Interested in running for office? Know someone who is?
Sudbury's Annual Town Election is scheduled for March 27, 2023 and candidates will begin to file their intentions to run for local office in early January.
What to Know to Run for Office
Considering running for a town office or school committee? Official information on campaign regulations and finance requirements is now available under the documents tab on the Town Clerk’s website.
Start with the official Campaign Finance Guide from the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance for an overview. Then check out the other information on the Town Clerk’s website in the Documents section, including filing finance reports, forms for campaign committee organization reporting and even “common errors.” Sudbury-specific information on gathering signatures on nominating petitions and town rules for yard signs are also in the documents list. (Browse the documents posted in December 2022.)
Watch the Sudbury LWV's "How to Run for Office" presentation to learn the ins and outs of filing and running in Sudbury: (link courtesy of Sudbury TV:)
We recommend that all candidates prepare for the Candidates’ Forum by watching recordings of Candidates’ Forums from previous years. Watching recorded forums will help you to understand the format of the forum and the types of questions that may be asked.
Here are some links to get you started (additional recordings can be found at www.sudburytv.org):
Sample Candidates’ Forums recorded live in the SudburyTV studio (as planned for this year)
2020 Uncontested Candidates https://sudbury.vod.castus.tv/vod/?video=8c3fdfb0-126a-4043-8252-c9e5dfca69b1
Sample Candidates’ Forums recorded via Zoom:
2022 L-S School Committee https://sudbury.vod.castus.tv/vod/?video=56b2453f-1e14-49a4-b47b-7f033a284ef0
2022 Goodnow Library Trustees https://sudbury.vod.castus.tv/vod/?video=60cd5459-18a7-432a-9ca9-b1644b2ea4e3
2022 Board of Health https://sudbury.vod.castus.tv/vod/?video=124fa541-4676-4292-a1b5-bbc641ec3598
2021 SPS School Committee https://sudbury.vod.castus.tv/vod/?video=6d55fe46-ac23-4ebc-98f8-ceac6db3bfd3
We also recommend that you view the campaign finance filings of past candidates. Campaign finance filings will provide you with a wealth of information regarding campaign materials, the vendors who sell them, and the costs to acquire them. You can find that information on the Town Clerk’s website in the documents section (look in the category "Campaign Finance").
Good luck and happy campaigning!