Filing for Office

Once published by the NC State Board of Elections, those interested in filing for office will have access to view the 2023 Municipal Elections Candidate Guide here.

Candidates must file a Notice of Candidacy Form with either the New Hanover County Board of Elections or with the NC State Board of Elections during the Candidate Filing Period. For those offices where filing can be completed at the New Hanover County Board of Elections Office, filing fees can be paid in the form of check or money order for any amount, or cash given that the filing fee is $50 or less. Checks and money orders must be payable to "New Hanover County." For offices filed at the North Carolina State Board of Elections office, check the North Carolina State Board of Elections for specific information regarding check and money order requirements. Business or corporate checks are not accepted.

Candidate List by Contest Report for the 2022 General Election (PDF)

Requirements 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 New Hanover 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. § 163-106 (PDF)). In signing his or her Notice of Candidacy, the candidate may use a nickname if the candidate complies with the requirement specified in G.S. § 163-106 (PDF) 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. § 163-106.1 (PDF))