On November 8, 2022, Union County voters will go to the polls to vote for several federal, state and local offices. A primary election to determine candidates who will be on the ballot in November 2022 will be held on March 8, 2022. The primary election will determine which candidates representing the Republican, Democratic and Libertarian parties will be on the general election ballot.  Unaffiliated candidates do not participate in the primary election.

Registered unaffiliated voters in Union County who want to run for Board of Education, Board of County Commission, and Sheriff must petition to be included on the ballot for the general election.

Prospective unaffiliated candidates should first obtain a petition request form from the N.C. State Board of Elections and submit the completed form to the Union County Board of Elections, which will then provide the petitioner with a recommended template of the petition signature pages to be circulated.

Petitioners for these offices must collect valid signatures from at least 4% of the total number of registered voters in the district or county-wide as of January 1 of the election year. As an example, Union County currently has 161,414 registered voters. Using that number, a candidate for an at-large office would need to collect 6,457 signatures to qualify to be on the general election ballot.

The petitioner must file completed signature pages with the Union County Board of Elections by noon on Primary Day, March 8, 2022.  The Board of Elections will verify that signers are registered voters in Union County no later than 15 business days after canvass of the primary, April 8, 2022. If the petitioner collects enough signatures from registered voters, their name will be included as a candidate for the specific office they are seeking on the general election ballot

To download a petition form and learn more about the petition process, visit ncsbe.gov/candidates/petitions.