Candidate filing for North Carolina’s 2022 elections will resume February 24

RALEIGH, N.C. (WECT) - Candidates planning to run for office in North Carolina’s 2022 primary and rescheduled municipal elections will be able to sign up when filing resumes at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 24. The filing period will run through noon on Friday, March 4.

The North Carolina Supreme Court suspended the filing period and rescheduled the primary elections in December, because of pending lawsuits over the state’s legislative and congressional voting districts. The statewide primary and rescheduled municipal elections are set to take place May 17, 2022.

According to a release from the North Carolina State Board of Elections, candidates who filed before the suspension of the filing period do not need to re-file if they plan to run for the same office. Those candidates can withdraw their candidacy during the new filing period to file for another office. The release says the deadline to withdraw is the close of business on March 1.

“Choosing to run for an elected office is a major decision,” Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the North Carolina State Board of Elections, said in the emailed news release. “We want filing to be a smooth and customer-friendly process for all candidates, and we have strived to create an efficient and safe environment for everyone.”

Depending on the office they are seeking, candidates will file with either their County Board of Elections or the State Board of Elections.

Candidates for the following offices will file with the State Board of Elections:

U.S. Senate

U.S. House of Representatives

N.C. Supreme Court Justice

Judge of the N.C. Court of Appeals

Superior Court judge

District Court judge

District attorney

Candidates for the following offices file with their county board of elections:

N.C. Senate

N.C. House of Representatives