File for Office
Online Candidate Filing
- Mobile devices are not recommended.
- If we do not receive payment by 5 p.m. on the final day of filing (May 9, 2025), we cannot accept your submission.
- Please allow 24-48 hours for candidacy approval. You will receive a confirmation email at the candidate email address.
Quick links:
- Certification of Candidates to the Primary Election 2025
- Certificate of Lot Draw Results 2025
- State Candidates Guide
- Offices Open for Election (filing fees)
- Candidates Who Have Filed
- 2024 Candidate Portal Video Tutorial
- Candidate Portal Slide Show
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Withdrawal of Candidacy
- Write-in Candidacy Voter Intent, Forms, & FAQs
Requirements to file online
- Be registered to vote in the district for which you are filing.
- Pay with Visa, MasterCard or American Express.
- Provide a valid email address.
- Submit by 5 p.m. on Friday.
File in person or by mail
- Complete a paper filing form.
- Pay with cash or check.
- Make checks payable to "Secretary of State."
- Must be received in office by 5 p.m. on Friday.
- Submit a petition in lieu of filing fee.
- Candidates without sufficient assets or income may submit a filing fee petition to pay the filing fee.
- You may not file signature petitions electronically.
- You may not combine petition signatures and currency to satisfy the filing fee.
- Only signatures of registered voters in the same jurisdiction as the office are valid.
- Each petition sheet must:
- Be printed on uniform paper size and color.
- Include a place for each voter’s registration name, address, city, and county.
- Provide 20 numbered lines or less.
- Display the required warning and statement found in RCW 29A.24.101 and RCW 29A.72.140.
- No additional signatures are accepted after initial submission at time of filing.
- Petition sheets are not returned to the candidate.
- Printable templates: Filing Fee Petition Template.pdf Filing Fee Petition Template.docx
- Petitions must include a total number of valid signatures no fewer than the dollar amount of the filing fee.
- No person may sign more than one nominating petition for the same office.
- Without the required number of signatures, the petition is insufficient and your Declaration of Candidacy is invalid.
Filing office
All candidates are encouraged to file a Declaration of Candidacy online. For help, please contact your filing office.
The Office of the Secretary of State administers the public offices listed below:
- United States Senator
- United States Representative
- Statewide Executive
- State Legislative
- Supreme Court Justice
- Court of Appeals Judge
- Superior Court Judge
Contact your county elections office for all other offices.
Knowingly providing false information on a Declaration of Candidacy is a class C felony as provided by RCW 29A.84.711.
Office of the Secretary of State: call (360) 902-4180, toll free 1 (800) 448-4881, email [email protected]. Assistance is available Monday- Friday, 8 a.m.- 5 p.m.