Candidates must submit petitions by March 4 for county verification, official says

An unidentified speaker said the filing period for the declaration of intention closed last Saturday, Feb. 7, and candidates are now in the petition-filing stage. "The filing period for the declaration of intention ended last Saturday, February 7," the speaker said.

The speaker outlined the next steps: candidates are collecting signatures and must turn in petitions by March 4. "Candidates are currently gathering signatures, and the deadline to submit petitions is March 4," the speaker said.

Officials will begin verifying submitted petitions as they arrive. "As petitions are submitted, we immediately begin the county and verification process," the speaker said, adding that the process is commonly called a petition count or petition verification. That verification examines submitted signatures to determine whether a candidate has reached the required number of valid signatures to qualify for the ballot.

If a candidate’s petition contains a sufficient number of valid signatures after the county review, the speaker said, "their name will be on the ballot." The briefing did not specify the exact signature threshold, nor did it name the office or jurisdiction affected.

With the March 4 submission deadline approaching, prospective candidates should ensure their petitions are complete and submitted in time for county verification. No formal vote or other action was recorded in the briefing.