Handbook·Elections

Running for office in Georgia

State page·Verified 2026-07-10

This page covers what's specific to Georgia on top of the general guide to filing for local office.

Filing in Georgia

Georgia runs a single qualifying window each even year rather than a rolling filing deadline. Partisan candidates qualify through their political party. Independents and most nonpartisan local candidates qualify directly with the county election superintendent (for county and legislative races) or municipal clerk (for city races). The Secretary of State's Elections Division sets statewide qualifying fees and publishes the master calendar, but doesn't process every filing itself. Candidates who can't afford the fee may file a pauper's affidavit paired with a qualifying petition instead of paying cash.

Deadlines and numbers

  • 2026 qualifying period: March 2 to March 6, 2026
  • State Representative and State Senator qualifying fee (2026): flat $400
  • Local office fees: typically 3 percent of the position's annual salary, set by the county or municipality, varies by office
  • Independent/nonpartisan petition, state legislature: 5 percent of registered voters eligible to vote in the last election for that district seat, petitions cannot circulate more than 180 days before the filing deadline
  • Independent/nonpartisan petition, statewide office: 1 percent of registered voters eligible in the last election for that office

The dossier could not confirm the exact petition-signature threshold for nonpartisan local races like city council or county commission, which varies by municipal charter or ordinance. Route that to /engage or your county election superintendent or municipal clerk.

Where to go