How to Run for County Commissioner in New Jersey

County commissioners govern each New Jersey county. State law still uses the old title "chosen freeholder," but since 2020 the law has designated these officials as county commissioners (P.L.2020, c.67). Commissioners are elected by the voters of the county at the November general election and generally serve three-year terms (N.J.S.A. 40:20-23). Each county also elects a sheriff for three years and a county clerk and a surrogate for five years each (N.J. Const. Art. VII, Sec. II, par. 2).

To run as a Democrat or a Republican, you file a primary petition with the county clerk by 4 p.m. on Monday, March 29, 2027. It needs signatures from members of your party equal to 1 percent of the party's total vote at the last primary for General Assembly in the county, or 300, whichever is less, and never fewer than 150 (N.J.S.A. 19:23-8). The primary is on Tuesday, June 8, 2027, and the general election is on Tuesday, November 2, 2027. Independent candidates file a petition for direct nomination with the county clerk by 4 p.m. on June 8. All of these dates are based on state law.

For other 2027 races, see our guide to running for local office in New Jersey.

Step 1: Find out which county seats are on the 2027 ballot

Where commissioner terms are staggered, some seats are on the ballot in a given year and others are not. The size of the board and the length of terms can also differ by county. Sheriffs, county clerks and surrogates serve fixed terms of three, five and five years, so whether those offices are on your county's 2027 ballot depends on when they were last elected.

Ask your county clerk which county offices are on the 2027 ballot, and whether commissioner seats are elected countywide or from districts. The county clerk sends each municipal clerk an official notice of the county offices to be elected in November on Monday, March 29, 2027 (based on state law, N.J.S.A. 19:12-5), but you need the answer well before that, because your petition is due on that date too.

Step 2: Check that you qualify

A primary candidate's acceptance certifies that the candidate "is a resident of and a legal voter in the jurisdiction of the office," which for a county office is the county (N.J.S.A. 19:23-15). An independent candidate's acceptance makes the same certification (N.J.S.A. 19:13-8). If the office has any other qualifications, your county clerk can tell you.

Choose one route for each office. A candidate who accepts a party primary petition cannot also accept an independent petition for the same office, and the reverse is also true (N.J.S.A. 19:13-8; 19:23-15).

Step 3: Collect signatures on the primary petition

Under current law, only the Democratic and Republican parties hold primaries. Both parties' candidates follow the same rules.

How many. At least 1 percent of the total votes cast by your party's voters at the last primary for General Assembly in the county, or 300, whichever is less, but in no case fewer than 150 (N.J.S.A. 19:23-8, as amended by P.L.2025, c.20). The last Assembly primary before 2027 was held in June 2025. In practice, your number will be between 150 and 300, and your county clerk can tell you the exact figure.

Who may sign. Voters of the county who are members of your party and intend to affiliate with it at the primary. A member of one party may not sign another party's petition, and a signer may not endorse more candidates than there are seats to fill (N.J.S.A. 19:23-7; 19:23-10). Ask your county clerk how voters who are not affiliated with any party are treated.

Who may circulate. The circulator (the person who collects the signatures) must be a registered New Jersey voter of the same party, and swears an affidavit before a notary or other officer authorized to give oaths that they personally circulated the petition and that each signature is in the signer's own handwriting (N.J.S.A. 19:23-11). You may sign and circulate your own petition (N.J.S.A. 19:23-10).

What else goes on the form. Each signature line has room for the signer's printed name, address and signature. The petition gives your residence and post office address and a working email address (N.J.S.A. 19:23-7). Signers of a petition for county office may also name three people as a committee on vacancies, who can name a replacement candidate if a vacancy occurs (N.J.S.A. 19:23-12).

A countywide petition covers a lot of ground, so plan your collection by area and collect a comfortable margin above your number. Beacon's guide to New Jersey nominating petitions covers the form line by line and explains how to collect signatures door to door.

