Municipal races are the focus of 2025! Among the offices that will be on the ballot are Judge and Inspector of Elections, and School Board. Resources about how to run & filing deadlines can be found on vote.pa.gov but we share here other helpful, non-partisan information.
Judge and Inspector of Elections
To get on the ballot you will need to circulate and file petitions and complete a candidate’s affidavit; you need 10 signatures for Judge and 5 for Inspector. In Dauphin County, follow this link and complete this form. In other counties, contact your County Election office for instructions.
The FIRST DAY for candidates to circulate and file petitions is FEBRUARY 18, 2025.
The LAST DAY for candidates to circulate and file petitions is MARCH 11, 2025.
The signatures are to be of registered voters in the district you are registered and running in and must be of the same party and the individual circulating the petition has to be enrolled in the same party (for example, you can circulate for both a Judge and Inspector candidate so long as you are all the same party affiliation).
Reminder, you can sign your own petition!
For Inspector of Election, each party nominates one inspector in the primary and in the municipal election the highest vote getter becomes the Majority Inspector and the second the Minority Inspector.
If you are running for Judge or Inspector you are allowed to work in your current positions this year. The only prohibition is if you are running for a different office such as council member, supervisor, etc., then you are not allowed to serve as a poll worker.
Positions are on the ballot this year and the new term would begin next year.
Anyone can do a write-in campaign even if you do not live in the district, whoever gets the most in the municipal election is the winner but if the winner does not live in the district, the seat becomes vacant due to no winner.