Become A Candidate

What do I need to know?

Considering Running for office?
Research Your Race

  1. What office are you planning to run for?

  2. What are the qualifications for this office (e.g., residency, professional certification)? Do

    you meet them?

  3. What is the date of the next election for this office?

  4. When is the filing deadline to get on the ballot? Is there enough time for you to meet the requirements to get on the ballot?

  5. Will you be running in an open seat (generally speaking, this can be easier for a new candidate to win) or against an incumbent?

  6. Will you be running in a single-member district (i.e., one-on-one against another person in the general election) or will you be running in a larger field, possibly for an at-large seat (i.e., one that the entire municipality or county votes on)? If your area has both types of seats, you probably want to talk to local party leaders and research the elections results from past races to consider which is more winnable for you.

  7. Will there be a primary election? If so, when? Whether there are primary elections for this type of office is an election law question that your local election official can probably answer for you. However, whether other Democrats are considering or planning to run—and therefore whether there would be a contested primary election with another Democrat running against you—is something you will probably have to talk to local party and community leaders to find out.

  8. Do you need to be registered to vote as a Democrat in order to run in that primary election, or meet any other requirements? Are you registered as a Democrat? If you need to be but aren’t, by what date do you have to be a registered Democrat?

  9. Running for office will take up a lot of your time (nights, weekends, probably no family vacations in the few months before Election Day), which will affect your family and relationships. If you have a family or partner, have you discussed this with them? Are they on board?

  10. Do you have any concerns about how this will go over with your current job, considering the hours/time commitment of running and/or the times and commitment of the meetings and other obligations once you hold the office? What about considering the publicity and attention you will be receiving as a candidate and then officeholder?

We know that some of this can be complicated, particularly if you don’t know all the legal elections jargon. We’re here to help—if you hit a stumbling block as you do your research and complete this worksheet, email us: questions@traindemocrats.org. (Note: this document slightly altered from the original on traindemocrats.org | 3/20/25)

Considering Running in Carroll County, AR?
Contact Jean ( candidatesupport @carrollcountydemocrats.org ) or fill out the form below.

Paid for by the National Democratic Training Committee PAC.
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

Want to run? We can't give up the fight.

Democrats are working for a better Arkansas. By running for office, you can directly improve the lives of your neighbors by fighting for issues that matter to them, such as:

  • Access to affordable healthcare
  • Access to affordable housing
  • Education that prepares all students for success
  • Good-paying jobs
  • A clean environment

If you are interested in running for office, please contact us using this form. We will help you get started and provide you with the resources you need to be successful.

Together, we can make Carroll County a better place for all.