Petitions in Lieu of Filing Fee
General Overview
Per Petition in lieu of payment of filing fee (N.C.G.S. §163-107.1), a qualified voter who seeks to be a candidate in any party primary, or nonpartisan primary, or nonpartisan election may avoid paying a filing fee by filing a written petition with the appropriate board of elections.
Requirements and Timeline
Find requirements and deadlines below, and refer to Fact Sheet: 2023–24 Candidate Petitions in Lieu of a Filing Fee (PDF).
| Reason for Petition | Number of Signatures Required | When Are Petitions Due? | Governing Statute(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ...in seeking nomination in a party primary for a statewide contest. | 5% of the party’s registered N.C. voters or 8,000 registered N.C. voters of any affiliation, whichever is greater. | Noon on the Monday preceding the candidate filing deadline.* | N.C.G.S. §163-107.1(b) |
| ..in seeking nomination in a party primary for a district (multi-county) contest. | 5% of the party's registered N.C. voters in the respective district, or 200 registered N.C. voters of any affiliation, whichever is greater. | Noon on the Monday preceding the candidate filing deadline.* | N.C.G.S. §163-107.1(c) |
| ...in seeking nomination in a nonpartisan primary or election for a district (multi-county) contest. | 5% of N.C. registered voters in the election area in which the office will be voted for. | Noon on the Monday preceding the candidate filing deadline.* | N.C.G.S. §163-107.1(d) |
| ...in seeking election as Supreme Court Justice or Court of Appeals Judge. | 8,000 registered N.C. voters in the state or applicable district. | Noon on the Monday preceding the candidate filing deadline.* | N.C.G.S. §163-325 |
| ...in seeking election as Superior Court Judge or District Court Judge. | 5% of registered N.C. voters in the respective judicial district. | Noon on the Monday preceding the candidate filing deadline.* | N.C.G.S. §163-325 |
| ...in seeking nomination in a party primary for a county, municipal, or single-county district contest. | 5% of the party's registered N.C. voters in the respective area, or 200 registered N.C. voters of any affiliation, whichever is greater. | Noon on the Monday preceding the candidate filing deadline. | N.C.G.S. §163-107.1(c) |
| ...in seeking election for a county, municipal, or single-county district contest. | 5% of registered N.C. voters in the respective area. | Noon on the Monday preceding the candidate filing deadline. | N.C.G.S. §163-107.1(d) |
*For your county board of elections to have enough time to properly review signatures, petitions must be submitted for verification no later than 15 days before they are due to the State Board of Elections.