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Petition Instructions

 
Election Board of Lehigh County
 Lehigh County Government Center
17 S Seventh St
Allentown, PA 18101-2401
(610) 782-3194


2023 Important Dates to Candidates and Circulators of Nomination Petitions:

  • First day to pick up Petition Packets - February 1, 2023
  • First day to circulate and file petitions - February 14, 2023
  • Last day to circulate and file petitions - March 7, 2023
  • Casting of lots for ballot position - March 21, 2023
  • Last day for candidates who filed petitions to withdraw - March 22, 2023
  • Last day to register to vote before the Primary - May 1, 2023
  • Municipal Primary - May 16, 2023
  • Municipal Election- November 7, 2023
Instructions are for Local County Offices Only. If you are running as a State Candidate you must contact
Harrisburg, Dept of Elections by visiting their website www.vote.pa.gov or calling (717) 787-5280

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1. DO NOT USE DITTO MARKS anywhere on the petition.
2. All blank spaces which appear at the top of the front page of the nomination petition must be completed BEFORE signatures are obtained.

3. Type or Print the name of the candidate on the face of the petition exactly as the candidate wants it to appear on the ballot. A nickname is allowed only if a derivative of the legal name. If you choose to use a nickname, that name must be approved by the Lehigh County Board of Elections.
4. Each signer may sign petitions for as many candidates for each office as they are permitted to vote, and no more.
5. Each signer of a petition must be a registered and enrolled elector of the party and of the electoral district referred to in the petition.
6. Each signer must personally insert the information concerning residence, occupation and date of signing, list their address exactly as it appears on their registration affidavit. The date of signing may be listed in numbers or words; e.g. January 12, 2020 or as 1/12/2020. Given name of a married woman must be used by the signer; e.g. Mary Jones, not Mrs. John Jones.
7. ALL affidavits must be completed and where required notarized or declared before filing.
8. Petitions must be filed in the Voter Registration Office located in the lower level of the Lehigh County Government Center, 17 S. 7th St., Allentown, before 4:00 P.M. on March 7, 2023. It is to your advantage to file before this date so that petitions can be examined and corrections made, if necessary.

SPECIAL ATTENTION:

Casting of lots for ballot position, for the General Primary is to be held, Tuesday, March 21, 2023 in the Conference Room 43B, lower level, of The Lehigh County Government Center, 17 S 7th St, Allentown PA
18101-2401, beginning promptly at 10:00 A.M.


  EXPENSE ACCOUNT REPORTING LAW

Candidates at the local level who do not operate with the assistance of a committee and who do not intend to receive or expend more than $250 in a reporting period may complete the affidavit on the petition which will alleviate the necessity of filing pre and post election reports. Candidate exceeding $250 in receipts or expenditures in a reporting period or who operate with the assistance of a committee will be required to file pre and post election reports.

Postmarks will be acceptable as proof of timely filing of campaign expense information where information is postmarked no later than the day prior to the filing deadline. (See filing deadlines on calendar)

PLEASE NOTE - Filing fees for petitions filed with the Election Board of Lehigh County must be paid by cash, certified check, or money order payable to the County of Lehigh, in the office of The Fiscal Department, Room 119 on the first floor of the Lehigh County Government Center.