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.
Guidance for 2026 Candidates
Find candidate filing laws and procedures:
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.
Municipal Elections
Candidate filing for municipalities with even-numbered year elections begins at county offices’ regular business hours for the county board of elections office on Monday, July 6, 2026, and ends at noon on Friday, July 17, 2026. Candidates file at the appropriate county board of elections office. Any person seeking to become a candidate must 1) file a notice of candidacy form and 2) pay the specified filing fee or submit a petition in lieu of the filing fee.
The candidate has two options: 1) file the notice of candidacy and pay the filing fee in person at the appropriate board of elections; or 2) mail or deliver by commercial courier service the candidate’s notice of candidacy to the appropriate board of elections, provided it is received by the end of the filing period.
The deadline for a candidate to withdraw the notice of candidacy and receive a refund is 5 p.m. on Tuesday, July 14, 2026. Any person who has filed a notice of candidacy for an office has the right to withdraw it. Candidates who wish to withdraw must complete a Candidacy Withdrawal Form, which is located on the State Board of Election’s website or can be obtained at the county board of elections office.
For more information, please see the 2026 Municipal Elections Candidate's Guide.
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.
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.