Declarations of Candidacy and full payment must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 9
OLYMPIA — Candidate Filing Week begins on Monday, May 5 at 8 a.m. online and at county elections offices across the state, but mailed declarations are being accepted now. Declarations of Candidacy and full payment must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 9.
During the filing period, eligible Washingtonians can declare candidacy for over 3,200 seats ranging from county positions to school boards and cemetery districts. This year marks the second year that all candidates for Superior Court and the State Legislature must file with the Office of the Secretary of State, which can be done online, by mail, or in person.
All other candidates file through a county elections office. Applicants are encouraged to file online. Complete information about open offices and filing fees is available on the Office of the Secretary of State’s Elections website.
“Candidate filing is the first step in running for office, and we continue to work toward making this process as accessible and easy as possible with our online filing option,” Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said. “Serving as an elected official is an important way to get involved with your community, whether at the local, state, or federal level.”
If applicants choose not to file online, they can print a Declaration of Candidacy form and mail it along with a check payable to the Office of the Secretary of State, P.O. Box 40229, Olympia, WA 98504-0229. State candidates also have the option of filing in person at the Legislative Building, located at 416 Sid Snyder Ave. SW in Olympia.
Filing information and state Voters’ Pamphlet guidelines are available online in the State Candidate Guide. A complete list of FAQs and deadlines is available on the Candidate Filing FAQ page.
For filing questions, contact the Elections office at (800) 448-4881 or elections@sos.wa.gov.
Also read:
- ‘Light rail to nowhere’? Surging costs undercut I-5 bridge transit plan
Vancouver’s promised light rail extension to Library Square has no timeline, and the waterfront station would sit 90 feet above ground. - Opinion: The challenges of getting the Brockmann mental health facility open
A $42 million, 48-bed mental health campus near WSU Vancouver was completed in 2025 but never opened due to lack of state funding. - Parents call for resignation of Longview School Board amid sex assault investigation
Superintendent Karen Cloninger faces felony witness tampering charges tied to a student sex assault case at Mark Morris High School. - Opinion: Washington’s business exodus accelerates due to high taxes, regulations driving companies away
Washington’s business relocation rate has nearly tripled since winter 2025, per an AWB survey. - County’s Charter Review Commissioners available to meet with community groups
Fifteen elected commissioners are seeking public input on possible amendments to Clark County’s home rule charter before an Aug. 4 submission deadline.
