How to interpret this record
Run for Office: Your Public-Service Starter Guide
Local government is a collection of institutions with different boundaries and responsibilities. A municipality, school district and special district can serve overlapping places without being the same organization.
Map the institution, not just the city name
A mailing address can sit inside several governmental boundaries. A county, municipality, school district and special-purpose body may each make different decisions. The Census of Governments provides a structured way to identify governmental units; a unit’s existence does not automatically tell you who currently holds each seat or when its next election occurs.
Distinguish a directory from a live roster
An institutional directory describes organizations. An official roster describes people connected to offices at a stated time. These sources may be published by different agencies on different schedules. Electionpedia links the institution and the person when the evidence supports a match, while preserving the distinction between the source’s reference year and the latest date the file was checked.
Read the full local government guide →Step up for
your community.
We need more public servants willing to listen, learn and do the work. If you’re thinking about running for office, you don’t have to start alone.
Free starting tools · All parties and independents welcome · No account required
Start where you are.
No account, email or announcement needed. Pick a starting point and take a useful plan with you.
Start with service, not an announcement.
You can learn about an office before deciding whether a campaign is right for you.
Write down a community problem and the public body with authority over it. Keep this reflection in your own notes.
Explore local public bodiesFind the body’s official meeting calendar, read a recent agenda and budget, and attend or watch a meeting.
Find a government recordDiscuss time, work, caregiving, accessibility and personal support with someone you trust. Research the duties and compensation of the office.
Explore offices and officeholdersA short list is enough. Identify its jurisdiction and the official who can explain candidacy requirements.
Find offices near me
What should I ask the election office?
Tell them the exact office, seat, jurisdiction and election you’re researching. Then ask:
- Which office handles candidacy for this exact office, seat, jurisdiction and election?
- What qualifications apply, and by what date must each be met?
- Which ballot or nomination routes are available, and what are their separate requirements?
- Where are the current official instructions, forms, fees or petition rules?
- What are the exact deadlines, time zone, delivery methods and receipt requirements?
- Which campaign-finance authority, registration and reporting duties apply, including before announcing?
- How do I confirm acceptance, ballot qualification and any remaining steps?
These questions are also included in your download. Electionpedia does not send this message for you.
What offices can I run for?
Explore office records and public bodies in your area. An address match is a research starting point—not a decision about eligibility, an open seat or ballot qualification.
Build a stronger foundation.
Understand the job, organize the requirements and know where authoritative answers come from.
Understand the job
Explore public bodies and current office records. Then check duties, meetings, terms and compensation at the official source.
Explore local power Ballot accessFind the filing authority
Start with our state source maps. Confirm the current election, exact seat, filing route and requirements with the responsible office.
Browse official sources State & local guidancePrepare for finance duties
Find the campaign-finance regulator for your state. Check registration, reporting and recordkeeping before raising or spending money.
Find a finance authority Official FEC guidanceLearn the federal process
Use the FEC’s candidate registration, treasurer and reporting resources. Federal finance registration is separate from ballot access.
Read the FEC guide States & territoriesResearch territorial rules
USA.gov links election offices for U.S. territories as well as states. Use the appropriate authority where our local coverage is incomplete.
Open the official directory When you are readyComplete a public profile
Already have an Electionpedia record? Use the claim process to submit profile information for verification. Claiming does not change the neutral record.
Explore profile verificationLet’s find your next step.
You don’t need to know every rule or have a campaign assembled to ask a question. Tell us where you’re starting. Our aim is to make the path into public service easier to understand.
What you can ask us to help you find
- Office records and the authority responsible for filing.
- Official eligibility, ballot-access and finance resources.
- A clearer list of questions to take to the election office.
- The process for completing an existing public profile.
A deadline coming up? Contact the election authority directly. This is a private request queue, not live support; a reply is not guaranteed. We don’t file for you or provide legal representation.
Find official election sources →How can we help?
You don’t need to have picked an office. Choose what would help first. Your request goes to the Electionpedia team’s private review queue.
Another place to explore: Open Ballot Institute offers a candidate-packet request intake focused on ballot-access research. It is a separate organization, not an Electionpedia filing service or verified partner. We do not send it your request. Its materials are informational, not legal advice or automatic filing.
Open the candidacy source map for your state.
Each page counts the permanent office records already indexed and links the official election authority responsible for current rules.
One hub brings together races, voting, officials, candidates, money, local governments, schools and running for office.
State filing-source maps and office counts
| State | Connected office records |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 150 |
| Alaska | 64 |
| Arizona | 81 |
| Arkansas | 141 |
| California | 214 |
| Colorado | 111 |
| Connecticut | 195 |
| Delaware | 66 |
| District of Columbia | 12 |
| Florida | 189 |
| Georgia | 252 |
| Hawaii | 81 |
| Idaho | 110 |
| Illinois | 250 |
| Indiana | 162 |
| Iowa | 156 |
| Kansas | 172 |
| Kentucky | 147 |
| Louisiana | 152 |
| Maine | 193 |
| Maryland | 129 |
| Massachusetts | 210 |
| Michigan | 164 |
| Minnesota | 211 |
| Mississippi | 179 |
| Missouri | 202 |
| Montana | 155 |
| Nebraska | 55 |
| Nevada | 70 |
| New Hampshire | 230 |
| New Jersey | 95 |
| New Mexico | 117 |
| New York | 306 |
| North Carolina | 187 |
| North Dakota | 99 |
| Ohio | 150 |
| Oklahoma | 155 |
| Oregon | 99 |
| Pennsylvania | 285 |
| Rhode Island | 118 |
| South Carolina | 180 |
| South Dakota | 76 |
| Tennessee | 144 |
| Texas | 238 |
| Utah | 111 |
| Vermont | 129 |
| Virginia | 153 |
| Washington | 111 |
| West Virginia | 122 |
| Wisconsin | 143 |
| Wyoming | 97 |
Need a U.S. territory or a different local filing office? Start with USA.gov’s state and territory election-office directory. Our state source maps are not a complete national filing guide.
It’s okay to have questions.
Do I have to be ready to announce a campaign?
No. You can use the free starter checklist and official-source directory while exploring. A private help request does not announce a candidacy, create a public profile, or sign you up for a newsletter. Before fundraising or spending, check the rules that apply to your election; exploratory activity can carry obligations.
Can an address prove I am eligible to run for office?
No. An address can identify jurisdictions and district records. Eligibility may also depend on age, citizenship, residency duration, voter registration, professional credentials, disqualifications, and current law.
Does an FEC filing put someone on the ballot?
No. The FEC administers federal campaign-finance registration and reporting. State election authorities administer ballot access for federal candidates.
Where are filing deadlines and fees?
Electionpedia links the responsible state or local election authority. Exact deadlines, fees, petitions, and forms are shown only after an official source is normalized.
Can independent, minor-party and nonpartisan candidates use this?
Yes. These resources are open to people exploring public service across parties and without a party. Ballot routes and requirements differ by jurisdiction, office and election. Confirm the route with the responsible authority; this page does not decide availability or eligibility.
What happens when I request help?
Your request is stored in Electionpedia’s private team review queue. A reply is not guaranteed. It is not a filing, endorsement, legal representation or a promise of campaign services. If a deadline is near, contact the responsible election authority directly rather than waiting for a response.
Official reference: FEC ballot-access guidance and federal exploratory-activity guidance. Rules vary by office, jurisdiction and election; confirm current requirements with the responsible authority. This page is educational, not legal advice.