PRINTER'S NO. 2265
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1829
Session of
2023
INTRODUCED BY RABB, MADDEN, McNEILL AND ROZZI, NOVEMBER 8, 2023
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, NOVEMBER 8, 2023
AN ACT
Amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), entitled
"An act concerning elections, including general, municipal,
special and primary elections, the nomination of candidates,
primary and election expenses and election contests; creating
and defining membership of county boards of elections;
imposing duties upon the Secretary of the Commonwealth,
courts, county boards of elections, county commissioners;
imposing penalties for violation of the act, and codifying,
revising and consolidating the laws relating thereto; and
repealing certain acts and parts of acts relating to
elections," in nomination of candidates, further providing
for number of signers required for nomination petitions of
candidates at primaries and for place and time of filing
nomination petitions and filing fees and providing for secure
online signature collection for Federal, State and municipal
political offices.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Sections 912.1 and 913(b.1) and (b.2) of the act
of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania
Election Code, are amended to read:
Section 912.1. Number of Signers Required for Nomination
Petitions of Candidates at Primaries.--(a) Candidates for
nomination of offices as listed below shall present a nominating
petition containing at least as many valid signatures of
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registered and enrolled members of the proper party as listed
below:
(1) President of the United States: [Two] Six thousand.
(2) United States Senate: [Two] Six thousand.
(3) Governor: [Two] Six thousand including at least [one]
three hundred from each of at least ten counties.
(4) Lieutenant Governor: [One] Three thousand including at
least [one] three hundred from each of at least five counties.
(5) Treasurer: [One] Three thousand including at least [one]
three hundred from each of at least five counties.
(6) Auditor General: [One] Three thousand including at least
[one] three hundred from each of at least five counties.
(7) Attorney General: [One] Three thousand including at
least [one] three hundred from each of at least five counties.
(8) Justice of the Supreme Court: [One] Three thousand
including at least [one] three hundred from each of at least
five counties.
(9) Judge of the Superior Court: [One] Three thousand
including at least [one] three hundred from each of at least
five counties.
(10) Judge of the Commonwealth Court: [One] Three thousand
including at least [one] three hundred from each of at least
five counties.
(11) For any other office to be filled by the vote of the
electors of the State at large or for any other party office to
be elected by the electors of the State at large: [One] Three
thousand including at least [one] three hundred from each of at
least five counties.
(12) Representative in Congress: [One] Three thousand.
(13) Senator in the General Assembly: [Five hundred] One
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thousand five hundred.
(14) Representative in the General Assembly: [Three] Nine
hundred.
(15) Public or party offices to be filled by a vote of the
electors in counties of the first class at large: [One] Three
thousand.
(16) Public or party offices to be filled by a vote of the
electors in counties of the second class at large: [Five
hundred] One thousand five hundred.
(17) Public or party offices to be filled by a vote of the
electors in cities of the first class at large: [One] Three
thousand.
(18) Public or party offices to be filled by a vote of the
electors in counties of the second class A at large: [Two] Seven
hundred fifty.
(19) Public or party offices to be filled by a vote of the
electors in counties of the third class at large: [Two] Seven
hundred fifty.
(20) Public or party offices to be filled by a vote of the
electors in counties of the fourth class at large: [Two] Seven
hundred fifty.
(21) Public or party offices to be filled by a vote of the
electors in cities of the second class at large: [Two] Seven
hundred fifty.
(22) Public or party offices to be filled by a vote of the
electors in cities of the second class A at large: [One] Three
hundred.
(23) Public or party offices to be filled by a vote of the
electors in cities of the third class at large: [One] Three
hundred.
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(24) Public or party offices to be filled by a vote of the
electors in counties of the fifth class at large: [One] Three
hundred.
(25) Public or party offices to be filled by a vote of the
electors in counties of the sixth class at large: [One] Three
hundred.
(26) Public or party offices to be filled by a vote of the
electors in counties of the seventh class at large: [One] Three
hundred.
(27) Public or party offices to be filled by a vote of the
electors in counties of the eighth class at large: [One] Three
hundred.
