Running for office? Get ready to file!

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This year, candidate Filing Week is May 14-18, but if you’re running for office and just can’t wait that long to file, you can get a head start. Candidates can mail in their declaration paperwork starting April 30. All candidate declarations must be received no later than May 18. Candidates file with the Office of Secretary of State either in person, online or via U.S. mail if they’re running for a federal office, statewide office, multi-county legislative seat or multi-county judicial position. Candidates seeking a single-county office file with their county elections office. If you plan to run for office this year and want to print out a declaration of candidacy form, just click here. Want to see more info about filing for office? Just click here. Go here to find out the filing fee for a particular office. The filing fee is 1 percent of one year’s salary for the office sought. If candidates have questions, they can call the Elections Division at (360) 902-4180 or toll free (800) 448-4881. This year is the earliest Filing Week ever. The Legislature moved the Top 2 Primary and Filing Week earlier to comply with federal requirements for expediting overseas and military ballots. The Primary will have a postmark or drop-off deadline of Aug. 7.