Filing period for 2026 candidates begins Dec. 1

Several contested primaries already shaping up for Dare County voters

By Mark Jurkowitz | Outer Banks Voice

(iStock)

The candidate filing period for the 2026 primary election season begins at noon on Monday, Dec. 1 and ends at noon on Friday, Dec. 19—with some candidates having already announced their intention to compete in Republican primaries.

The primary elections will be held on March 3, 2026, with the general election slated for Nov. 3, 2026. The voter registration deadline for those elections is Feb. 6, 2026.

Even in advance of the filing deadline, it’s clear that Dare County voters will have choices in some crowded Republican primary fights. This is due, in great measure, to the events set in motion by the Congressional map re

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