The Wake County Board of Elections will file candidates for several 2026 election contests this month. Candidate filing will begin at 12 p.m. (noon) and continue during normal business hours until 12 p.m. (noon) on Friday, Dec. 19. Information about specific contests, qualifications, what to bring, and acceptable filing fees can be found on the Wake County Board of Elections website. Registered Wake County voters interested in filing may do so at the Wake County Board of Elections Operations Center.
City of Raleigh candidates will now file in December preceding the March Primary, due to an ordinance to revise the election of city council members adopted in May 2024. The Wake County Board of Commissioners will also add two members in 2026, with two at-large seats on the ballot in accordance with N.C. Session Law 2023-30.
“Having just finished the municipal elections, our team has been working to turn everything around in anticipation of this filing period,” said Wake County Elections Director Olivia McCall. "With the added contests and changes, we just want to make sure everyone visits our website ahead of time to prepare for the upcoming election."
Federal, State, County and City of Raleigh offices will have a primary on March 3, 2026
- Eligible Wake County residents may file for N.C. Senate, N.C. House of Representatives, Wake County Board of Commissioners, Wake County Clerk of Superior Court, Wake County Sheriff, City of Raleigh Mayor and City Council seats.
- Wake County business hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until 5:15 p.m. Staff will assist with completing the notice of candidacy paperwork.
- Additional contests, including Federal, Statewide and Judicial offices, must file with the N.C. State Board of Elections. Information on where and how to file can be found here.
Notice of candidacy paperwork may not be delivered by surrogates or staff. Candidates must present in person at the appropriate location to file. Alternatively, candidates may complete the paperwork in the presence of a notary and mail or deliver the paperwork and filing fee to the appropriate board via commercial courier service. The notice of candidacy must be received by the appropriate board within the statutory filing period in order to be accepted.
An updated list of candidates will be published throughout the filing period at the close of each business day at wake.gov/upcomingelection.
For more information on upcoming elections and voting, visit ReadyToVote.com.
