Handbook·Elections

Running for office in Pennsylvania

State page·Verified 2026-07-10

This page covers what's specific to Pennsylvania. Start with the general guide for the steps every candidate follows regardless of state.

Filing in Pennsylvania

You get on the primary ballot by circulating and filing nomination petitions signed by registered voters of your own party. If you're not affiliated with a major party, or you're running as an independent, you circulate nomination papers instead, which have a later filing window and different signature thresholds tied to the office and the vote totals in your district.

Where you file depends on the office. Statewide, General Assembly, and multi-county judicial or row office candidates file with the Department of State's Bureau of Elections in Harrisburg. County row office, municipal office, and local judicial candidates generally file with their County Board of Elections. Petitions must be notarized or otherwise properly executed under the Pennsylvania Election Code, and anyone can object to a filed petition in court within a set window afterward.

Deadlines and numbers

  • Nomination petitions may be circulated and filed February 17 through March 10, 2026
  • Objections to petitions are due by March 17, 2026. The ballot position lottery is March 18, 2026
  • Nomination papers for minor-party and independent candidates run March 11 through August 3, 2026
  • State representative candidates need 300 valid signatures. State senate candidates need 500
  • 2026 general primary: May 19, 2026. General election: November 3, 2026

The dossier could not confirm a current filing fee figure for legislative office against an official fee schedule (commonly cited around $100). Confirm the exact fee with the Bureau of Elections or your County Board of Elections before filing, or ask in /engage.

Where to go

  • PA Department of State, Running for Office: pa.gov/agencies/dos/programs/voting-and-elections/running-for-office
  • 2026 Pennsylvania Elections Important Dates PDF, published by the Bureau of Elections
  • District-by-district signature requirements PDF, published by the Bureau of Elections
  • Your County Board of Elections for county and municipal office filing procedures