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 public offices to be voted in Sussex County’s 2023 general election. For a list of open school board seats, visit Who's On the Ballot page.


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:  
Andover Borough
Mayor (4 yr-term, 1 seat open)
Borough Council (3-yr term, 2 seats open)

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

Branchville
Mayor (4-yr term, 1 seat open)
Borough Council (3-yr term, 2 seats open)

Byram (Faulkner; 4-yr term, 3 seats to be filled at General Election)

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

Franklin
Mayor (4-yr term, 1 seat open)
Common Council (3-yr term, 2 seats open)

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

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

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

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

Hardyston
Township Council (3-yr term, 2 seats open)

Hopatcong
Mayor (4-yr term, 1 seat open)
Borough Council (3-yr term, 2 seats open)

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

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

Newton (Faulkner: currently no seats to be filled at General Election)

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

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

Sparta (Faulkner; currently no seats to be filled at General Election)

Stanhope
Mayor (4-yr term, 1 seat open)
Borough Council (3-yr term, 2 seats open)

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

Sussex Borough
Mayor (4-yr term, 1 seat open)
Borough Council (3-yr term, 2 seats open)

Vernon (Faulkner; The following seats are to be voted at the General Election):
Mayor (4-yr term, 1 seat open)
Township Council (4-yr term, 2 seats open)
Township Council (2-yr unexpired term, 1 seat open)

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

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

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