Delaware candidate filing & campaign-finance deadlines
Official 2026 report due dates for Delaware state candidates file with Delaware Office of the State Election Commissioner.
3 more deadlines follow in this cycle.
Electbase emails you before every deadline — 14, 7, and 2 days out — and stays current as the official schedule changes.
Get deadline remindersIncluded in every Electbase plan · See pricingThis page also covers Delaware candidate-filing (ballot access) deadlines for 2027–2028 — the process of becoming a qualified candidate, distinct from the campaign-finance reporting below. Here's how to run for office in Delaware: what to file, when, and with whom.
6 report deadlines for the 2026 cycle.
These are the campaign-finance report due dates a Delaware state candidate files with Delaware Office of the State Election Commissioner for the 2026 election cycle, stored verbatim from the official schedule. The 2026 primary is Sep 15, 2026.
| Due | Type | Report | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual/Year-end | DE 2025 Year-End Report Year-end report covering through December 31, 2025. |
— – Dec 31, 2025 | |
| Pre-election | DE 30-Day Primary Report 30 days before the September 15 primary. |
— – Aug 16, 2026 | |
| Pre-election | DE 8-Day Primary Report 8 days before the primary. |
— – Sep 7, 2026 | |
| Pre-election | DE 30-Day General Report 30 days before the November 3 general. |
— – Oct 4, 2026 | |
| Pre-election | DE 8-Day General Report 8 days before the general. |
— – Oct 26, 2026 | |
| Annual/Year-end | DE 2026 Year-End Report Year-end report covering through December 31, 2026. |
— – Dec 31, 2026 |
Shaded rows are deadlines that have already passed.
Good to know
Legislative cycle (all House seats + half the Senate; Governor is 2024/2028). The 30-Day and 8-Day primary reports apply to candidates on the September 15 primary ballot; the 30-Day and 8-Day general reports apply to candidates on the November 3 ballot. Coverage-start dates are not published on the calendar (each period runs from the day after the prior report's period-end). A Statement of Organization and event-driven large-contribution notices apply separately.
Delaware candidate-filing deadlines — 2027–2028.
Deadlines to become a qualified candidate for office in Delaware — declarations of candidacy, nominating petitions, and related ballot-access filing requirements — compiled from Delaware Department of Elections. Distinct from the campaign-finance report deadlines above.
2027
Municipal
Municipal Mayor and Council
Not yet published. Delaware municipalities set their own election dates and candidate filing deadlines. State law (15 Del. C. § 7553) requires a minimum of 20 days for candidate filing and a minimum of 20 days between the filing deadline and election date, but the specific dates vary by municipality.
Filing authority: Municipal Board of Elections (specific municipality).
Next check: Feb 1, 2027.
Title 15 Elections Code, Chapter 75, Subchapter 4 - Municipal Elections · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Not yet independently verified
The official filing deadline for Municipal Mayor and Council in Delaware Municipalities (various) for the 2027 Delaware Municipal Elections has not yet been published; check with Municipal Board of Elections (specific municipality). Source: Delaware Legislature.
School Board
School Board Member
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Nonpartisan · Deadline type: Nonpartisan filing
Files with: Delaware Department of Elections
Fee: $14.00 to the State of Delaware for cost of Delaware Child Protection Registry clearance check
Title 14 Education Code, Chapter 10, Section 1075 - Filing of candidacy for school board member · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for School Board Member in All Delaware Public School Districts for the 2027 Delaware School Board Elections (May 11, 2027) closes Mar 5, 2027 at 4:30 PM America/New_York. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Delaware Legislature.
2028
Federal
President of the United States
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Party Primary · Deadline type: Party primary filing
Files with: Delaware State Election Commissioner
Signatures: 500 valid signatures of registered voters of the same party affiliation, if candidate is not affiliated with a party on the previous general election ballot or not eligible for federal matching funds
Title 15 Elections Code, Chapter 31, Subchapter V - Presidential Primary Election · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for President of the United States in Statewide for the 2028 Delaware Presidential Primary Election (Apr 25, 2028) closes Feb 25, 2028. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Delaware Legislature.
U.S. House of Representatives
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Party Primary · Deadline type: Party primary filing
Withdrawal deadline: Jul 14, 2028
Files with: Delaware State Election Commissioner (statewide offices) or County Department of Elections office (for candidate's county of residence)
Fee: Tiered by office; filing fee capped at 1% of total salary for office term, or qualify as indigent and petition in lieu
Title 15 Elections Code, Chapter 31, Subchapter I - Primary Elections and Nominations of Candidates · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for U.S. House of Representatives in Statewide for the 2028 Delaware State Primary Election (Sep 12, 2028) closes Jul 11, 2028 at 12:00 PM America/New_York. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Delaware Legislature.
Federal and Statewide Offices (U.S. House, President)
Filing window: –
Candidacy method: Independent · Deadline type: Independent candidate filing
Petition deadline: Jul 15, 2028
Files with: Delaware State Election Commissioner
Signatures: At least 1% of the total number of voters registered in Delaware as of December 31 of the preceding year (2027). Petitions must be circulated and executed between January 1 and July 15, 2028.
