Requirements in Pennsylvania for Running for Commissioner
Commissioners in Pennsylvania are elected officials who serve four-year terms. Although the state constitution provides basic requirements for candidates, it is up to each local jurisdiction to decide whether to impose additional requirements. Therefore, anyone interested in running for commissioner in Pennsylvania should consult his local election board for conditions specific to his jurisdiction. At minimum, however, candidates must meet the requirements established by the state.
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Criminal Conviction
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Individuals convicted of a felony cannot hold public offense in Pennsylvania. Convictions involving embezzlement, perjury, criminal fraud, false pretense or other offenses involving falsification or deceitfulness that bear on the individual's truthful testimony are also disqualifying convictions. Candidates may be removed from the ballot and officials may be removed from office for a criminal conviction.
County Commissioners
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Not all Pennsylvania counties have adopted a home rule charter. In counties without charters, voters elect three county commissioners. Candidates must be 18 or older, U.S. citizens and have resided in the county for at least 12 months prior to the election. County officers cannot serve as both commissioner and be a member of a municipal legislative body or board of health, nor may they be a school district director, city treasurer, recorder of deeds, district election officer or municipal tax collector. Individual counties may have prohibitions that are more stringent.
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First-Class Township Commissioners
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The number of commissioners in first-class townships varies between five and 15, depending on how many wards are in the township. If there are no wards, the voters elect five at-large commissioners; if fewer than five wards, voters elect one commissioner per ward and the rest are at-large. If the township consists of five wards or more, voters elect one commissioner per ward, up to 15 commissioners. Half of the commissioners are elected at two-year intervals. Commissioners must be registered to vote in the township, requiring them to be township residents who are at least 18 years old. Candidates must have lived in the town, or in their ward, if applicable, for at least one year prior to the election.
City Commissioners – Variations
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In some cities, such as Philadelphia, the city commissioners were replaced by a city council and mayor. Philadelphia has retained the position, but the three commissioners serve as the Board of Elections and Registration. No political party may provide more than two serving commissioners, ensuring a bipartisan board. In Philadelphia, city commissioner candidates must be 25 years of age or older; they must also have been registered voters and residents for a minimum of three years.
Chartered Counties
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Some Pennsylvania counties have adopted home-rule charters. Each individual charter defines the requirements for county commissioners in that county, and these additional requirements may be more stringent than the state constitution requires. For example, the Lehigh County charter prohibits all elected officials from holding any other elective or political office and also forbids them from holding any other position in the county for which they receive compensation. Commissioners must also remain residents of their wards for the duration of their terms.
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