Run for Local Office

Your guide to getting on the ballot

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City Council Member or Mayor

Select your city or village to see the specific requirements for running.

City Council Member or Mayor

Filing Fee: No filing fee Term: 4-year term (most DuPage municipalities — confirm with your municipal clerk) Seats: Varies by municipality. Villages typically have 6 trustee seats (half up each election); cities vary by number of wards. Ask your municipal clerk how many seats are on the 2027 ballot. Election: April 6, 2027

✓ Who Can Run

Be at least 18 years old
Be a U.S. citizen and a registered voter in Illinois
Have lived in the municipality for at least 1 year before the election
If running for a ward seat (alderperson): also have lived in that specific ward for at least 1 year
Not owe any unpaid taxes or debts to your municipality
Not have been convicted of a felony, bribery, or perjury

📋 What You Need to File

Contact your municipal clerk's office first — they handle all filings for city council and village board races, provide the petition packet, and calculate the exact number of signatures you need.
Collect voter signatures on petition sheets. You need at least 0.5% of registered voters in your municipality (or ward), with a minimum of 25 signatures. Your municipal clerk will give you the exact number. You may start collecting signatures approximately September 22, 2026 — not before.
File a Statement of Economic Interests with the DuPage County Clerk (421 N. County Farm Rd., Wheaton, IL 60187 | 630-407-5500) before or by the filing deadline. Bring the receipt to the municipal clerk when you submit your nomination papers.
Submit your completed nomination papers — including petition sheets, Statement of Candidacy (sworn and notarized), and SEI receipt — to your municipal clerk by approximately December 21, 2026.
Register a political committee with the Illinois State Board of Elections if you raise or spend more than $5,000.

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📅 Key Deadlines

Petition circulation opens — earliest you can collect signatures (estimated) ~September 22, 2026
Candidate filing window opens (estimated) ~December 14, 2026
Candidate filing deadline (estimated) ~December 21, 2026
Write-in candidate declaration deadline (estimated) ~February 4, 2027
Election day April 6, 2027

📍 Where to File

Your municipality's Municipal Clerk — look up your city or village website for contact info. Do NOT file with the DuPage County Election Division; that is for school board races only.

🔗 Helpful Links

Illinois State Board of Elections — Running for Office → DuPage County Clerk — Statement of Economic Interests → 65 ILCS 5/3.1-10-5 — Municipal Officer Eligibility Statute → 10 ILCS 5/10-3.1 — Nonpartisan Petition Signature Requirements → DuPage County Election Division — Candidate Information →

Last updated: April 9, 2026

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