2024 General Election Candidate Filing

Partisan Offices on the Ballot

OfficeFiling Location
  • President and Vice President
  • U.S. House of Representatives District 5
S.C. State Election Commission
  • State Senate Districts 14, 15, 16, 17
  • State House of Representatives Districts 26, 29, 43, 46, 47, 48, 49, 66
  • Solicitor Circuit 16
S.C. State Election Commission or
Board of VRE Office in the 
candidate’s County of residence
  • Sheriff*
  • Clerk of Court
  • Coroner*
  • County Council Districts 1, 2, 5, 6
Board of VRE Office of York County
* Additional filing requirements/forms


Filing fees must be paid at the time of filing via Check, Cashier’s Check, or Money Order. Checks are made payable to the S.C. Republican Party or S.C. Democratic Party.  

** Cash or electronic payment methods will NOT be accepted. **

Filing fees are paid by candidates seeking the nomination of a party that nominates by primary. The fees are paid at the time the candidate files for office. The filing fee for each office is one percent of the total salary for the term of that office or one hundred dollars, whichever amount is greater. Filing fees are determined using the base salary for the office in January of each election year. Filing fees are designated by law to offset state costs associated with the conduct of party primaries. See S.C. Code Section 7-13-40. 

Candidates filing with parties that nominate by convention and candidates filing by petition do not pay a filing fee.

When do I file?


(A) In order to qualify as a candidate to run in the General Election, all candidates seeking nomination by political party primary or political party convention must file a statement of intention of candidacy and party pledge and submit any filing fees between noon on March sixteenth and noon on March thirtieth.  See S.C. Code Section 7-11-15.

The exact days for candidate filing will be posted here and on scvotes.gov once determined by the State Election Commission.

Where do I file?

Anyone interested in filing for office within York County must do so in person at the 
Board of Voter Registrations and Elections Office of York County located at:

Level 1 Room 1201
York County Government Center
6 South Congress Street
York, S.C. 29745
Directions


Candidates for Multi-County Offices, such as: Solicitor, some State House and Senate Districts, and Watershed Commissioners may need to file with the State Election Commission located at:

1122 Lady Street, Suite 500
Columbia, SC 29201
Directions

What do I need to file?

The office type and jurisdiction determines what forms, filing fees, or supporting documents are required. Every candidate filing process will require completing an official filing form. Scvotes.gov has more information on the different candidate filing methods.

Filing Forms
Statement of Intention of Candidacy/Party Pledge Form (SICPP) (PDF)For use by candidates who are seeking a political party’s nomination to run in a general or special election.
Statement of Intention of Candidacy Form - Nonpartisan (SIC) (PDF)For use by candidates filing for nonpartisan office.
Petition Form (PDF)For use by candidates filing a nominating petition.
Filing Affidavit for Sheriff (PDF)For use by candidates for sheriff. See S.C. Code of Laws Section 23-11-110.
Filing Affidavit for Coroner (PDF)For use by candidates for coroner. See S.C. Code of Laws Section 17-5-130.

Candidate Qualifications

Candidate Qualifications at SCvotes.org

No person may be popularly elected to and serve in any office in the State unless he is registered to vote in the geographical area represented by the office (S.C. Constitution, Article VI, Section 1).

A person convicted of a felony or an offense against the election laws is not qualified to file for or hold office, unless it has been fifteen years since the completion of the sentence for the crime or unless the person has been pardoned (S.C. Constitution, Article VI, Section 1).

Candidate’s qualifications for all offices, are determined at the time of the election and not at the time of filing or nomination. However, candidates for Senate and House must be a resident of the district at the time of filing.

Some individuals may be restricted from running for public office by the federal Hatch Act.  The Act applies to federal employees and others receiving federal funds and restricts their participation in campaigns for partisan offices.  For detailed information regarding the Hatch Act, visit the  website of the U.S. Office of Special Counsel.

2023 Municipal Candidate Filing is Closed

Filing Location

York County Government Center
6 South Congress St., Level 1, Suite 1201
York SC 29745
Directions

Phone: (803) 684-1242 or (803) 909-7194
Fax: (803) 684-7801
Email: [email protected]

NOTICE: Please wait to sign filing forms in front of an election official or have the form notarized.

Filing fees (if required) are made payable to the York County Treasurer’s Office. Check, Cashier’s checks and money orders are acceptable. Cash or electronic payment methods will NOT be accepted.

Campaign Finance & Ethics

All candidates are required by law to file various campaign finance reports by specific deadlines. All candidates must electronically file a Statement of Economic Interest (SEI) form and may also be required to file Campaign Disclosure reports. Visit the State Ethics Commission website for more information.