SB 658 — An Act amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, in dates of elections and primaries and special elections, further providing for affidavits of candidates; and, in nomination of candidates, further providing for affidavits of candidates, for nominations by political bodies, for limitations on eligibility of candidates and for affidavits of candidates.

PRINTER'S NO.    697

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                        SENATE BILL
                        No. 658
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY BAKER, DUSH AND BROWN, APRIL 28, 2025

     REFERRED TO STATE GOVERNMENT, APRIL 28, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), entitled
 2      "An act concerning elections, including general, municipal,
 3      special and primary elections, the nomination of candidates,
 4      primary and election expenses and election contests; creating
 5      and defining membership of county boards of elections;
 6      imposing duties upon the Secretary of the Commonwealth,
 7      courts, county boards of elections, county commissioners;
 8      imposing penalties for violation of the act, and codifying,
 9      revising and consolidating the laws relating thereto; and
10      repealing certain acts and parts of acts relating to
11      elections," in dates of elections and primaries and special
12      elections, further providing for affidavits of candidates;
13      and, in nomination of candidates, further providing for
14      affidavits of candidates, for nominations by political
15      bodies, for limitations on eligibility of candidates and for
16      affidavits of candidates.
17      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
18   hereby enacts as follows:
19      Section 1.    Sections 630.1, 910, 951(e), 951.1 and 981.1 of
20   the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the
21   Pennsylvania Election Code, are amended to read:
22      Section 630.1.    Affidavits of Candidates.--Each candidate for
23   any State, county, city, borough, incorporated town, township,
24   school district or poor district office, or for the office of
25   United States Senator or Representative in Congress, selected as
 1   provided in section 630 of this act, shall file with the
 2   nomination certificate an affidavit stating--(a) his residence,
 3   with street and number, if any, and his post-office address; (b)
 4   his election district, giving city, borough, town or township;
 5   (c) the name of the office for which he consents to be a
 6   candidate; (d) that he is eligible for such office; (e) that he
 7   will not knowingly violate any provision of this act, or of any
 8   law regulating and limiting election expenses and prohibiting
 9   corrupt practices in connection therewith; (f) unless he is a
10   candidate for judge of a court of common pleas, the Philadelphia
11   Municipal Court or for the office of school board in a district
12   where that office is elective or for the office of justice of
13   the peace, that he is not a candidate for the same office of any
14   party or political body other than the one designated in such
15   certificate; (f.1) that he is not a candidate for any other
16   office; (g) that he is aware of the provisions of section 1626
17   of this act requiring election and post-election reporting of
18   campaign contributions and expenditures; and (h) that he is not
19   a candidate for an office which he already holds, the term of
20   which is not set to expire in the same year as the office
21   subject to the affidavit.
22      Section 910.   Affidavits of Candidates.--Each candidate for
23   any State, county, city, borough, incorporated town, township,
24   ward, school district, poor district, election district, party
25   office, party delegate or alternate, or for the office of United
26   States Senator or Representative in Congress, shall file with
27   his nomination petition his affidavit stating--(a) his
28   residence, with street and number, if any, and his post-office
29   address; (b) his election district, giving city, borough, town
30   or township; (c) the name of the office for which he consents to

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 1   be a candidate; (d) that he is eligible for such office; (e)
 2   that he will not knowingly violate any provision of this act, or
 3   of any law regulating and limiting nomination and election
 4   expenses and prohibiting corrupt practices in connection
 5   therewith; (f) unless he is a candidate for judge of a court of
 6   common pleas, the Philadelphia Municipal Court or for the office
 7   of school director in a district where that office is elective
 8   or for the office of justice of the peace that he is not a
 9   candidate for nomination for the same office of any party other
10   than the one designated in such petition; (f.1) that he is not a
11   candidate for any other office; (g) if he is a candidate for a
12   delegate, or alternate delegate, member of State committee,
13   National committee or party officer, that he is a registered and
14   enrolled member of the designated party; (h) if he is a
15   candidate for delegate or alternate delegate the presidential
16   candidate to whom he is committed or the term "uncommitted"; (i)
17   that he is aware of the provisions of section 1626 of this act
18   requiring pre-election and post-election reporting of campaign
19   contributions and expenditures; and (j) that he is not a
20   candidate for an office which he already holds, the term of
21   which is not set to expire in the same year as the office
22   subject to the affidavit. In cases of petitions for delegate and
23   alternate delegate to National conventions, the candidate's
24   affidavit shall state that his signature to the delegate's
25   statement, as hereinafter set forth, if such statement is signed
26   by said candidate, was affixed to the sheet or sheets of said
27   petition prior to the circulation of same. In the case of a
28   candidate for nomination as President of the United States, it
29   shall not be necessary for such candidate to file the affidavit
30   required in this section to be filed by candidates, but the

