How to Run for Office in New Hampshire
Filing to run for elected office in New Hampshire, from governor to town and city offices, step by step: who files where, the filing period, the fee or petitions, and who is eligible.
Checked against its sources October 17, 2026.
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At a Glance
To run in a party primary for a state, federal or county office, you file a declaration of candidacy in a filing period of about ten days in June of a state election year: with the Secretary of State for most offices, or with your town or city clerk if you are running for state representative. You pay a fee the law sets, or file petitions signed by voters of your party instead. Town and city offices are filed with your town or city clerk, on dates of their own.
Which office?
- Governor, Congress, Executive Council, state senate or countyFile with the Secretary of State in June.
- State representativeFile in June with the clerk of the town or city where you live.
- Town or city officeFile with your town or city clerk, on its own dates.
- Pay the fee the law sets, or file primary petitions from voters of your party instead.
- Running without a party’s primary? File a declaration of intent, the fee, and nomination papers.
Step by Step
Check that you qualify
To hold any elected office in New Hampshire, you must be domiciled in the state. Each office adds its own requirements:
Qualifications by office (Secretary of State, October 17, 2026) Office Age Also Governor 30 Registered voter; domiciled in New Hampshire 7 years U.S. senator 30 U.S. citizen 9 years; living in New Hampshire when elected U.S. representative 25 U.S. citizen 7 years; living in New Hampshire when elected Executive councilor 30 Registered voter; domiciled in New Hampshire 7 years; living in the district State senator 30 Registered voter; domiciled in New Hampshire 7 years; living in the district State representative 18 Registered voter; domiciled in New Hampshire 2 years; living in the town or ward County officer 18 Registered voter in the county where you live The law: RSA 655:2
File in the June filing period
To run in a party’s primary you must be a registered member of that party. File a declaration of candidacy, with a statement of financial interests, between the first Wednesday in June and the Friday of the following week. In 2026 that was June 3 to June 12. A filing on the last day must be made in person by the candidate, by 5 p.m.
Candidates for governor, U.S. senator, U.S. representative, executive councilor, state senator and county office file with the Secretary of State. Candidates for state representative file with the clerk of the town or city where they live; someone who lives in an unincorporated place files with the town clerk the Secretary of State designates.
Running for officeFind your town or city clerk
The law: RSA 655:14, RSA 655:15
Pay the fee, or file petitions instead
With your declaration, pay the fee for your office, or instead file the number of primary petitions below, each signed by a registered member of your party, together with one written assent to your candidacy.
Fees and primary petitions (RSA 655:19-c) Office Fee Or primary petitions Governor $100 200 U.S. senator $100 200 U.S. representative $50 100 Executive councilor $25 50 State senator $10 20 County officer $10 50 State representative $2 5 The law: RSA 655:19-c
Running without a party's primary
To reach the general election ballot by another route, file a declaration of intent with the Secretary of State in the same June period, pay the same fee, and file nomination papers signed by registered voters: 3,000 for governor or U.S. senator, 1,500 from each congressional district; 1,500 for U.S. representative; 750 for executive councilor or state senator; and 150 for state representative or county officer. The papers go first to the supervisors of the checklist in each town or city, on deadlines in the summer that the Secretary of State’s page gives.
The law: RSA 655:14-a, RSA 655:42
Town and city offices
In a town that uses the nonpartisan ballot, file a declaration of candidacy with the town clerk. Filing opens on the seventh Wednesday before the town election and closes on the Friday of the following week, and a filing on the last day must be made in person. Your town clerk can tell you which offices are on the ballot.
In a city, ask the city clerk. In Concord, for example, candidates for mayor, city council and ward offices file at the City Clerk’s Office, from September 3 to 13, 2027, for the election of November 2, 2027, with a fee or by petition.
Find your town or city clerkConcord's filing page
The law: RSA 669:19
Who Can Help
The Secretary of State’s Elections Division answers questions about filing for state and federal office at 603-271-3242 or [email protected]. For town and city offices, ask your town or city clerk.
In the Record
Chapter 655: Nominations
Laws that changed it since 2020, newest first:
- HB 481 Became Law
- HB 1187-FN Became Law
- HB 1381 Became Law
- HB 78 Became Law
- HB 327-FN Became Law
- SB 212 Became Law
- SB 344 2023-2024 Became Law
- HB 55 2021-2022 Became Law
Chapter 669: Town Elections
Bills now before the General Court that would change it:
- HB 1319 Interim Study
Laws that changed it since 2020, newest first: