Upcoming Candidate Filing Periods

Find the upcoming candidate filing periods and filing location information on this page. To learn about the specific candidacy requirements, visit Filing for Candidacy.

Odd-Numbered Year Municipal Elections

The candidate filing period for the 2025 partisan and nonpartisan municipal elections begins at the opening of business on Monday, July 7, 2025, for county boards of elections, and ends at noon on Friday, July 18, 2025, unless otherwise stated in a municipal charter or session law. The deadline to withdraw a notice of candidacy and receive a refund is 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 15, 2025. Candidates should contact their county board of elections to determine the filing fee for their contest.

Note: All candidates filing a notice of candidacy in a municipal contest will file their form and filing fee at their county board of elections. No notice of candidacy or filing fee should be mailed to the State Board of Elections.

2025 Municipal Election Dates

In 2025, there are three municipal election dates in North Carolina:

1. Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025 (Partisan primary if necessary):
   • Forsyth County: Rural Hall, Tobaccoville
   • Lee County: Sanford
   • Mecklenburg County: Charlotte
2. Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025 (Second partisan primary if one is requested, nonpartisan primary, or general election if using the election and runoff method): Various municipalities
3. Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025 (Partisan and nonpartisan general elections, nonpartisan runoff if one is demanded): Various municipalities

Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisors

The candidate filing period for soil and water conservation district supervisors begins at noon on Monday, June 8, 2026, and ends by the close of regular business hours for county boards of elections on Monday, July 6, 2026. Candidates will file their notice of candidacy form and filing fee at their county board of elections. The filing fee is $5. Candidates whose notices of candidacy are accepted will be on their county’s ballot in the statewide general election on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026.

Statewide Candidate Filing for the 2026 Partisan Primary

Candidate filing for most contests in the 2026 elections begins at noon on Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, and ends at noon on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. The deadline for a candidate to withdraw and receive a refund of their filing fee is 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025. The statewide primary is Tuesday, March 3, 2026.

Depending on the office sought, candidates will file their notice of candidacy and pay their filing fees at their county board of elections office or with the State Board of Elections [check Filing Fees for more information]. Candidates who file with the State Board will do so at the Administration Building of the Governor James B. Hunt Jr. Horse Complex in Raleigh. Find detailed information about location and hours below.

Candidates for the following offices file to run for office at the Administration Building of the Governor James B. Hunt Jr. Horse Complex, 4601 Trinity Road (Gate H3), Raleigh NC 27607:

• U.S. Senate
• U.S. House of Representatives (Districts 1-14)
• N.C. Supreme Court Associate Justice (Seat 1)
• N.C. Court of Appeals Judge (Seats 1, 2, and 3)
• Superior Court Judge (various districts)
• District Court Judge (various districts)
• District Attorney (various districts)

The Administration Building will be open for filing during the following days and times:

• Monday, Dec. 1: Noon–5 p.m.
• Tuesday, Dec. 2–Friday, Dec. 5: 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
• Monday, Dec. 8–Friday, Dec. 12: 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
• Monday, Dec. 15–Thursday, Dec. 18: 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
• Friday, Dec. 19: 8 a.m.–noon.

Important Reminder for Candidates Filing With the State Board of Elections

Candidates filing with the State Board of Elections must fill out the Certification of Registration (Section 9) of the notice of candidacy form at the county board of elections office where they are registered. This step must be done before they can file with the State Board of Elections.

2026 Primary Election Date

The 2026 statewide primary election is Tuesday, March 3, 2026.

Filing a Notice of Candidacy

Any person seeking to become a candidate must file a notice of candidacy form. Candidates filing for even-numbered year municipal elections should contact their county board of elections to determine the filing fee for their contest. Candidates filing for the 2026 partisan primary election can check Filing Fees for more information.

After filing your notice of candidacy, you can check the lists of 2026 candidates to find your name and details.

Notice to All Potential Candidates

The State and county boards of elections cannot accept candidate filings via surrogate. During the upcoming candidate filing period, the boards of elections will only accept notices of candidacy that are signed and submitted in person by the candidate, or which are certified and delivered via mail or commercial courier service, per Notices of candidacy; pledge; with whom filed; date for filing. N.C.G.S. § 163-106(a).

In the past, some candidates have relied on surrogates, including staff members, to submit their notices of candidacy during the candidate filing period. This practice is not permitted by state law, and such filings will not be accepted by the boards of elections.

G.S. § 163-106(a) provides as follows:

Each candidate shall sign the notice of candidacy in the presence of the chairman or secretary of the board of elections, State or county, with which the candidate files. In the alternative, a candidate may have the candidate's signature on the notice of candidacy acknowledged and certified to by an officer authorized to take acknowledgments and administer oaths, in which case the candidate may mail or deliver by commercial courier service the candidate's notice of candidacy to the appropriate board of elections.