How to Run for Office in Nebraska
Getting on the Ballot
Nebraska's signature quirk is two filing deadlines: filing opens January 5, and by statute incumbents of any elected office must file by February 15 while everyone else has until March 1 (both slide to the next business day as needed). The definition is broad - holding any elected office makes you an "incumbent" for this purpose, even if you're running for something different - and an incumbent who resigns mid-term can't use the later deadline. The rule exists so challengers know whether the officeholder is in before their own window closes.
You file a candidate filing form prescribed by the Secretary of State - no petition needed for a primary spot - plus a filing fee of 1% of the office's annual salary (some unpaid local offices are fee-free). Statewide offices, the Legislature, and education boards file with the Secretary of State's Elections Division; note the Legislature is nonpartisan and unicameral, so legislative candidates run without party labels and the top two from the primary advance regardless of party.
Before your name can actually appear on the ballot, most candidates must also file a Statement of Financial Interests (Form C-1) with the Accountability and Disclosure Commission - miss it past the short grace period and you're removed from the ballot, a trap that catches a few candidates every cycle.
Where Local Candidates File
County offices, school boards, city offices, and other political-subdivision seats file with the county clerk or county election commissioner (city clerks handle some city filings) - same statewide deadline structure, including the split incumbent/non-incumbent dates; a handful of small-board offices appear only on the general-election ballot with their own later pair of summer deadlines.
Campaign finance sits with the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission (NADC): candidate committees register and report electronically through the NADC's online filing system once they cross the statutory activity threshold, and the C-1 personal disclosure runs through the same agency.
Worth Knowing
- Incumbents file two weeks early - and "incumbent" means holding any elective office, not just the one on the ballot.
- The Form C-1 rule has teeth: no financial-interest statement, no ballot line.
- Legislative races are officially nonpartisan - no party labels on the ballot, no party primary; the top two advance regardless of affiliation.
- The NADC's e-filing system is literally named "FirstTuesday."
Official Nebraska Resources
Filing deadlines, fees, and signature requirements change from cycle to cycle. Always confirm current details with the official sources below.
This page was last reviewed on August 4, 2026. Process details above are believed current as of that date; deadlines and fees should always be verified with your election office.