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 1   post-office address of such candidate shall be stated in such
 2   nomination petition.
 3         Section 951.   Nominations by Political Bodies.--* * *
 4         (e)   There shall be appended to each nomination paper offered
 5   for filing an affidavit of each candidate nominated therein,
 6   stating--(1) the election district in which he resides; (2) the
 7   name of the office for which he consents to be a candidate; (3)
 8   that he is eligible for such office; (4) that he will not
 9   knowingly violate any provision of this act, or of any law
10   regulating and limiting election expenses, and prohibiting
11   corrupt practices in connection therewith; (5) that his name has
12   not been presented as a candidate by nomination petitions for
13   any public office to be voted for at the ensuing primary
14   election, nor has he been nominated by any other nomination
15   papers filed for any such office; (6) that in the case where he
16   is a candidate for election at a general or municipal election,
17   he was not a registered and enrolled member of a party thirty
18   (30) days before the primary held prior to the general or
19   municipal election in that same year; (7) that, in the case
20   where he is a candidate for election at a special election, he
21   is not a registered and enrolled member of a party; [and] (8)
22   that he is not a candidate for an office which he already holds,
23   the term of which is not set to expire in the same year as the
24   office subject to the affidavit; and (9) that he is not a
25   candidate for any other office.
26         Section 951.1.   Limitations on Eligibility of Candidates.--
27   (a)    Any person who is a registered and enrolled member of a
28   party during any period of time beginning with thirty (30) days
29   before the primary and extending through the general or
30   municipal election of that same year shall be ineligible to be

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 1   the candidate of a political body in a general or municipal
 2   election held in that same year nor shall any person who is a
 3   registered and enrolled member of a party be eligible to be the
 4   candidate of a political body for a special election.
 5      (b)   Subject to subsection (a), a candidate may not seek
 6   nomination or appear on a ballot for more than one public office
 7   in an election.
 8      Section 981.1.   Affidavits of Candidates.--Each candidate for
 9   any State, county, city, borough, incorporated town, township,
10   ward, school district, poor district or election district
11   office, or for the office of United States Senator or
12   Representative in Congress, selected as provided in sections 979
13   and 980 of this act, shall file with the substituted nomination
14   certificate an affidavit stating--(a) his residence, with street
15   and number, if any, and his post-office address; (b) his
16   election district, giving city, borough, town or township; (c)
17   the name of the office for which he consents to be a candidate;
18   (d) that he is eligible for such office; (e) that he will not
19   knowingly violate any provision of this act, or of any law
20   regulating and limiting election expenses and prohibiting
21   corrupt practices in connection therewith; (f) unless he is a
22   candidate for judge of a court of common pleas, the Philadelphia
23   Municipal Court or for the office of school board in a district
24   where that office is elective or for the office of justice of
25   the peace, that he is not a candidate for the same office of any
26   party or political body other than the one designated in such
27   certificate; (f.1) that he is not a candidate for any other
28   office; (g) that he is aware of the provisions of section 1626
29   of this act requiring election and post-election reporting of
30   campaign contributions and expenditures; and (h) that he is not

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1   a candidate for an office which he already holds, the term of
2   which is not set to expire in the same year as the office
3   subject to the affidavit.
4      Section 2.   This act shall apply to elections held at least
5   90 days after the effective date of this section.
6      Section 3.   This act shall take effect immediately.




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