Title 15 Elections Code, Chapter 30 - Ballot Qualifications; Sections 3002 - Unaffiliated Candidates · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for Federal and Statewide Offices (U.S. House, President) in Statewide for the 2028 Delaware General Election (Nov 7, 2028) closes Sep 1, 2028. Opens Jan 1, 2028. Source: Delaware Legislature.
Federal and Statewide Offices (Various)
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Minor Party · Deadline type: Party certification
Party certification: Aug 15, 2028
Files with: Delaware State Election Commissioner (statewide offices) or County Department of Elections office (other offices)
Title 15 Elections Code, Chapter 33 - Nominations of Candidates by Parties; Sections 3301-3302 · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Not yet independently verified
Filing for Federal and Statewide Offices (Various) in Statewide for the 2028 Delaware General Election (Nov 7, 2028) closes Aug 1, 2028. Source: Delaware Legislature.
Federal, Statewide, and State Legislative Offices
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Write In · Deadline type: Write-in filing
Write-in deadline: Sep 20, 2028
Files with: Delaware State Election Commissioner (statewide offices) or County Department of Elections office (other offices)
Title 15 Elections Code, Chapter 34 - Write-in Candidates; Section 3405 · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for Federal, Statewide, and State Legislative Offices in Statewide for the 2028 Delaware General Election (Nov 7, 2028) closes Sep 20, 2028 at 4:30 PM America/New_York. Source: Delaware Legislature.
State Legislative
Delaware State Senate
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Party Primary · Deadline type: Party primary filing
Withdrawal deadline: Jul 14, 2028
Files with: Delaware County Department of Elections office (for candidate's county of residence)
Fee: Tiered by office; filing fee capped at 1% of total salary for office term, or qualify as indigent and petition in lieu
Title 15 Elections Code, Chapter 31, Subchapter I - Primary Elections and Nominations of Candidates · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for Delaware State Senate in Statewide for the 2028 Delaware State Primary Election (Sep 12, 2028) closes Jul 11, 2028 at 12:00 PM America/New_York. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Delaware Legislature.
Delaware House of Representatives
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Party Primary · Deadline type: Party primary filing
Withdrawal deadline: Jul 14, 2028
Files with: Delaware County Department of Elections office (for candidate's county of residence)
Fee: Tiered by office; filing fee capped at 1% of total salary for office term, or qualify as indigent and petition in lieu
Title 15 Elections Code, Chapter 31, Subchapter I - Primary Elections and Nominations of Candidates · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for Delaware House of Representatives in Statewide for the 2028 Delaware State Primary Election (Sep 12, 2028) closes Jul 11, 2028 at 12:00 PM America/New_York. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Delaware Legislature.
State Senate and House of Representatives
Filing window: –
Candidacy method: Independent · Deadline type: Independent candidate filing
Petition deadline: Jul 15, 2028
Files with: Delaware State Election Commissioner (for State Senate) or County Department of Elections office (for State House)
Signatures: At least 1% of the total number of voters registered in the candidate's district (State Senate or House district). Petitions must be circulated and executed between January 1 and July 15, 2028.
Title 15 Elections Code, Chapter 30 - Ballot Qualifications; Sections 3002 - Unaffiliated Candidates · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for State Senate and House of Representatives in Statewide for the 2028 Delaware General Election (Nov 7, 2028) closes Sep 1, 2028. Opens Jan 1, 2028. Source: Delaware Legislature.
Municipal
Municipal Mayor and Council
Not yet published. Delaware municipalities set their own election dates and candidate filing deadlines. State law (15 Del. C. § 7553) requires a minimum of 20 days for candidate filing and a minimum of 20 days between the filing deadline and election date, but the specific dates vary by municipality.
Filing authority: Municipal Board of Elections (specific municipality).
Next check: Jun 1, 2027.
Title 15 Elections Code, Chapter 75, Subchapter 4 - Municipal Elections · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Not yet independently verified
The official filing deadline for Municipal Mayor and Council in Delaware Municipalities (various) for the 2028 Delaware Municipal Elections has not yet been published; check with Municipal Board of Elections (specific municipality). Source: Delaware Legislature.
School Board
School Board Member
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Nonpartisan · Deadline type: Nonpartisan filing
Files with: Delaware Department of Elections
Fee: $14.00 to the State of Delaware for cost of Delaware Child Protection Registry clearance check
Title 14 Education Code, Chapter 10, Section 1075 - Filing of candidacy for school board member · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Last verified Jul 13, 2026
Filing for School Board Member in All Delaware Public School Districts for the 2028 Delaware School Board Elections (May 9, 2028) closes Mar 3, 2028 at 4:30 PM America/New_York. This date is calculated from statute and is not an official calendar date. Source: Delaware Legislature.
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Electbase compiles these dates from official state sources as a workflow aid. It is not legal advice. Confirm every deadline with your filing authority before you rely on it.
Last updated August 27, 2026