For Candidates

Brunswick County has 19 municipalities, 2 sanitary districts, and a hospital authority that will hold elections this year.  See the List of Elected Officials to find out what seats are up for election.

CANDIDATE FILING

Filing Dates: Friday, July 7 at noon through Friday, July 21 at noon

Candidate Withdrawal Deadline: Tuesday, July 18 at 5 PM

Filing Fees: Filing fees for municipal offices are $5, except for Belville ($15) and Oak Island ($25). Filing fees should be paid in the form of a cash, check or money order.  Business or corporate checks are not accepted. Exact change is required if paying in cash. (Cash is only accepted since filing fees are less than $50).

A Board of Elections staff member will work with each candidate to verify eligibility to file.  A candidate must meet the general candidate requirements and reside within the municipality of special district.

Filing paperwork will be completed and notarized (photo ID will be required for notarization).

The candidate will pay a filing fee.  Filing fees for municipal offices are $5, except for Belville ($15) and Oak Island ($25). 

Filing fees should be paid in the form of a check or money order. Business or corporate checks and credit cards not accepted. Filing fees $50 or less may be paid in cash; exact change required.

The candidate will have an opportunity to sit with a staff member to discuss establishing a candidate committee.

Candidates will be provided a packet containing information pertinent to running for office.

A candidate committee is required to register with a board of elections within ten days of taking the first among certain activities that are deemed to have begun the committee’s organization. The first of the following activities by the candidate starts the ten days:

1. Receiving money or anything of value in support of the campaign; or
2. Spending money in support of the campaign; or
3. Giving consent for anyone else to receive money or spend money for the purpose of bringing about that individual’s nomination or election for office; or
4. Filing a notice of candidacy.

Find information about campaign finance, including the most recent version of the Campaign Finance Manual, on the State’s website.

When do I need to file paperwork with the Board of Elections office to organize my political committee?
Within ten days of one of the following:

1. Receiving money or anything of value in support of the campaign; or
2. Spending money in support of the campaign; or
3. Giving consent for anyone else to receive money or spend money for the purpose of bringing about that individual’s nomination or election for office; or
4. Filing a notice of candidacy.

Who can I appoint as my treasurer and what is required of that person?
The candidate may appoint themselves or any individual that is a resident of North Carolina, apart from the candidate’s spouse, to serve as treasurer for the committee. Treasurers are responsible for maintaining all financial records of the committee, timely filing of reports, and ensuring the committee follows the campaign finance laws. The treasurer must be a resident of North Carolina. The treasurer is responsible for setting up the committee and notifying the Board of Elections when changes occur. The treasurer should keep track of all committee transactions and keep records current within 7 days.

Will my treasurer be trained?
Yes. North Carolina residents appointed as treasurers of political committees are required to receive training within three months of appointment, and once every four years thereafter. The State Board of Elections facilitates mandatory compliance training.
Please visit the North Carolina State Board of Elections website for additional information on Treasurer Training.

Can I keep the money I raise for the campaign in my personal bank account?
No. It is required that campaign funds be maintained in a bank account that is used exclusively by the political committee. Many banks will require that you obtain an EIN number from the IRS to open the account. EIN numbers can be obtained by going to www.irs.gov or calling 800-829-4933.

I do not plan to receive any contributions and want to fund my campaign entirely with my own money. Do I still need to open a committee?
Yes. All candidates are required to open a committee. When deciding whether to file over or under the $1,000 threshold, keep in mind that anything you purchase with personal funds for the campaign will count toward the $1,000. Purchases you make with personal funds are considered in-kind contributions from you as an individual to your campaign.

If I file a Certification of Threshold and remain under the $1,000 limit, do I need to keep track of the money I receive and spend?
Yes. All committees should keep accurate records of contributions and expenditures regardless of whether the committee filed over or under the $1,000 threshold. If the threshold is exceeded, full disclosure of activity will be required.

Helpful Hints:

Treasurers may accept cash in an amount no greater than fifty dollars [$50.00] from a contributor per day. In no case may any contributor give more than $50.00 in cash in a single day.

Do not accept cash from a contributor in excess of $50.00. All contributions greater than $50.00 must be made by a verifiable form of payment, such as a personal check, money order, demand draft, cashier’s check, debit, or credit card. This prohibition also applies to candidates who wish to withdraw funds from their personal account to be deposited in a campaign finance account.

Do not accept a contribution, including an “in-kind” contribution, from a business, corporation, professional association, labor union or insurance company.

A person who purchases something from a candidate has contributed to that candidate’s committee. All such contributions, however small, must be disclosed.

Volunteers raising contributions on behalf of the committee must turn those over to the treasurer within seven days of receipt so that the records are current, as required by State law.

