HARRISBURG –Nomination petition forms are available for congressional and statewide candidates seeking to be on the May 17 primary election ballot, in accordance with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s February 23 order.
“The Department of State is prepared to begin accepting petitions from congressional and statewide candidates,” said Acting Secretary of State Leigh M. Chapman. “The department will continue to provide timely updates concerning candidates for the Pennsylvania General Assembly as orders are issued by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.”
The window for congressional and statewide candidates to begin circulating and filing the nomination petition forms opens today. The last day to circulate and file petitions is Tuesday, March 15, 2022.
The petition forms, which include generic forms with no pre-printed district information for district-level candidates, are available for candidates for Representative in Congress and for statewide candidates for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and U.S. Senator. Candidates for Representative in Congress will have to insert the district number and county of signers at the top of each nomination petition page prior to circulating.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s recent order modifies certain dates under the 2022 Primary Election calendar for congressional and statewide offices related to petition filing. In addition, the order announces the adoption of the “Carter Plan,” which can be found on the court’s website, for 2022 Pennsylvania primary and general elections for seats in the United States House of Representatives.
By separate order, the court temporarily suspended the Primary Election calendar relative to seats in the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
The Legislative Reapportionment Commission approved a Final Reapportionment Plan for the state House and Senate on February 4, 2022. The proposed final state House and Senate boundaries identify the population of registered voters eligible to sign candidates’ nominating petitions. Under Pennsylvania’s Constitution, the approved maps do not become law until the Pennsylvania Supreme Court rules on all appeals filed to the plan. The appeal period for challenges to the final plan expires on March 7, 2022.
All candidates seeking office in the Commonwealth are encouraged to monitor the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s website for any changes to the deadlines.
