Dear Patriot,
I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!
As we step into the year 2024, a fresh chapter in local politics unfolds. In the world of local politics, the process of becoming a precinct committeeman or state convention delegate begins with a simple yet significant step: filing official candidacy paperwork.
Here is an overview of the filing requirements for becoming a precinct committeeman and\or a state convention delegate:
Filing Requirements
Republican precinct committeemen and Democratic/Republican state convention delegates are elected at the primary election (May 7, 2024, for Republicans and May 2026 for Democrats). Election Calendar
A declaration of candidacy (Form CAN-37) must be filed with the county election board (IC 3-8-2-6) at the county clerk’s office.
Options for PC filing:
You may fill out the CAN-37 form before you go to the clerk's office and have it notarized.
Or...You may go to the clerk's office and they will have copies of the CAN-37 for you to fill out and they can notarize it there.
If you are unsure of what precinct you live in, the county clerk's office can look it up for you or you can look it up here.
State Convention Delegate Filing:
You may fill out the CAN-37 form before you go to the clerk's office. I would not recommend getting this notarized unless you are absolutely sure what district you are running in for State Delegate.
Every county is different when it comes to districts for State Delegates. Some counties are county districts, some are at-large and some are a combination. Here is a list of what the counties are doing. Certified Delegate Districts for 2024 State Convention
Precinct Committeeman and State Delegates are exempt from submitting the Statement of Economic Interests (CAN-12).
Individuals can simultaneously run for elected office (e.g., County Assessor, Township Board) and for precinct committeeman and/or state convention delegate without violating the ban on dual lucrative office holding.
Precinct committeemen and state convention delegates are not subject to the state’s Campaign Finance Act. 2024 Campaign Finance Manual (Page 1)
The period for filing a declaration of candidacy starts on Wednesday, January 10, 2024, with a deadline of Friday, February 9, 2024, at 12:00 noon, local time.
Candidate Withdrawal Requirements
A candidate can withdraw by filing a written notice with the county election board, stating they no longer wish to be a candidate.
The deadline for withdrawal is February 16, 2024, at 12:00 noon, local time.
This is an overview for filing for PC and State Delegate. For more details and to obtain the necessary forms, candidates should visit the Indiana Election Division’s website for candidate information.
I would like to end with this quote from one of our leaders in Carrol County, Dale Seward.
"I have been talking to people about stepping up during this time of obvious change. There is a current movement. We are the people we have been waiting on to make these changes. It's time to pull up our boots, get excited, and put our necks out there to make positive changes. No one else will do it. And if we don't we are only going to have the same bad people running for positions. There are way more of us than there are of them. We need to stand up, work with other like-minded, moral people, and get involved so we can make things better. It won't be easy and it will take time, but no one else will do this for us." -Dale Seward
Find the rest of this blog at We The People of Carroll County.
Thank you for stepping out of your comfort zone and running as a candidate!
For Liberty,
Mary Nisly
Director of Indiana Precinct Committeeman Project
Executive Director of Hoosier Voices Foundation
Who's your voice? Choose your voice. Use your voice!