(28) Office of judge of any court of record other than a
Statewide court or a court in a county of the first or second
class: [Two] Seven hundred fifty.
(29) District delegate or alternate district delegate to a
National party convention: [Two] Seven hundred fifty.
(30) Member of State committee: [One] Three hundred.
(31) Office of district council member in a city of the
first class: [Seven hundred fifty] Two thousand two hundred
fifty.
(31.1) Office of district council member in a city of the
second class: [One] Three hundred.
(32) Office of magisterial district judge: [One] Three
hundred, but only for a candidate's primary election when the
candidate does not already hold the office of magisterial
district judge. A sitting magisterial district judge elected to
the office shall not be required to file a nominating petition
under this section to run for the office of magisterial district
judge but may instead file a certificate of nomination for
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reelection specifying the intent to seek reelection to the
office. If a sitting magisterial district judge files a
certificate of nomination for reelection, the sitting
magisterial district judge may not challenge the nominating
petition of another candidate for magisterial district judge.
(33) Office of judge of election: Ten.
(34) Inspector of elections: Five.
(35) School director: Ten.
(36) All other public and party offices: Ten.
(b) Unless otherwise specified under subsection (a), for any
public or party office which encompasses more than one political
subdivision, at least five signatures from each subdivision must
be secured.
Section 913. Place and Time of Filing Nomination Petitions;
Filing Fees.--* * *
(b.1) Each person filing any nomination petition for a
public office for which compensation is provided by law shall
pay for each petition, at the time of filing, a filing fee [to
be determined as follows, and no] equivalent to one per centum
of the annual salary of that public office. No nomination
petition shall be accepted or filed, unless and until such
filing fee is paid by a certified check or money order or also
by cash when filed with the county board. All moneys paid on
account of filing fees shall be transmitted by the county board
to the county treasurer and shall become part of the General
Fund. Certified checks or money orders in payment of filing fees
shall be made payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or to
the county, as the case may be, and shall be transmitted to the
State Treasurer or to the county treasurer and shall become part
of the General Fund.
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[1. If for the office of President of the United States, or
for any public office to be filled by the electors of the State
at large, the sum of two hundred dollars ($200.00).
2. If for the office of Representative in Congress, the sum
of one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00).
3. If for the office of judge of a court of record,
excepting judges to be voted for by the electors of the State at
large, the sum of one hundred dollars ($100.00).
4. If for the offices of Senator or Representative in the
General Assembly, for any office to be filled by the electors of
an entire county, for the office of district councilman in a
city of the first class and for any office other than school
district office to be filled by the electors of an entire city,
the sum of one hundred dollars ($100.00), except as provided in
paragraph 4.1.
4.1. If for nonschool board offices for any third class city
official, the sum of twenty-five dollars ($25.00).
6. If for the office of delegate or alternate delegate to
National party convention, or member of National committee or
member of State committee, the sum of twenty-five dollars
($25.00).
7. If for the office of constable, the sum of ten dollars
($10.00).
8. If for the office of district councilman in a city of the
second class or the office of district justice, the sum of fifty
dollars ($50.00).]
(b.2) A filing fee shall not be paid for a nomination
petition for any public office for which no compensation is
provided by law[, nor for any nomination petition for any public
officer in any borough, town or township nor any party officer
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except as provided above nor for any nomination petition for
judge of election or inspector of elections].
* * *
Section 2. The act is amended by adding a section to read:
Section 913.1. Secure Online Signature Collection for
Federal, State and Municipal Political Offices.--Notwithstanding
any other provision of law, the Secretary of the Commonwealth
shall promulgate regulations by January 1, 2025, to establish
and implement an electronic system for qualified electors to
sign a nomination petition for a candidate for all Federal,
State and political offices by way of a secure Internet portal.
The following apply:
(1) The system shall be implemented for use in the 2025
Municipal primary and each election thereafter.
(2) The system shall allow only those qualified electors who
are eligible to sign a petition for a particular candidate to
sign the petition and shall provide a method for the qualified
elector's identity to be properly verified.
(3) A candidate may choose to collect up to the full number
of required nomination petition signatures by use of the online
signature collection system under this section.
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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