RUNNING FOR OFFICE

Petition Information

Where to get your petition?

nomination petition for state-level offices are available online at http://dos.state.pa.us; these petitions are filed with the Department of State in Harrisburg
All other nomination petitions are obtained and filed at your county Department of Elections

fill in the Preamble portion of the petition
be sure to print your name as you want it to appear on the ballot
a candidate may sign her own petition (for the party with which she is affiliated)
a candidate should obtain more signatures than the required number
the candidate’s affidavit on each petition must be signed and notarized after each petition is circulated
if you do not intend to form a political committee or receive contributions or make expenditures in excess of $250 during any financial reporting period, sign and have notarized the waiver of expense account reporting affidavit
ignore the “SS:” on the affidavits; it does not mean social security #

a person who is securing signatures on a petition for a candidate
must be of the same political party stated on the petition you are circulating
must witness all signatures obtained on the petition
a candidate can circulate her own petitions
all signatures on a petition must be obtained before the petition is notarized
the circulator’s affidavit on each petition page must be signed and notarized after the all the signatures on the petition are obtained; you cannot circulate a petition that has already been notarized

Your petition may be challenged in court for various reasons:
- the affidavit of circulator was notarized and then the circulator went and got more signatures after the notarization
- the Statement of Financial Interest form is not filed with the governing body sought by the candidate by the deadline
- signer(s) not a resident in the district where the petitioner is running for office
- signer(s) not enrolled voter in the petitioner’s party
Most common reasons petitions are rejected by the County Board of Elections
- insufficient number of total signatures
- petition was circulated prior to the first day
- petition was filed after the deadline
- petition is not properly notarized
- the Statement of Financial Interest form does not accompany the petition

all candidates seeking public office must file this form (not needed for candidates for party committee positions)
the form requires candidates to provide information regarding their sources of income
the form must be filed with the governing body where the person is going to be a candidate; for example, a candidate for a city council position would file the form with the city clerk; a candidate for school board would file the position with the secretary of the school district)
a copy of the completed form must be appended to the nomination petition at the time of filing the petition with the Election Office

if a filing fee is required, it must be paid at the time of filing your petition and Statement of Financial Interest
filing fees can be paid in cash, by money order or a certified check payable to the filing county’s Treasurer’s Office

a candidate is not required to have a campaign committee
if a candidate establishes a campaign committee, such committee must have a chairperson and a treasurer who may not be the same individual
a vacancy in either the chairperson or treasurer office prohibits the committee from receiving contributions or making expenditures

before the committee may receive contributions on behalf of the candidate, the Authorization for a Political Committee to Receive Funds on Behalf of a Candidate form must be filed with the office in which the nomination petition was filed

when the committee has received an aggregate amount of $250 in contributions, a Registration Statement must be filed with the office where the nomination petition was filed

get to the county elections office and obtain necessary paperwork (petition and financial forms) as well as the Campaign Finance Reporting Law: Manual for Candidates and Political Committees
identify a chairperson and a treasurer for your campaign committee
develop a one to two sentence reply to: why are you running for this office
have a “palm” card made; carry these with you at all times and hand one to everyone you meet and talk to about your candidacy
pick up a stack of voter registration forms; carry them with you; when you talk with someone interested in your candidacy & not registered you can give them a form
begin to attend the regular meetings of the governing body you are campaigning to join
get a social media site for your campaign (do not use your personal Facebook/ website)
get a campaign email address (do not use your current, personal email address)
begin to identify your network of supporters and contributors: family, friends, folks you have worked with in civic organizations and on events, professional associates, ….; people who know you, your knowledge, skills, integrity, commitment to serve others

Materials Available from your County Elections Office

nomination petitions
Authorization for a Political Committee to Receive Funds on Behalf of a Candidate
financial forms
Campaign Finance Reporting Law: Manual for Candidates and Political Committees
street lists of registered voters