Getting Your Petition Signed
Rules for Petition Signing in 2025
- Only circulate nominating petitions during the designated period. DO NOT collect any signatures before Tuesday, February 18th and be sure all of your petitions are filed by Wednesday, March 11th.
- Petitions should be printed two-sided, back to back and head to head on 8 ½ x 11 paper—stapled or one-sided sheets will be rejected!
- All petition circulators must be registered Democrats, with the exception of those circulating Republican petitions for school board candidates or judges—see below.
- Only qualified electors may sign your petition. That means, they must be eligible to vote for you in the primary election. (They must be registered Democrats who live in the district you will represent who have not previously signed for another candidate for the same office. The exception to this is that voters may sign for more than one candidate in races where they can vote for more than one, for example, school board. )
- Petitions MUST be filled out in blue or black ink. Black is preferred-- and do not use gel pens!
- Signers must fill out all the boxes completely themselves. NO DITTO MARKS OR ABBREVIATIONS.
- Signers must fill in their VOTING address, not their mailing address. (For example, a voter might have a Bloomsburg mailing address but vote in Scott or Hemlock township.) Their municipality is where they vote. If they are not sure, you can look up their voter registration at vote.pa.gov
- All dates MUST be in chronological order with the full four-digit year. Example: 2/18/2025
- The petition circulator should fill out the affidavit AFTER all signatures are collected. Be sure they fill out the affidavit on each sheet.
- Candidates for magisterial or county judge and school board may cross file. Judge candidates MAY circulate petitions for both parties themselves. School board candidates seeking to cross-file MUST enlist a registered Republican to circulate their Republican petitions.
- If a signer makes an error filling out their info, simply cross out the entire line and have them do a new line.
- Your completed Ethics Statement must be submitted with your petitions. Be sure to make a copy of the Ethics Statement to be filed with the appropriate municipality or school district.
Petition Signing Tips
- Always explain to signers that they need to fill out their voting address BEFORE they begin filling out their line. It is second nature to write your mailing address.
- Also, point out that the last box is for today’s date, NOT their zip code!
- Put a post it note on the petition with “today’s date” each time you head out to collect signatures. Dates MUST be in chronological order.
- Try not to chat while signers are actually writing. It feels awkward, but it will prevent a lot of do-overs.
- Collect more signatures than you actually need. That way, you will have insurance if some of your signatures are rejected, AND it a good way to campaign and build your base of support.
- You can get lists of voters from the county election office or the county Dem chair (Todd). If you are going door to door in winter weather, perhaps protect your petitions from water with a plastic report cover.
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions! Email Todd at toddpzimmerman@yahoo.com. Christine Marmas is the ultimate authority on all things to do with elections for the Schuylkill Election Bureau. Her number is 570-628-1467 and her email address is cmarmas@schuylkillcountypa.gov
- Turn in your petitions EARLY. That way, if there is any problem, you will have time to correct it.