CANDIDATE RESOURCES
FOR REPUBLICANS RUNNING FOR ELECTED OFFICE

PLEASE NOTE THAT INFORMATION PROVIDED IS INTENDED TO BE USED AS A GUIDE ONLY

AND IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A

COMPLETE AND DETAILED GUIDE TO ALL REQUIREMENTS AND REGULATIONS.

Any links to external websites are resources only and are not affiliated with Tioga County Republican Committee

FOR DETAILED AND UP TO DATE INSTRUCTIONS AND OFFICIAL FORMS, CONTACT TIOGA COUNTY ELECTIONS OFFICE AT 570-723-8230 OR VISIT VOTE.PA.GOV FOR MORE INFORMATION

HOW TO RUN FOR
ELECTED OFFICE

Individuals who are interested in running for office should know:

The responsibilities & duties of the office they wish to seek
The qualifications necessary to run & hold that office
The rules & deadlines regarding campaigning (nomination petitions, finance reporting, required disclosures, sign placement on public property, etc.)
Contact Tioga County Voter Registration for details

LEARN ABOUT THE POSITION

Before deciding to run, make sure you meet the requirements such as age and residency and that you do not currently hold a position in an incompatible office.

CHECK OUT THE "INFORMATIONAL LINKS ABOUT ELECTED OFFICES" TO FIND ELECTED OFFICIAL HANDBOOKS, MUNICIPAL CODES, LAWS AND MORE!

PA STATE: GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT RUNNING FOR OFFICE

Includes information about petitions and finance reporting

ANNOUNCE YOUR CANDIDACY

1. Candidates should contact the Elections office. The Elections office will provide Candidates with a packet that includes the appropriate paperwork and procedures.

2. The local newspaper usually allows candidate announcements up to 300 or 400 words and a picture at no cost. Some candidates announce as far out as five months, and some wait until just weeks before the election.

3. Contact the Republican Committee to share your information and be included in Republican events.

(Note: The committee does not endorse candidates)

4. Create Social Media accounts, such as Facebook, with your picture and information about yourself. Ask your friends and family to share it to help get the word out.

CIRCULATE PETITION & SUBMIT FORMS

Candidates who wish to appear on the Republican ballot in the primary election must file "Nomination Petition" and a "Statement of Financial Interest Form". Candidates can request their petition from the Tioga County Voter Registration & Elections Office. When you pick up your packet, you will be given a packet of instructions.

If you go by a nickname or middle name, it must be derivative of your legal name. Check with voter registration to see if you will need to complete a name change verification form.

Petitions are only done for the primary election (in the spring). The primary election is where the Democrat and the Republican party "pick their team" to move on to the ballot in the general election (in November). If candidates do not win the primary election, they can run a write-in campaign. Write-in campaigns require a lot of preparation, help and money but can be done. If you decide to run as a write-in candidate, be sure that people have the proper spelling of your name and submit a name variation form to the elections department. Write-in candidates in the Primary must receive more votes than all opponents and at least as many votes as signatures required on the nomination petition in order to succeed and appear on the November ballot.

Democrats can write in a Republican name on their primary ballot for any race (and vice versa). Ask your Democrat friends/family to write your name in on their Democratic ballot in the primary.

If you are running for School Director or Magisterial District Judge, you can cross file. This means Republicans can appear on the Democrat ballot and vice versa. If you do this, you will need a Democrat to be the "circulator" of the petition to appear on the Democrat ballot.

After the petition period, the casting of lots will take place (check with voter registration for date). This is also known as the "dice roll or ballot lottery" for the purpose of determining the position of names on the primary ballots. Candidates can attend to roll the dice or send someone to do it for them. If there is no contest, candidates' names appear in alphabetical order.

PA STATE Petition Instructions

CLICK HERE FOR TIPS TO COMPLETE A PETITION

CAMPAIGN

If you are going to spend money on anything (literature, yard signs, advertising, website, give aways, etc), you need to document all costs and file campaign finance reports. This includes any cash received or "in-kind" contributions.

You also MUST disclose "paid for by xxxx" on everything (literature, yard signs, advertising, website, give aways, etc.)

Depending on your plans to accept donations, in-kind contributions and expenditures, you will need to decide if you need to open a committee.Candidates AND Committee must BOTH file finance reports. Reports are due regardless of campaign finance activity; if none, report $0.

Do NOT offer any exchange of gifts or money for people to vote for you, campaign for you, sign your petition, etc. This is looked at as bribery in Campaign law. Do not "sell" items to use for your campaign expenses. Supporters may donate to you.

If you plan to put out yard signs, follow the laws for placement. Check with voter registration on date restrictions on public property and placing signs at polling locations.

If you plan to go knock on doors or send mailers, you can purchase voter lists from the Voter Registration office.

If you plan to hand out literature on election day at the polls be sure to have the disclosure "paid for by" on the handouts. Follow electioneering rules and stay at least 10' away from the entrance, do not block handicap parking/entry. You cannot take your literature inside but voters can.

DEADLINES AND REPORTS FILING

Petitions, Statement of Financial Interest, Campaign Finance, etc all have required filing dates.

CLICK HERE FOR IMPORTANT DATES (Page 35 lists the Campaign Finance reporting due dates. Pay attention to the notes at the bottom, you may not be required to report for each cycle listed)

NOMINATION PETITION: For informational purposes, try an internet search of "pa nomination petition" to see a sample petition from other counties. Petitions may vary between counties so be sure to only use forms and instructions from Tioga County. Unfortunately, Tioga County and PA State do not have samples to share.

NAME VARIATION AFFIDAVIT complete if you go by a name other than what is on your voter registration card. A nickname is allowed only if it is a derivative of the legal name.

STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL INTEREST FORM: The Ethics Act provides that candidates and nominees must file the Statement of Financial Interests form. This form must be turned in with the petition to the County. A copy of this form must also be filed with the governing authority of the office you are seeking. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION