January 26th, 2018 by WCBC Radio

Annapolis, Maryland 01/23/18 – Tuesday, February 27, 2018, at 9:00 pm is the deadline for an individual to file as a candidate for the upcoming 2018 Primary Election. Under State law, an individual must file a Certificate of Candidacy by 9:00 pm on the last Tuesday in February in the year in which the primary election will be held. The filing location depends on the office sought. All federal and State candidates file a Certificate of Candidacy at the State Board of Elections (SBE), located at 151 West Street, Annapolis, MD. Local candidates file at the local board of elections. Besides filing the Certificate of Candidacy, all candidates must pay a filing fee at the appropriate board of elections. State and local candidates must also provide evidence that the candidate has filed a financial disclosure statement and established a candidate committee at SBE. Candidates for Central Committee are not required to establish an authorized candidate campaign committee if the candidate spends $1000.00 or less in personal funds on the election and receives no contributions. Candidates that filed a Certificate of Candidacy prior to January 1, 2018 must file a new financial disclosure statement with the appropriate ethics agency prior to March 1, 2018. Failure to meet any of the requirements prior to the deadlines will invalidate the Certificate of Candidacy and remove the individual from the ballot. The 2018 Gubernatorial Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, June 26, 2018, and the 2018 Gubernatorial General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2018. Additional election-related dates and forms are available at www.elections.maryland.gov. For more information, contact the Allegany County Board of Elections at 301-777-5931 or the State Board of Elections at 1-800-222-VOTE (8683) or www.elections.maryland.gov.