Running for office in Oregon
This page covers what's specific to Oregon. Start with the general guide for the steps every candidate follows regardless of state.
Filing in Oregon
Where you file in Oregon depends on the office. County clerks handle filings for county and special district offices. City elections officials handle city races. State legislative and statewide candidates file with the Secretary of State's Elections Division. Most candidates use Secretary of State form SEL 101.
If you're running in a primary or special election, you can qualify either by paying a filing fee or by gathering petition signatures from active registered voters in the district instead. For partisan races, those signatures must come from voters registered in your own party.
Deadlines and numbers
- 2026 primary filing deadlines (changed under House Bill 4024): elected incumbents seeking re-election to the same office file by March 3, 2026. Everyone else, including appointed incumbents, files by March 10, 2026, for the May 19, 2026 primary
- Filing fee for State Senator or State Representative: $25
- No filing fee required for precinct committeeperson or justice of the peace
- Local filing fees for city council, county commission, and special district seats are set by local charter or ordinance and vary by jurisdiction
The dossier could not independently verify exact filing fee amounts for every county and city nonpartisan office. If you need that figure for a specific jurisdiction, ask in /engage or contact the local filing officer.
Where to go
- Statewide filing information, forms, and deadlines: oregonvotes.gov and sos.oregon.gov/elections
- For county and city office filings, contact your county clerk's elections division or city elections official directly, since they are the filing authority for those races