Launching Your Campaign in One Fell Swoop

ElectaFile Short Summary:The starter pistol for your campaign starts when you file a Notice of Candidacy in the correct Elections Office. Quickly thereafter, you’ve got campaign finance reporting obligations. Treat them as one continuous effort…Monday, December 4, 2023 is the Opening Bell for Filing for Office.

Today we’re going to talk about starting your actual campaign because many of you will be thinking about the municipal elections tomorrow—and perhaps the end of these municipal elections is an unofficial start to thinking about running for office in the November 2024 general election. On Thursday, we’ll talk about closing out committees (not to be pessimistic…).

Every candidacy in North Carolina begins with a Notice of Candidacy. This is not a campaign finance document. This is the signal to the Board of Elections and the world that you are running for office. Filing that Notice of Candidacy is essentially what entitles you to get your name on the first ballot.

Depending on the office you seek, you will either file your Notice of Candidacy in your county board of elections office or the State Board of Elections. This is not much different than the prior discussion we’ve had about where you file your statement of organization and your organizational report.

Here’s the key page from the State Board of Elections on which form to use and where to file your Notice of Candidacy. In the words of Mr. Hand, learn it, live it, love it.

Key Point for You Overachieving Dreamers: The 2024 Forms are not up on the website yet. First rule is don’t panic. The State Board will update those forms soon (they’ve got an election to conduct tomorrow and then canvass and certify).

Simultaneously with your Notice of Candidacy you’ll need to pay a filing fee. Good news and bad news here. Bad news: the cost of the filing fee is keyed off of the salary for the office you seek and other factors. So, generally the bigger the office, the bigger the fee. Good news: you can use campaign funds to pay that filing fee. Sort of bad news: the expense comes early in the life cycle of your campaign so you may not have raised much money yet.

Here’s nearly all you need to know about calculating and paying the filing fee. State Board’s discussion of this is solid.

So, the big question left is When???? Do I File?

The filing window opens on Monday, December 4, 2023 and ends at noon on Friday, December 15, 2023. Here’s the State Board’s own word on the matter.

Running for public office (as far as we can tell…) can be one of the most rewarding things Americans can do. It is also exhausting, exhilarating, and hard. If you’re going to take the plunge, be thinking now about having a good plan to balance family, work, campaign, and campaign reporting, in that order. And then shout Curahee and make it happen!

PS: Trivia Question: Without googling, what was the original name of Camp Toccoa in Georgia where Easy Company of the 101st Airborne trained prior to going to England? And what is the origin of Curahee! that they shouted? ElectaFile Penmanship Prizer to correct responders…

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What is ElectaFile.com? ElectaFile offers easy and affordable electronic "click to file" services with the NC State Board and County Boards. ElectaFile is web-based and accessible from Macs and PCs with an internet connection. You only pay a small fee if you file using ElectaFile. If you need a free consultation on your situation, please let us know. If ElectaFile can help, it will. We are not your treasurer or your lawyer. If you need a professional treasurer or an attorney, ElectaFile regularly refers folks to professionals on all sides of the aisle.  

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