To run for office in Pennsylvania, a candidate must collect a specific number of signatures on a form called a nominating petition. The number of signatures depends on the office the candidate is seeking. The candidate then submits the petition to their county voter services office or, if it is a state or federal office, to the Pennsylvania Department of State. The petition is the form, once submitted and validated, that gives candidates ballot access—in other words, to have their name appear on the ballot for the voters’ consideration.
In Montgomery County, voter services publishes candidate instructions usually in February for that year’s elections. The instructions provide candidates with important information such as dates, number of signatures needed, campaign finance forms, petitions, and signature collection procedures—procedures that must be followed to ensure fair and ethical elections. For example, candidates for township commissioner and school director (school board member) in this year’s election had to secure 10 signatures and they had between February 14th to March 7th complete this task.
The county’s candidate instructions are very specific. The candidate’s information is at the top of the petition followed by the area for signatures; only registered voters of the same party as the candidate seeking office can sign the petition. Democrats cannot sign a Republican petition nor can a Republican sign a Democratic petition. If this occurs, the signatures are invalid.
The Statement of Circulator is on the backside. This is the place where the person who asks voters to sign the petition signs their name and provides information about themselves. Voters of the same party of the candidate can collect signatures for that candidate but they must sign the circulator statement; candidates cannot sign for them. The circulator provides this information for transparency and if anyone else other that the circulator signs the statement, it is a falsification to authorities and subject to the penalties of 18 Pa. C.S. § 4904 and is a breach of ethical standards.
Below the Statement of Circulator, the candidate signs an affidavit as well as an expense reporting waiver if the candidate so chooses. The waiver allows a candidate to only file financial reports if the candidate’s contributions or expenditures are above $250. The candidate can file in person at voter services or by mail. In addition to the petition, the candidate must also file a Statement of Financial Interests. The statement is a one-page form that asks the candidate for information such as employer and debt; it’s not overly complicated.
In considering whether to run for office, the best place to start is the county voter services website. The candidate instructions have all the information that is needed to complete the filing process and with the result being the candidate’s name of the ballot. Here is the link to view the candidate instructions. It’s in the Running for Office section.