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 71st day prior to election day. Municipal offices are filed with the municipal clerk; County offices (as well as 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 or visit our election forms page for an electronic petition. 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 board that participate in the April Annual School Election are filed with the respective School Board Secretary no later than 4 p.m. the 50th day preceding the election. 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 and petition information.

The NJ 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 petition information and/or 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 2023 general election.


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

COUNTY:
Surrogate (5-yr term, 1 seat open)
County Commissioner (3-yr term, 1 seat open)

MUNICIPAL:   PLEASE CHECK BACK IN MARCH FOR UPDATE
Andover Borough
Borough Council (info to come)

Andover Township
Township Committee (info to come)

Branchville
Borough Council (info to come)

Byram  (Faulkner; seats filled at General Election)
(info to come)

Frankford
Township Committee (info to come)

Franklin
Common Council (info to come)

Fredon
Township Committee (info to come)

Green
Township Committee (info to come)

Hamburg
Mayor (info to come)
Borough Council (info to come)

Hampton
Township Committee (info to come)

Hardyston
Township Council (info to come)

Hopatcong
Borough Council (info to come)

Lafayette
Township Committee (info to come)

Montague
Township Committee (info to come)

Newton (Faulkner: 4-yr terms; (info to come); seats filled at General Election)

Ogdensburg
Mayor (info to come)
Common Council (info to come)

Sandyston
Township Committee (info to come)

Sparta (Faulkner; seats filled at General Election)
Township Council (4-yr term, (info to come)

Stanhope
Borough Council (info to come)

Stillwater
Township Committee (info to come)

Sussex Borough
Borough Council (info to come)

Vernon (Faulkner; seats filled at General Election)
Township Council (info to come)

Walpack
Township Committee (info to come)

Wantage
Township Committee (info to come)

SCHOOL BOARDS:
Andover Regional BOE
Andover Borough/Andover Township (info to come)

Byram Township BOE
(info to come)

Frankford Township BOE
(info to come)

Franklin Borough BOE
(info to come)

Green Township BOE
(info to come)

Hamburg Borough BOE
(info to come)

Hampton Township BOE
(info to come)

Hardyston Township BOE
(info to come)

High Point Regional H.S. BOE
(info to come)

Hopatcong Borough BOE
(info to come)

Kittatinny Regional H.S. BOE
(info to come)

Lafayette Township BOE
(info to come)

Lenape Valley Regional H.S. BOE
Byram Township (info to come)
Stanhope Borough (info to come)

Newton BOE
(info to come)

Ogdensburg Borough BOE
(info to come)

Sandyston-Walpack Consolidated BOE
Sandyston Township (info to come)
Walpack Township (info to come)

Sparta Township BOE
(info to come)

Stanhope Borough BOE
(INFO TO COME)

Stillwater Township BOE
(info to come)

Sussex-Wantage Regional BOE
Sussex (info to come)
Wantage (info to come)

Vernon Township BOE
(info to come)

Wallkill Valley Regional H.S. BOE
(info to come)

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

2023 JUNE PRIMARY – Signature Requirements for Democratic & Republican Candidates:

Partisan Petition Signature Requirements


2023 GENERAL ELECTION
Direct Petition Signature Requirements to come
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.

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.

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 provided electronically by the Board upon request.

Click to view a quick reference of important Election Dates & Deadlines for 2023.

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.

Phone:  609-292-8700
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.