Running for Federal and State Legislative Races
To run for U.S. Congress or for the Tennessee State House of Representatives, you will need to file for the August 6, 2026, primary, no later than noon on March 10, 2026.
Because this is a very involved process, we strongly encourage aspiring candidates to meet with the officers of the Maury County Democratic Party before announcing or filing any paperwork.
To file, you will need to obtain a petition from the Maury County Election Commission, located at 1207A Tradewinds Drive in Columbia. Once you have obtained at least 25 signatures (and preferably more than that), you will need to return your petition to the Maury County Election Commission.
For races that span more than one district, the Maury County Election Commission will make copies of your petition and then require you to file one copy with each county in the district you are running in. For the 5th Congressional District, that is Wilson, Davidson, Williamson, Marshall, Lewis, and Maury; for the 71st State House District, that is Maury, Lawrence, Wayne, and Hardin.
If you are running for Congress, you will need to file financial paperwork with the Federal Election Commission. You may also need to file a Form 8871 with the IRS.
If you are running for State House, you will need to file financial paperwork with the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance as well as a disclosure with the Tennessee Ethics Commission.
You will also want to meet and discuss these races with officers in other counties, as well as with the Tennessee Democratic Party.
Note that while the Democratic Party is excited to support its nominees for federal and state legislative races, these campaigns can become quite expensive (hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars), and candidates must be prepared to raise the majority of these funds themselves.
For more information about key dates, see this page.
Running for County Races
To run for county offices (including County Commissioner and School Board) as a Democrat, you will need to attend the Maury County Democratic Party’s nominating caucus, which will be held in early 2026.
You do not need to pull a petition if you are seeking the Democratic Party nomination (for county offices, only those candidates running as Independents must pull a petition). Maury County Democratic Party officers will submit a letter to the County Election Commission before March 10, 2026 listing our Party’s official nominees, based on the caucus results.
Note that you can only seek the nomination of one party (Republican or Democratic), and that if the caucus rejects your candidacy, you cannot pull a petition as an Independent.
You will still need to file financial paperwork with the Maury County Election Commission, however, if you are nominated by caucus.
Note that while the Maury County Democratic Party is excited to support its nominees for county races, these campaigns can become somewhat expensive (a few thousand dollars) and candidates must be prepared to either spend their own money or ask their friends and family for campaign contributions.
For more information about key dates, see this page.
Running for City Races
To run for nonpartisan municipal offices (including Mayor of Columbia and Mt. Pleasant City Commission), you will need to file no later than noon on August 20, 2026.
To file, you will need to obtain a petition from the Maury County Election Commission, located at 1207A Tradewinds Drive in Columbia. Once you have received at least 25 signatures (and preferably more than that), you will need to return your petition to the Maury County Election Commission.
You will also need to file financial paperwork with the Maury County Election Commission.
For more information about key dates, see this page.
Are you Interested?
If you are interested in running for office in 2026, please fill out this form or contact us.