HB 978 Pennsylvania House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

An Act amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, in district election officers, further providing for election officers to be sworn; in dates of elections and primaries and special elections, further providing for affidavits of candidates; in nomination of candidates, further providing for petition may consist of several sheets and statement of circulator, for affidavits of candidates, for examination of nomination petitions, certificates and papers and return of rejected nomination petitions, certificates and papers, for vacancy in party nomination by failure to pay filing fee or for failure to file loyalty oath, for affidavits of candidates, for filling of certain vacancies in public office by means of nomination certificates and nomination papers and for substituted nominations to fill certain vacancies for a November election; in ballots, further providing for form of ballots and printing ballots; in returns of primaries and elections, further providing for manner of computing irregular ballots; and replacing references to "justice of the peace" with "magisterial district judge."

HB 978 updates Pennsylvania's Election Code with technical procedural changes. It modifies requirements for election officers to be sworn in (Section 406), updates candidate affidavit rules (Section 630.1), and clarifies nomination petition rules (Section 909), including how petitions may be formatted and circulated. The bill also replaces all references to "justice of the peace" with "magisterial district judge" throughout the code. These changes affect election officials, candidates, and voters by standardizing administrative procedures in election administration.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Mar 19, 2025 Last action Mar 19, 2025
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Committee
1
Mar 19, 2025
Committee
Referred to State Government
lower
1 primary · 8 co-sponsors

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