Nomination Petitions and Filing Fees

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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.