§ 951Nominations by Political Bodies

(a) In
addition to the party nominations made at primaries, nomination
of candidates for any public office may also be made by
nomination papers signed by qualified electors of the State,
or of the electoral district for which the nomination is made,
and filed in the manner herein provided. Such nomination papers
shall be in form prescribed by the Secretary of the
Commonwealth, and no other forms than the ones so prescribed
shall be used for such purposes.
   (b) Where the nomination is for any office to be filled by
the electors of the State at large, the number of qualified
electors of the State signing such nomination paper shall be
at least equal to two per centum of the largest entire vote
cast for any elected candidate in the State at large at the
last preceding election at which State-wide candidates were
voted for. In the case of all other nominations, the number of
qualified electors of the electoral district signing such
nomination papers shall be at least equal to two per centum of
the largest entire vote cast for any officer, except a judge
of a court of record, elected at the last preceding election
in said electoral district for which said nomination papers are
to be filed, and shall be not less than the number of signers
required for nomination petitions for party candidates for the
same office. In cases where a new electoral district shall have
been created, the number of qualified electors signing such
nomination papers, for candidates to be elected at the first
election held after the creation of such district, shall be at
least equal to two per centum of the largest vote cast in the
several election districts, which are included in the district
newly created, for any officer elected in the last preceding
election. ((b) amended Dec. 22, 1971, P.L.613, No.165)
   (c) Each person signing a nomination paper shall declare
therein that he is a qualified elector of the State or district,
as the case may be, and shall add to his signature his legibly
printed name and residence, giving city, borough or township,
with street and number, if any, and shall also add the date of
signing, expressed in words or numbers: Provided, however, That
if said political district named in the papers lies wholly
within any city, borough or township, or is coextensive with
same, it shall not be necessary for any signer of a paper to

state therein the city, borough or township of his residence.
No elector shall sign more than one nomination paper for each
office to be filled, unless there are two or more persons to
be elected to the same office, in which case he may sign
nomination papers for as many candidates for such office as,
and no more than, he could vote for at the succeeding election.
More than one candidate may be nominated by one nomination paper
and candidates for more than one office may be nominated by one
nomination paper: Provided, That each political body nominating
does not nominate more candidates than there are offices to be
voted for at the ensuing election: And provided, That all the
signers on each nomination paper are qualified to vote for all
the candidates nominated therein. ((c) amended Dec. 9, 2002,
P.L.1246, No.150)
   (d) Nomination papers may be on one or more sheets and
different sheets must be used for signers resident in different
counties. If more than one sheet is used, they shall be bound
together when offered for filing if they are intended to
constitute one nomination paper, and each sheet shall be
numbered consecutively, beginning with number one (1) at the
foot of each page. Each sheet shall have appended thereto the
statement of some person, not necessarily a signer, and not
necessarily the same person on each sheet, setting forth,
subject to the penalties of 18 Pa.C.S. § 4904 (relating to
unsworn falsification to authorities)--(1) ((1) deleted by
amendment); (2) the person's residence, giving city, borough
or township with street and number, if any; (3) that the signers
signed with full knowledge of the contents of the nomination
paper; (4) that their respective residences are correctly stated
therein; (5) that they all reside in the county named in the
statement; (6) that each signed on the date set opposite his
name; and (7) that, to the best of the person's knowledge and
belief, the signers are qualified electors of the State, or of
the electoral district, as the case may be. ((d) amended Oct.
31, 2019, P.L.552, No.77)
   (e) There shall be appended to each nomination paper offered
for filing an affidavit of each candidate nominated therein,
stating--(1) the election district in which he resides; (2) the
name of the office for which he consents to be a candidate; (3)
that he is eligible for such office; (4) that he will not
knowingly violate any provision of this act, or of any law
regulating and limiting election expenses, and prohibiting
corrupt practices in connection therewith; (5) that his name
has not been presented as a candidate by nomination petitions
for any public office to be voted for at the ensuing primary
election, nor has he been nominated by any other nomination
papers filed for any such office; (6) that in the case where
he is a candidate for election at a general or municipal
election, he was not a registered and enrolled member of a party
thirty (30) days before the primary held prior to the general
or municipal election in that same year; (7) that, in the case
where he is a candidate for election at a special election, he
is not a registered and enrolled member of a party; and (8)
that he is not a candidate for an office which he already holds,
the term of which is not set to expire in the same year as the
office subject to the affidavit. ((e) amended May 12, 2006,
P.L.178, No.45)