Nomination Petitions and Filing Fees
Nomination Petitions (Major Political Parties)
Nomination petitions are filed so that one’s name shall be printed upon the official primary ballot. Nomination petitions for municipal offices must be filed at the Philadelphia County Board of Elections at City Hall Room 142. Nomination petitions for state and federal offices must be filed with the Secretary of the Commonwealth in Harrisburg. Nomination petitions must be received no later than 5:00 PM on the tenth Tuesday prior to the primary. Nomination petitions must be:
- Circulated not prior to the thirteenth Tuesday before the primary and not later than the tenth Tuesday prior to the primary.
- Filed in the form prescribed by the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
- Signed by duly registered and enrolled members of such party who are qualified electors of the state or political district within which the nomination is to be made or election is to be held.
- Each petition shall include the statement of the circulator of each sheet, which must be signed by the circulator.
Number of signers and filing fee required for nomination petitions of candidates at primaries:
| Office | Required Number of Signatures | Filing Fee |
|---|---|---|
| President of the United States | Two thousand | $200 |
| United States Senate | Two thousand | $200 |
| Representative in Congress | One thousand | $150 |
| Governor | Two thousand including at least one hundred from each of at least ten counties | $200 |
| Lieutenant Governor | One thousand including at least one hundred from each of at least five counties | $200 |
| Attorney General | One thousand including at least one hundred from each of at least five counties | $200 |
| Auditor General | One thousand including at least one hundred from each of at least five counties | $200 |
| Treasurer | One thousand including at least one hundred from each of at least five counties | $200 |
| Justice of the Supreme Court | One thousand including at least one hundred from each of at least five counties | $200 |
| Judge of the Superior Court | One thousand including at least one hundred from each of at least five counties | $200 |
| Judge of the Commonwealth Court | One thousand including at least one hundred from each of at least five counties | $200 |
| Judge of the Court of Common Pleas | One thousand | $100 |
| Judge of the Municipal Court | One thousand | $100 |
| Senator in the General Assembly | Five hundred | $100 |
| Representative in the General Assembly | Three hundred | $100 |
| Mayor | One thousand | $100 |
| District Attorney | One thousand | $100 |
| City Controller | One thousand | $100 |
| City Commissioner | One thousand | $100 |
| Register of Wills | One thousand | $100 |
| Sheriff | One thousand | $100 |
| City Council at Large | One thousand | $100 |
| City Council District Member | Seven hundred and fifty | $100 |
| Judge of Election | Ten | $0 |
| Inspector of Elections | Five | $0 |
| Delegate and Alternate Delegate to a National Party Convention | Two hundred and fifty | $25 |
| Member of State Committee | One hundred | $25 |
| Committeeperson | Ten | $0 |
The County Board of Elections only accepts certified checks and money orders.
Nomination Papers (Minor Political Parties and Independent Candidates)
Nomination papers are filed so that one’s name shall be printed upon the official General Election ballot. Nomination papers for municipal offices must be filed at the Philadelphia County Board of Elections at City Hall Room 142. Nomination papers for state and federal offices must be filed with the Secretary of the Commonwealth in Harrisburg. Nomination papers must be received no later than 5:00 PM on August 1st or the first Monday in August if August 1st falls on a Saturday or Sunday. Nomination papers must be:
- Circulated not prior to the tenth Wednesday before the primary and not later than August 1st or the first Monday in August if August 1st falls on a Saturday or Sunday.
- Filed in the form prescribed by the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
- Signed by qualified electors of the state or political district within which the nomination is to be made or election is to be held.
- Each nomination paper shall include the statement of the circulator of each sheet, which must be signed by the circulator.
In order to be eligible to be the candidate of a political body or as an Independent candidate, one may not be registered and enrolled as a member of a major political party between thirty (30) days before the primary and extending through the general or municipal election of that same year.
The number of signers required for nomination papers shall be at least equal to 2 percent of the largest entire vote cast for any officer elected at the last preceding election in said electoral district for which said nomination papers are to be filed. The number of signers shall not be less than the number of signers required for nomination petitions for party candidates for the same office.
The unsworn declaration prepared by the Department of State is available here.
A nickname is allowed only if it is a derivative of the legal name or it is how the candidate is known in their community. If the candidate wishes to appear on the ballot with a nickname, a Name Change Affidavit should be completed and submitted. You can download this form here.
If you wish to withdraw your name as a candidate in the 2022 General Primary and Special Election, please complete and notarize the Candidate Withdrawal form found here and submit it to the County Board of Elections. You may forego the Candidate Withdrawal form's notarization requirement by completing the Unsworn Statement found here.