The short version
New Jersey holds partisan primaries. Candidates get on the primary ballot by filing nominating petitions; independents file direct nominating petitions for the general election. The Division of Elections lets candidates schedule a petition-filing appointment ahead of the deadline.
- Offices you can run for
- Federal (U.S. House and Senate); statewide offices (Governor, U.S. Senate); the State Senate and General Assembly; and county and municipal offices. (New Jersey judges are appointed, not elected.)
- How to get on the ballot
- File nominating petitions carrying the required number of registered-voter signatures during the filing window — statewide offices need on the order of a thousand or more signatures, with smaller counts for district and local offices (the exact number is set per office). Circulators must be at least 18 and U.S. citizens but need not be registered voters.
- Who runs candidate filing
- New Jersey Division of Elections
This is a plain-language overview, not legal advice. Filing deadlines and fees change every election cycle and vary by office — the official New Jersey resources below are the final word. When in doubt, the elections authority is right and we're wrong.
Official New Jersey candidate resources
Start here for the exact deadlines, fees, forms, and signature counts for your office and cycle.
Once you're on the ballot, Motion51 runs your field game.
Get your district's voter file loaded, cut into walkable turf, and onto an app your volunteers use at the door. New Jersey is fully available — see how to get your voter file.
Talk to us about your New Jersey race
Tell us what you're running for and we'll help you go from "qualified" to "knocking doors" — voter file loaded, turf cut, volunteers set up.