Handbook·Elections

Running for office in North Carolina

State page·Verified 2026-07-10

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

Filing in North Carolina

You file a notice of candidacy with either the State Board of Elections or your county board of elections, depending on the office. Statewide and state-legislative candidates typically file with the State Board of Elections, while county and municipal candidates file with their county board of elections. Most offices charge a filing fee equal to 1 percent of the position's annual salary. Some municipal offices instead carry a flat statutory fee. You can avoid the fee by filing a petition instead, signed in original ink by a set number of qualified voters. Electronic signatures don't count, and no one may sign on another person's behalf.

Deadlines and numbers

  • 2026 municipal filing window (even-year municipalities): opens July 6, 2026, closes noon, July 17, 2026
  • Municipal withdrawal-for-refund deadline: 5:00pm, July 14, 2026
  • 2026 statewide/legislative filing window, for comparison: noon Dec. 1, 2025 to noon Dec. 19, 2025
  • Standard filing fee: 1 percent of the office's annual salary
  • Some municipal races: flat $5 filing fee
  • Petition in lieu of fee: original ink signatures only, threshold varies by office

The dossier couldn't confirm the exact petition-in-lieu signature threshold for county-level and municipal offices specifically, as opposed to statewide offices, since this varies by office and district size. It also couldn't confirm which specific municipal offices carry the flat $5 fee versus the 1-percent formula. Check both with your county board of elections or /engage.

Where to go