Guilford County Candidate Filing Window Opens December First

The Guilford County Board of Elections issued notice on November 20, 2025 that individuals seeking elective office in the county must file notices of candidacy and pay required filing fees between noon December 1 and noon December 19 to qualify for the ballot. Notices and filing fees must be submitted to the county Board of Elections office in person, or notarized and received, not postmarked, by the noon December 19 deadline.

The primary filing location for Guilford County candidates is the Board of Elections office at 301 West Market Street in Greensboro. The board will also accept filings at its High Point office at 325 East Russell Avenue by appointment. For those not filing in person, the only acceptable delivery methods are United States Postal Service or commercial courier. Surrogates are not permitted to deliver candidacy materials.

The Board of Elections release includes listings of offices, incumbents and filing fees for state senate, state house, district attorney, clerk of superior court, sheriff, county commissioners, board of education seats and other county level offices. Judicial candidates and those seeking federal office must file in Raleigh with the North Carolina State Board of Elections. Candidates for the North Carolina House and Senate may file either in their county of residence or in Raleigh. The Raleigh filing location is in the Administration Building of the Governor James B. Hunt Jr. Horse Complex at 4601 Trinity Road Gate H3.

The filing window and procedural rules carry practical implications for prospective candidates and for voters. Meeting the noon receipt requirement means campaign organizers should plan for notarization and delivery lead time, and should verify courier or postal schedules to avoid disqualification based on postmark errors. The prohibition on surrogates delivering materials places an additional constraint on who may hand deliver filings, which may affect candidates with mobility limitations or those relying on volunteers.

For election administrators and civic groups, the December filing period triggers preparatory work to certify candidates on the ballot and to update voter information. For voters, the list of qualifying candidates will shape the choices for the 2026 elections and inform engagement by neighborhood groups and local media.

Prospective candidates and interested residents may find more information at GuilfordCountyNC.gov/Elections or by contacting the Board of Elections at 336 641 3836. Media and public inquiries can be directed to Charlie Collicutt at guilfordelections@guilfordcountync.gov or by phone at 336 641 3836.