Last Chance: File for Candidacy

The deadline to file for the statewide and county primaries for partisan offices is March 30. Make sure you file by noon on Friday. 

All candidates seeking a political party’s nomination to run in the Nov. 6 General Election must file with the appropriate party official during the appropriate filing period. If only one candidate files for a particular office with a particular party, that candidate becomes the party’s nominee. When more than one candidate files for a particular office with a particular party, the nominee is chosen by primary or convention.

The Constitution, Green, Independence, Labor, Libertarian, United Citizens, and Working Families parties nominate candidates by convention. Conventions are conducted by the parties. Contact the appropriate party for more information regarding conventions.

The Republican and Democratic parties nominate by primary elections that are conducted by the state and county election commissions. The 2012 Republican and Democratic Primaries shall be held June 12 with a runoff election (if necessary) on June 26. The Republican and Democratic candidate filing period opened noon March 16.

At the time of filing, each candidate must complete a Statement of Intention of Candidacy Form, pay the filing fee, present proof that they have filed their Statement of Economics Interests form online at the S.C. State Ethics Commission website, and complete any additional forms as necessary by state law or party rules. The filing fee is 1 percent of the annual salary of the office multiplied by the number of years in the term of office or $100, whichever is greater. This fee is applied to funding the party’s primary. Names of candidates who fail to file the proper forms during the appropriate filing period will not appear on the ballot.

Persons wishing to file for one of the following offices must file with the executive committee of the Dorchester County Republican or Democratic Political Party:  Auditor, Clerk of Court, Coroner, County Council (Seats 4, 5, & 6), S.C. House, S.C. Senate, Sheriff, Solicitor Circuit 1, Probate Judge, Register of Deeds, and Treasurer.

Persons wishing to file for federal or statewide office must file with the state executive committee of the political party of the candidate’s choice. Contact the appropriate political party for specific information regarding filing.

Additional information on candidate filing can be found on SCVotes.org.