I am planning a fundraiser and a local restaurant has offered to donate food. Is this allowed?
No. You cannot receive any contribution (monetary or in-kind) from a business. This includes donating items for fundraisers.

I am planning a fundraiser and will sell plates of food. Do I need to keep track of how much each person buys?
Yes. Anonymous contributions are prohibited. For example, if you hold a fundraiser and sell hot dog plates for $5 and drinks for $1, you must have the name, address, and phone number of each person who buys a plate or a drink and keep track of how much money they give.

A friend of mine came up to me and put a $100 bill in my hand telling me to “put it toward the campaign”. Is this allowed?
No. Any contribution more than $50 must be made with a verifiable form of payment (i.e., check or money order).

I am going to Costco to buy food for a fundraiser. Can I make the purchase using cash?
That depends. If you are using campaign funds and the purchase is over $50, it must be made with a verifiable form of payment (i.e., check, money order, campaign debit/credit card). If you are using your personal money and will donate the food to the committee as an in-kind contribution, the purchase can be made with any form of payment.

Any treasurer that signs campaign finance reports is required by law to receive treasurer training from the State within three months of appointment and once every four years. This training can be taken in-person or online.

Get specific information on how and when to receive training from the State.

Every report filed will require a Disclosure Report Cover and a Detailed Summary.  Other forms will be used depending on the type of transactions that took place during the reporting period.

This is not an exhaustive list, only those most frequently used.  All reporting forms, including instructions and samples for each, can be found on the State’s website.

Disclosure Report Cover CRO-1000

Describes the type of report, time period the report covers, and includes committee information. EVERY report will need to have a signed cover turned in with it – including amendments (Signed in ink – no electronic signatures).

Detailed Summary CRO-1100

Summarizes the totals of all pages submitted by totaling both “Reporting Period” and “Election Cycle.” The reporting period is just the time frame of the report. The election cycle is the total throughout the term, which begins on January 1 following the last election for the office sought.

Contributions from Individuals CRO-1210

• Contributions under $50 may be reported on Aggregated Contributions From Individuals CRO-1205, bearing in mind that once a contributor exceeds $50 in an election cycle, they must be reported on CRO-1210.

Disbursements CRO-1310

Form used to show expenditures from the committee during the reporting period. Use a separate (CRO-1310) form for each of the 3 types of disbursements (operating expenses, contributions to candidate/political committee, or coordinated party expenditures). Check the box on Line 3 of the form to distinguish which category the page of disbursements represents.

Refunds and Reimbursements FROM the Committee CRO-1320

Refunds and reimbursements FROM the committee would include returned contributions, reimbursements for in-kind contributions and any other refunds from the committee, that occurred during the reporting period.

In-Kind Contributions CRO-1510

All “In-Kind,” or non-monetary, contributions should be listed on the appropriate contributions page (1205, 1210, 1220, 1230, and 1240) in addition to the In-Kind Contributions form. In-Kind Contributions MUST be shown on BOTH forms to show the value of the contribution without affecting the committee account balance on the Detailed Summary.

Complete schedules can be found on the State’s website.

2023 Municipal Election Reporting Schedule

2023-24 State and County Reporting Schedule

2024 Primary Election Date – 03/05/2024

2024 General Election Date – 11/05/2024

In 2024, the Mid-Year Semi-Annual and Year-End Semi-Annual reports are only due from candidates who are not appearing on the ballot in the 2024 elections.

Neither the county boards nor the State Board regulates the placement of signage except at polling sites. Signs fall under N.C.G.S. § 136-32 and are under the purview of the Department of Transportation or the individual municipality. In terms of signs on private property, that is the purview of the property owner and possibly their HOA if one exists. Review the signage requirement guidelines in the Littering Statutes Filing Fact Sheet (PDF).

From the Brunswick County Unified Development Ordinance

Article 8, Section 8.7.7. Campaign/Political Signs

• A. Description – A sign without a commercial message that relates to an election or other event.
• B. Standards – Within seven days of the election (closing of polls), all signs must be removed.

Other Considerations

Committees are responsible for picking up their signs following an election to adhere to state and local regulations.

Private roads would be in a municipality or unincorporated. Questions regarding unincorporated areas should be directed to the Brunswick County Planning Department at (910) 253-2025.

Development HOA rules vary.

Any inquiries about signs in DOT right of ways (state roads) should be referred to the district office for Brunswick.

Signs at the Polling Place

Each precinct voting place permits candidates to place and retrieve political advertising at least 36 hours prior to the opening of the voting place and at least 36 hours after the close of the voting place, unless a special agreement is made with a non-public building.

For the 2022 primary election, there are two polling places that do not allow electioneering: Ocean View United Methodist Church and Jennie’s Branch Baptist Church.

Notice of Buffer Zone 2022 General