Becoming a candidate for office involves filing with both the state Public Disclosure Commission and the Kitsap County Auditor’s office, as follows:

l Candidates for any local office on Bainbridge Island must file a declaration of candidacy with the Kitsap County Auditor’s office. Mail filings are accepted from July 14 through August 1; in-person filings are accepted between July 28 and August 1. Filings must be in hand at the auditor’s office by the cutoff date – the postmark is irrelevant.

l If the office is compensated, candidates must pay a filing fee of 1 percent for offices with a fixed salary ($72 for Bainbridge Island City Council) or $10 for offices with per diem compensation (fire commission). There is no filing fee for uncompensated offices.

l Within two weeks of becoming a candidate, persons running must file a candidate registration form and a personal financial statement with the state Public Disclosure Commission. By law, one becomes a candidate when one makes a public announcement of intention, raises or spends money for a campaign, or files a formal declaration of candidacy – whichever comes first. (Disclosure forms are not required of candidates for districts with fewer than 1,000 registered voters, such as the sewer and water districts on Bainbridge Island).

For more information, contact the county auditor’s office, (360) 337-7128 or 842-2061 (toll free) and the Public Disclosure Commission (360) 753-1111 or (877) 601-2828 (toll free).