Candidates for municipal contests can file until noon on Friday, July 18
The 2025 election season kicks off Monday, July 7, as county boards begin filing candidates for municipal offices across the state. Wake County will hold elections for 13 municipalities on Nov. 4.
Eligible candidates in Angier, Apex, Cary, Durham, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Morrisville, Rolesville, Wake Forest, Wendell and Zebulon may file their notices of candidacy at the Board of Elections Operations Center, provided they reside in Wake County. Candidates in any of those municipalities who reside in neighboring counties, such as Durham, Harnett, Chatham or Franklin, must file at the county board of elections office of their residence.
“Candidate filing is the first official step in preparing for the election, which sets everything in motion—from ballot creation to getting voting equipment ready,” said Wake County Elections Director Olivia McCall. “Our team is ensuring everything is in place for the start of filing, and we are excited to get the election underway.”
Wake County business hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. The deadline to file a notice of candidacy for a 2025 contest is 12 p.m. (noon) on Friday, July 18. An updated list of candidates will be published throughout the filing period at the close of each business day at wake.gov/upcomingelection.
Notice of candidacy paperwork may not be delivered by surrogates or staff. The 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.
Information about filing fees, qualifications and campaign finance requirements can be found at the Wake County Board of Elections website. The following contests will be up for election in 2025:
- Angier Board of Commissioners (Wards 1, 2 & 3)
- Apex Town Council (three seats)
- Cary Town Council (At-Large, District A & District C)
- Durham Mayor & City Council (Wards 1, 2 & 3)
- Fuquay-Varina Mayor & Board of Commissioners (two seats)
- Garner Town Council (two seats)
- Holly Springs Mayor & Town Council (three seats)
- Knightdale Town Council (three seats)
- Morrisville Mayor & Town Council (At-Large, District 2 & District 4)
- Rolesville Board of Commissioners (three seats)
- Wake Forest Mayor & Board of Commissioners (two seats)
- Wendell Board of Commissioners (three seats)
- Zebulon Mayor & Board of Commissioners (two seats)
Candidates filing at the Board of Elections Operations Center need to bring their photo identification for notary purposes and a check for the filing fee in compliance with the Wake County Check Policy. Filing fees up to $50 may be paid using cash. Staff will assist with completing the necessary paperwork.
Visit ReadyToVote.com for more information about upcoming elections and voting.
About Wake County Board of Elections
The Wake County Board of Elections is responsible for conducting all elections held in the county. The board establishes election precincts and voting sites; appoints and trains precinct officials; prepares and distributes ballots and voting equipment; certifies ballots cast in elections and investigates any voting irregularities.
The Wake County Board of Elections also maintains voter registration and voting records for more than 820,000 voters. To learn more about Wake County Board of Elections, follow us on X, Facebook or Instagram. Contact us at voter@wake.gov or 919-404-4040.
