Candidate Filing

  1. Requirements to File
  2. Where to File
  3. When to File

Notice of candidacy signature witness requirements: The Notice of Candidacy must be signed in the presence of the Chairman, or Executive Director of the State or Onslow County Board of Elections, or a candidate may have his/her signature on the notice of candidacy acknowledged and certified to by any officer authorized to administer an oath, including a notary (G.S. § 163A-972). In signing his or her Notice of Candidacy, the candidate may use a nickname if candidate complies with the requirement specified in G.S. § 163A-972 and which includes submitting an affidavit.

Party affiliation requirements for partisan offices: No person shall be permitted to file as a candidate of any political party in a party primary if the person, at the time of filing his or her notice of candidacy, is registered as an affiliate of a different political party. No person registered as “unaffiliated” (without any party affiliation) shall be eligible to file as a candidate in a primary. No person shall be permitted to file as a candidate in a party primary unless that person has been affiliated with that party for at least 90 days as of the date of that person filing such notice of candidacy (G.S. § 163A-973)

Offices in the Jurisdiction of the State Board of Elections

     To see information regarding the offices under the jurisdiction of the NCSBE, please click here.

Candidate Filing Fact Sheets

     To view Fact Sheets regarding running for a specific office or as an Unaffiliated/Write-In candidate, please click here.

Additional Candidate Filing Information

     For more information on running for office, please click here.

2020 Statewide and County Offices Filing Fees

Office Filing Fee
North Carolina State Senator $ 140
North Carolina State Representative $ 140
Onslow County Board of Commissioners $ 116
Onslow County Board of Education $ 51.30
Onslow County Register of Deeds $ 687.90
District Court Judge $ 1,220