Massachusetts candidate filing & campaign-finance deadlines
Official 2026 report due dates for Massachusetts state candidates file with Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF).
1 more deadline follows 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 Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts: what to file, when, and with whom.
5 report deadlines for the 2026 cycle.
These are the campaign-finance report due dates a Massachusetts state candidate files with Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) for the 2026 election cycle, stored verbatim from the official schedule. The 2026 primary is Sep 1, 2026.
| Due | Type | Report | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Periodic | MA Q1 Deposit Report First-quarter depository deposit & supplemental report covering January 1 – March 31, 2026. |
Jan 1, 2026 – Mar 31, 2026 | |
| Periodic | MA Q2 Deposit Report Second-quarter depository report covering April 1 – June 30, 2026. |
Apr 1, 2026 – Jun 30, 2026 | |
| Pre-election | MA Pre-Primary Deposit Report Pre-primary depository report, due 8 days before the September 1 primary, covering July 1 – August 14, 2026. |
Jul 1, 2026 – Aug 14, 2026 | |
| Pre-election | MA Pre-Election Deposit Report Pre-election depository report, due 8 days before the November 3 general, covering August 15 – October 16, 2026. |
Aug 15, 2026 – Oct 16, 2026 | |
| Annual/Year-end | MA Year-End Deposit Report Year-end depository report covering October 17 – December 31, 2026. |
Oct 17, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026 |
Shaded rows are deadlines that have already passed.
Good to know
Depository filing schedule for LEGISLATIVE candidates (State Senate / State House). Statewide, county, and Governor's Council candidates instead file MONTHLY deposit reports (by the 5th of each month) — a different track not listed here. Event-driven filings (Pre-Primary/Pre-Election late-contribution windows, 72-hour $500+ reports) are omitted. Basis: M.G.L. c. 55 §§ 18–19.
Massachusetts candidate-filing deadlines — 2027–2028.
Deadlines to become a qualified candidate for office in Massachusetts — declarations of candidacy, nominating petitions, and related ballot-access filing requirements — compiled from Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Elections Division. Distinct from the campaign-finance report deadlines above.
2027
Municipal
Municipal Offices (Mayor, City Council, Town Selectmen, etc.)
Not yet published. Municipal elections in Massachusetts are administered locally. Election dates, filing deadlines, and procedures vary significantly by city or town charter. Many municipalities hold elections in odd years (2027). Specific 2027 municipal election dates and deadlines have not been uniformly published as of research date (July 2026).
Filing authority: City or Town Clerk.
Next check: Dec 1, 2026.
Massachusetts General Laws Part I, Title VIII, Chapter 53, Sections 10 and 61 · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Not yet independently verified
The official filing deadline for Municipal Offices (Mayor, City Council, Town Selectmen, etc.) in Massachusetts Municipalities (various) for the 2027 Massachusetts Municipal Elections (dates to be determined by individual municipalities) has not yet been published; check with City or Town Clerk. Source: Massachusetts Legislature.
School Board
School Committee Members
Candidacy method: Nonpartisan · Deadline type: Nonpartisan filing
Files with: School District Office or Town/City Clerk
Signatures: Varies by district and Massachusetts General Laws depending on whether election is held at state election or local election
Massachusetts General Laws Part I, Title VII, Chapter 71, Section 14E; Part I, Title VIII, Chapter 53, Sections 10 and 61 · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Not yet independently verified
The filing deadline for School Committee Members in Massachusetts School Districts (various) for the 2027 Massachusetts School Board Elections (dates to be determined by individual districts) is not yet a confirmed date (election not yet scheduled); check with School District Office or Town/City Clerk. Source: Massachusetts Legislature.
2028
State Legislative
State House of Representatives
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Party Primary · Deadline type: Party primary filing
Files with: Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Elections Division
Signatures: 150 valid signatures of registered voters in the state representative district
Massachusetts General Laws Part I, Title VIII, Chapter 53, Section 10 · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Not yet independently verified
Filing for State House of Representatives in Statewide for the 2028 Massachusetts State Primary Election closes May 30, 2028 at 5:00 PM America/New_York. Source: Massachusetts Legislature.
State Senate
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Party Primary · Deadline type: Party primary filing
Files with: Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Elections Division
Signatures: 300 valid signatures of registered voters in the state senate district
Massachusetts General Laws Part I, Title VIII, Chapter 53, Section 10 · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Not yet independently verified
Filing for State Senate in Statewide for the 2028 Massachusetts State Primary Election closes May 30, 2028 at 5:00 PM America/New_York. Source: Massachusetts Legislature.
County
County Officers (Sheriff, Clerk of Courts, Register of Probate, Register of Deeds, and other county-elected offices)
Filing window: Closes
Candidacy method: Party Primary · Deadline type: Party primary filing
Files with: Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Elections Division
Signatures: Varies by office and county; typically 25-500 voters per county
Massachusetts General Laws Part I, Title VIII, Chapter 53, Section 10 · accessed Jul 13, 2026
Not yet independently verified
Filing for County Officers (Sheriff, Clerk of Courts, Register of Probate, Register of Deeds, and other county-elected offices) in All Massachusetts Counties for the 2028 Massachusetts State Primary Election closes May 30, 2028 at 5:00 PM America/New_York. Source: Massachusetts 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