reporters who swarmed her at the fair in Iowa, she cited an “August/September timeframe” — but also said she doubted she’d make up her mind by Sept. 3, when she’s scheduled to headline a tea party rally outside Des Moines. Asked whether that meant a decision by late September, she agreed.

Experts on the nuts and bolts of primary campaigns told POLITICO that would be cutting it close, but it would still be possible — just barely — to get up and running on that schedule.