Running for Office
There are certain requirements which must be met to serve as public officials. For instance, there are minimum age requirements tied to each elected office, and elected officials in Philadelphia must live in Philadelphia for a certain period of time prior to their election. The charts below summarize these date and age requirements. US citizenship is a requirement for all elected offices in Pennsylvania. For campaign finance requirements, please visit the Campaign Finance page.
There are currently no nomination papers available for municipal offices.
Pennsylvania has two major political parties – Democratic and Republican – and one minor political party – Libertarian.
Candidates nominated at the Primary Election and candidates who file Nomination Papers with other political parties will appear on the General Election ballot.
Nicknames are allowed only if they’re a derivative of the candidate’s legal name, or if it’s how the candidate is known in their community. If a candidate wishes to use a nickname on the ballot, a Name Change Affidavit should be completed and submitted to the County Board of Elections
Additional details regarding the number of signatures required for each office, the timelines for circulating, and the filing fees (if any) can be found in the charts below. Offices marked with an asterisk (*) are party-specific, and are only elected in Primary Elections.
Local Offices (file with the Philadelphia Board of Elections)
| Office | Age | Residency | Term | Upcoming elections | Term Limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mayor | 25 | 3 years | 4 years | 2027, 2031, etc. | No more than two consecutive terms |
| District Attorney | 25 | 1 year; 2 years as a lawyer | 4 years | 2025, 2029, etc. | |
| City Controller | 25 | 1 year | 4 years | 2025, 2029, etc. | |
| City Commissioner | 25 | 3 years | 4 years | 2027, 2031, etc. | |
| Register of Wills | 25 | 1 year | 4 years | 2027, 2031, etc. | |
| Sheriff | 25 | 1 year | 4 years | 2027, 2031, etc. | |
| At-Large City Council | 25 | 1 year | 4 years | 2027, 2031, etc. | |
| District City Council | 25 | 1 year in district | 4 years | 2027, 2031, etc. | |
| Judge of Election | 18 | Registered in division | 4 years | 2025, 2029, etc. | |
| Inspector of Election | 18 | Registered in division | 4 years | 2025, 2029, etc. | |
| Committeeperson* | 18 | Registered in division | 4 years | 2026, 2030, etc. |
State Offices
| Office | Term | Upcoming elections | Term Limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | 4 years | 2026, 2030, etc. | No more than two consecutive term |
| Lieutenant Governor * | 4 years | 2026, 2030, etc. Nominees are elected in the Primary Election and run as a part of the gubernatorial ticket in the General Election. | No more than two consecutive terms |
| Attorney General | 4 years | 2024, 2028 etc. | |
| Auditor General | 4 years | 2024, 2028 etc. | |
| State Treasurer | 4 years | 2024, 2028 etc. | |
| State Senate | 4 years | Even-numbered State Senate seats are elected in 2026, 2030, etc. Odd-numbered State Senate seats are elected in 2024, 2028, etc. | |
| State House of Representatives | 2 years | 2024, 2026, etc. | |
| State Committee* | 4 years | 2026, 2030, etc. | |
| National Convention Delegate* | 4 years | 2024, 2028, etc. | |
| National Convention Alternate Delegate* | 4 years | 2024, 2028, etc. |
Judicial Offices
- Supreme Court of the Commonwealth
- Superior Court
- Commonwealth Court
- Court of Common Pleas
- Municipal Court
Federal Offices
| Office | Term | Upcoming elections | Term Limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| President | 4 years | 2024, 2028, etc. | No more than two terms |
| U.S. Senate | 6 years | The seat currently held by Senator Casey is elected in 2024, 2030, etc. The seat currently held by John Fetterman is elected in 2028, 2034, etc. | |
| U.S. House of Representatives | 2 years | 2024, 2026, etc. |
Nomination Petitions and Filing Fees
- Circulated not prior to the thirteenth Tuesday before the primary and not later than the tenth Tuesday at 5:00 P.M. prior to the primary.
- Filed in the form prescribed by the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
- Preamble introducing the candidate must be completed prior to gathering any signatures.
- 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 after gathering all signatures
| Office | Required Number of Signatures | Filing Fee |
|---|---|---|
| President of the United States | Two thousand (2,000) | $200 |
| United States Senate | Two thousand (2,000) | $200 |
| Representative in Congress | One thousand (1,000) | $150 |
| Governor | Two thousand (2,000) including at least one hundred (100) from each of at least ten (10) counties | $200 |
| Lieutenant Governor | One thousand (1,000) including at least one hundred (100) from each of at least five (5) counties | $200 |
| Attorney General | One thousand (1,000) including at least one hundred (100) from each of at least five (5) counties | $200 |
| Auditor General | One thousand (1,000) including at least one hundred (100) from each of at least five (5) counties | $200 |
| Treasurer | One thousand (1,000) including at least one hundred (100) from each of at least five (5) counties | $200 |
| Justice of the Supreme Court | One thousand (1,000) including at least one hundred (100) from each of at least five (5) counties | $200 |
| Judge of the Superior Court | One thousand (1,000) including at least one hundred (100) from each of at least five (5) counties | $200 |
| Judge of the Commonwealth Court | One thousand (1,000) including at least one hundred (100) from each of at least five (5) counties | $200 |
| Judge of the Court of Common Pleas | One thousand (1,000) | $100 |
| Judge of the Municipal Court | One thousand (1,000) | $100 |
| Senator in the General Assembly | Five hundred (500) | $100 |
| Representative in the General Assembly | Three hundred (300) | $100 |
| Mayor | One thousand (1,000) | $100 |
| District Attorney | One thousand (1,000) | $100 |
| City Controller | One thousand (1,000) | $100 |
| City Commissioner | One thousand (1,000) | $100 |
| Register of Wills | One thousand (1,000) | $100 |
| Sheriff | One thousand (1,000) | $100 |
| City Council at Large | One thousand (1,000) | $100 |
| City Council District Member | Seven hundred and fifty (750) | $100 |
| Judge of Election | Ten (10) | $0 |
| Inspector of Election | Five (5) | $0 |
| Delegate and Alternate Delegate to a National Party Convention | Two hundred and fifty (250) | $25 |
| Member of State Committee | One hundred (100) | $25 |
| Committeeperson | Ten (10) | $0 |
Nomination Papers (Minor Political Parties and Independent Candidates)
- 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 is on a Saturday or Sunday).
- Filed in the form prescribed by the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
- Preamble introducing the candidate and the Committee to Fill Vacancies (for a candidate running with a political body) must be completed prior to gathering any signatures.
- 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 after gathering all signatures.
To be eligible as the candidate of a minor political party or political body, a candidate 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 (2%) 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. However, the number of signers shall not be less than the number of signers required for nomination petitions for party candidates for the same office.