City of Portsmouth Municipal Election Filing Period Opens Aug 30

July 21, 2021

Kelli Barnaby, City Clerk for the City of Portsmouth, has announced the filing period for candidates interested in running for office in the Municipal Election on Tuesday, November 2, 2021.

Click here for Up-to-Date Candidate Filings

The Municipal Election filing period opens Monday, August 30, 2021 and ends on Monday, September 13, 2021.

Non-Partisan Offices

The following Non-Partisan Offices will filled by the municipal election on November 2, 2021:

  • City Council (9 positions)
  • School Board (5 positions)
  • Fire Commission (2 positions)
  • Police Commission (2 positions)

Requirements for Filing

Any candidate filing for the Municipal Election must be a qualified voter in the City of Portsmouth, shall have been a resident of the City for at least two years immediately preceding the Election, and may not hold any other Municipal Office once elected.

Declarations of Candidacy will be accepted in the Office of the City Clerk during regular business hours. All filings must be done in person. The filing fee is $5 or submittal of a petition with fifty (50) signatures of qualified voters in the City.

Partisan Offices

Partisan Ward Officials Declaration of Candidacy (Moderator, Clerk, Selectman and Registrar of Voters) will also be accepted during this time. These candidates are decided by Party Caucus. The filing fee is $1.

The Office of the City Clerk is open during normal business hours at City Hall on Monday, 8 am to 6 pm, Tuesday-Thursday, 8 am to 4:30 pm, and Friday, 8 am to 1 pm. City Hall will be closed on Monday, September 6, 2021 in observance of Labor Day. The office will offer extended hours on Tuesday, September 7, 2021 from 8 am to 6 pm.