Step 4: The independent route

Independent candidates, and candidates of any party that does not hold a primary, file a petition for direct nomination with the county clerk (N.J.S.A. 19:13-3). It needs signatures from voters of the county equal to 5 percent of the total vote for General Assembly at the last election for the whole Assembly, but no more than 250 (N.J.S.A. 19:13-5). It is due before 4 p.m. on primary day, Tuesday, June 8, 2027 (based on state law, N.J.S.A. 19:13-9).

The circulator does not have to be a registered voter but must be at least 18, a New Jersey resident and a U.S. citizen, and swears that they saw every signature made (N.J.S.A. 19:13-7). Each voter may sign one petition for each office, and signers state that they have not signed a primary petition for that office (N.J.S.A. 19:13-4; 19:13-6).

Step 5: File with the county clerk, then watch the objection window

File your primary petition and your signed acceptance, with the oath of allegiance taken before an officer authorized to give oaths, with the county clerk before 4 p.m. on Monday, March 29, 2027 (based on state law, N.J.S.A. 19:23-6; 19:23-14; 19:23-15). The Union County Clerk, for example, describes the same deadline as "4pm on or before the 71st day prior to the election."

After filing:

• Thursday, April 1, 2027, 4 p.m.: last day to amend a defective petition, in form or substance, but not to add signatures (N.J.S.A. 19:23-20).
• Friday, April 2, 2027, 4 p.m.: last day for anyone to file a written objection with the county clerk (N.J.S.A. 19:23-20.1).
• Wednesday, April 7, 2027: deadline for the county clerk to decide objections.

All three dates are based on state law. Keep a copy of every page you file and your own signature count. Check with the Election Law Enforcement Commission for any other filings.

Step 6: Plan a countywide campaign

A county race reaches far more voters than a municipal one, so it calls for more volunteers, a clear plan for each municipality, and a way to stay in touch with supporters across the county. The primary campaign runs from the March 29 filing deadline to the June 8 primary. Voter registration closes on Tuesday, May 18, and early voting runs from Tuesday, June 1 to Sunday, June 6, 2027, at sites the county board of elections designates (based on state law). Early voting sites are open at least 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

As an example only: a campaign that recruits one volunteer captain in each of 15 municipalities, each organizing 100 door visits a week for eight weeks, would make about 12,000 visits. Set your own numbers from the size of your county. Our campaign plan to the June 8, 2027 New Jersey primary lays out the weeks.

Step 7: Keep supporters informed by text

Across a county, texting helps you reach the supporters you meet at doors, events and municipal meetings. Set it up in CampaignCNX+ before early voting opens.

1. Settle your committee first. Campaign Verify, the check that confirms to the carriers (the mobile phone companies) that you are a real campaign, needs a 527 committee (the federal tax status of a political committee) with an EIN (its federal tax ID number) and a filing with an election authority that is published online. Check that your filing is viewable online before you request it, and contact Campaign Verify Support if it is not. A request made on or after Sunday, November 15, 2026 lasts until January 31, 2029. It costs $95, and Campaign Verify decides eligibility.
2. Open your account. CampaignCNX+ files your carrier registration, as 10DLC (the registration for texting from a standard local-style number) or toll-free, and files your Campaign Verify token with it. For a toll-free number, the carrier review usually takes about three business days.
3. Add only supporters who agreed in writing, on a dated sign-up sheet that plainly says they agree to receive campaign texts. Tag each supporter by municipality so your reminders can mention a nearby early voting site; voters may use any early voting site in their county.
4. Schedule your reminders between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. in the recipient's time zone, and end each first message with "Reply STOP to opt out."

100 free SMS included. Your number is $5 a month. For worked budget examples, see what it costs to text a local race, and for the rules that apply to every campaign, see our page on political texting.

Start with your county clerk

Confirm which county offices are on the 2027 ballot, your signature number and the current petition form with your county clerk this winter. When you are ready to reach supporters across the county, start a CampaignCNX+ trial.