While there may be some people who feel like they’re still not recovered yet from the November 2020 Presidential election, guess what? Times up. It’s over. Now its time to get ready for the May 18, 2021 Primary elections in Pennsylvania.
Election Petition Signatures –In order to run for a political office one of the things a candidate needs are signatures on petitions. February 16th is the first day to circulate and file nomination petitions if one is running for office. Right about now, its kind of a challenge to get signatures because so many people are staying indoors and afraid to open their doors to strangers, in fear of contracting COVID–19. The number of signatures you need on petitions depends on what political office you are seeking. Good luck with that.
What is the Primary Election? A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party’s candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Pennsylvania utilizes a closed primary process, which means that voters are required to register with a political party to vote in the primary election.
Registering to VOTE! How does one register to vote? To register to vote in Pennsylvania, an applicant must be a citizen of the United States for at least one month before the next election, a resident of the district in which he or she is registering for at least 30 days before the next election, and at least 18 years of age by the day of the next election. The deadline for registering to vote is 15 days before the election. Registration can be done online, in person, or by mail. Prospective voters can register in person at the county voter registration office or at a number of state agencies, including the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation centers. The Pennsylvania voter registration application is available online and can be mailed to the county voter registration office.
Early Voting Is there an early voting period? Yes. Pennsylvania permits early voting. As of August 2020, 38 states and the District of Columbia permitted early voting. Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on election day. States that do not permit early voting still permit some or all citizens to vote early by mail—often known as absentee voting. Some states allow no-excuse absentee voting, while others require an excuse. States that allow in-person absentee voting without an excuse are counted among early voting states. All Pennsylvania voters are eligible to cast absentee ballots. Voters can apply for absentee ballots beginning 50 days prior to any special, primary, or general election. Also, voters can request that they be put on a permanent list to automatically receive absentee ballot applications in each election. Keep in mind that May 3, 2021 is the last day to register to vote, or update your voter registration for the May 18 primary. The deadline to register to vote by mail in that election is May 11, 2021.
Who Is Running for Office? What offices are up for grabs come May 18? The District Attorney’s seat is up for grabs, the City Controller’s seat is up for grabs. There’s a host of judicial seats available in Common Pleas Court. At the state level in Commonwealth Court and Superior Court and at the State Supreme Court level there are judicial seats available. Back at the local level we need some more Judges of Elections. It will be another busy political campaign season for sure. February 16 is the first day to circulate and file nomination petitions if one is running for office. March 9th is the last day to circulate and file petitions for candidates in the May 18, 2021 primary for Pennsylvania. The last day a candidate can withdraw their name from the May 18 primary race is May 11.
Next week in our Civics 101 column, we’ll share information from City Commissioner Omar Sabir on exactly how one should run for political office and what steps they need to take to try and have a successful campaign.
