RUNNING AS A “PARTISAN” CANDIDATE?
If you are interested in running for one of the county or municipal public offices listed above under the designation of either Republican or Democrat at the General Election, you must first run as a candidate in one of the two partisan primary elections held in June. Successful Primary candidates will go on to represent their respective party at the November General Election. Petitions for the June Primary elections must be filed before 4 p.m. on or before the 64th day prior to election. Municipal offices are filed with the municipal clerk; County offices (including State Committee Member) are filed with the county clerk. The number of signatures required on a primary petition differs from one party to the next and from town to town. Click here for petitions and signature requirements.

RUNNING AS AN “INDEPENDENT” CANDIDATE?
If you do not wish to run as a Democrat or Republican candidate in November, you have the option of filing a “direct petition” with the county clerk to run for county or municipal office on the November General Election ballot. All direct petitions must be filed with the County Clerk no later than 4 p.m. of the day of the Primary election. The number of signatures required on a direct petition differs from town to town. Click here for signature requirements. Direct petitions are available from the County Clerk’s Office. Call our office with questions at 973-579-0900.

RUNNING FOR SCHOOL BOARD?
School board candidates are non-partisan and are elected either at the April Annual School Election or at the school board elections held by the county in November; they do not participate in the June primary elections. Petitions for school boards participating in the April Annual School Election are filed with the respective School Board Secretary. Petitions for school boards whose elections are held at the November General Election are filed with the County Clerk no later than 4 p.m. the last Monday in July.  Call our office with questions at 973-579-0900. Visit our Elections Forms page for petitions.

The School Boards Association Candidates Kit is available from the NJ School Board Assn website. Residents interested in board member candidacy can download the free kit, which includes information on:

• Important Dates
• How to Become a School Board Member
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Requirements of the New Jersey School Ethics Act
• Criminal Background Checks
• School Election and Budget Procedures Calendar
• Campaign Reporting Requirements
• Candidate Briefings

RUNNING IN A FAULKNER COMMUNITY?
Sussex County has four “Faulkner Communities/Towns”:  Byram, Newton, Sparta and Vernon. Persons interested in running for public municipal office in any of the above-mentioned Faulkner communities must contact their respective municipal clerk for petitions and signature requirements.

RUNNING FOR PARTY COUNTY COMMITTEE?
Republican & Democratic County Committee members are elected in the June Primary during odd-numbered years. To learn more about party county committee click Party County Committee. For a petition to run for County Committee visit our Election Forms page.

Following is a list of offices to be voted in Sussex County’s Democratic & Republican primaries for the general election.

STATE:
Governor (1 seat open)
Senate (1 seat open)
General Assembly (2 seats open)

COUNTY:
County Clerk (5-yr term, 1 seat open)
County Commissioner (3-yr term, 2 seats open)

MUNICIPAL:  (If your town’s information is not yet listed … please check back or contact your municipal clerk directly)
Andover Borough
Borough Council (3-yr term, 2 seats open)

Andover Township
Township Committee (3-yr term, 2 seats open)

Branchville
Borough Council (3-yr term, 2 seats open)

Byram  (Faulkner; seats filled at General Election)
Mayor (4-yr term, 1 seat open)
Township Council (4-yr term, 1 seat open)

Frankford
Township Committee (3-yr term, 2 seats open)

Franklin
Common Council (3-yr term, 2 seats open)

Fredon
Township Committee (3-yr term, 2 seats open)

Green
Township Committee (3-yr term, 1 seat)

Hamburg
Borough Council (3-yr term, 2 seats open)

Hampton
Township Committee (3-yr term, 2 seats open)

Hardyston
Township Council (3-yr term, 1 seat open)

Hopatcong
Borough Council (3-yr term, 2 seats open)

Lafayette
Township Committee (3-yr term, 1 seat open)

Montague
Township Committee 

Newton (Faulkner; seats filled at General Election)
NO SEATS OPEN IN 2021

Ogdensburg
Common Council (3-yr term, 2 seats open)

Sandyston
Township Committee (3-yr term, 1 seat open)

Sparta (Faulkner; seats filled at General Election)

Stanhope
Borough Council (3-yr term, 2 seats open)

Stillwater
Township Committee (3-yr term, 2 seats open)

Sussex Borough
Borough Council (3-yr term, 2 seats open)

Vernon (Faulkner; seats filled at General Election)
Township Council (4-yr term, 3 seats open)

Walpack
Township Committee (3-yr term, 1 seat open)

Wantage
Township Committee (3-yr term, 1 seat open)

All petitions are found on our Election Forms page.

NOTE!  In Sussex County, the use of a “nickname” on the official ballot will be permitted only if the candidate’s full and proper name (as registered with the County Board of Elections) appears together with the nickname. The nickname will appear in quotes, e.g., Thomas “Tommy” Smith.

NOTE!  School board candidates are now permitted to use a (three-word) slogan and/or file joint petitions if they wish. Visit the NJ School Board Association website for a school board candidate packet. The New Jersey School Boards Association’s Election Candidates Kit is available for downloading:  NJSBA Candidates Kit.  Residents interested in board member candidacy can download the free kit, which includes information on:  Important Dates, How to Become a School Board Member, Frequently Asked Questions, Requirements of the New Jersey School Ethics Act, Criminal Background Checks, Campaign Reporting Requirements, Candidate Briefings.

This information does not pertain to Faulkner candidates. Faulkner candidates should contact their municipal clerk for petitions and petition requirements.

2021 JUNE PRIMARY – Signature Requirements for Democratic & Republican Candidates:

Andover Borough
Andover Township
Branchville Borough
Byram Township
Frankford Township
Franklin Borough
Fredon Township
Green Township
Hamburg Borough
Hampton Township
Hardyston Township
Hopatcong Borough
Lafayette Township
Montague Township
Town of Newton
Ogdensburg Borough
Sandyston Township
Sparta Township
Stanhope Borough
Stillwater Township
Sussex Borough
Vernon Township
Walpack Township
Wantage Township

2021 GENERAL ELECTION
Direct Petition Signature Requirements
The deadline to file a direct petition with the County Clerk is 4 p.m.  Primary Election Day.

School Board Candidates:  The minimum number of signatures required on a school board petition (regardless of the district) is 10. The candidate may sign his or her petition.

Street voter lists are available to voters/candidates in paper form from the county clerk’s office at a cost of $.25/district. These lists are compiled in late October each year. Candidates seeking the most up-to-date voter data can contact the County Board of Elections; voter lists can be provide electronically upon request.

Click to view a quick reference of important Election Dates & Deadlines for 2021.

Any candidate who has filed a nominating petition, including school board candidates, must file campaign reports with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) pursuant to the provisions of the New Jersey Campaign Contributions and Expenditures Act. These reports contain information concerning contributions and disbursements of a candidate’s campaign. Refer to Election Dates/Reports for campaign reporting deadlines. 

Toll free:  1-888-313-3532
Web:  www.elec.state.nj.us (for downloading Compliance Manual, forms, and other information)
Fax:  1-609-633-9854

Click here to view candidate reports filed with ELEC NJ.