Want to Run for Office in Macungie or Lower Mac?

Thinking of running for office? Elections in 2013 will be for local offices, such as: city and borough councils and mayors; county commissioners or council members and executives; school board members; township supervisors and commissioners; county and district judges.

The Primary Election is May 21 and Feb. 19 marks the first day candidates can legally circulate and file nomination petitions. Candidates must get a predetermined number of signatures in order to run. The general municipal election is Nov. 5.

Get a Nomination Petition Request Form here.

However, there is only one office on this ballot that would file in Harrisburg, Judge of the Superior Court.  Lehigh County has no Judge of Common Pleas positions available at this time, according to Tim Benyo of the Lehigh County Elections & Voter Registration office.

"All other packets must be picked up in our office, and will be available Feb. 11. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.  The first day to circulate petitions is Tuesday, Feb. 19.  No signatures are valid if signed before that day.  No packets will be mailed," Benyo said.

The Lehigh Valley League of Women Voters published a workbook for candidates. The cost is $35 and it contains "countless tips for running a successful campaign, and is especially valuable for anyone planning a campaign at the local level." To order one write to lwvlehigh@yahoo.com.

Other deadlines before the Primary as published by the Pennsylvania Department of State include:

• No earlier than Feb. 26 or later than March 5, each county board of elections shall begin to publish in newspapers the names of all public offices for which nominations are to be made and the names of all party offices for which candidates are to be elected at the ensuing primary .

• March 12 is the last day to circulate and file nomination petitions. It's also the last day for state-level public office candidates to file "Statements of Financial Interest" with the State Ethics Commission, Room 309, Finance Building, P.O. Box 11470, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1470. A copy of the "Statement" must be accompany the nomination petition.

• March 13 is the first legal day to circulate and file nomination papers nominating independent candidates of political bodies or candidates of minor political parties.

• March 19 is the sast day to file OBJECTIONS to nomination petitions .

• March 20 is the day for casting of lots in the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth for position of names upon the primary ballot .

• March 22 is the last day that may be fixed by the Court of Common Pleas or the Commonwealth Court for hearings on objections that have been filed to nomination petitions.

• March 27 is the last day, if possible, for the Court of Common Pleas or the Common- wealth Court to render decisions in cases in- volving objections to nomination petitions .

• March 27 Last is the day for candidates who have filed nomination petitions for the primary election to withdraw .

• April 1 is the last day for the Secretary of the Commonwealth to transmit to the county boards of elections a list of all candidates who filed nomination petitions with the Secretary and who are not known to have withdrawn or been disqualified.

• April 1 is the first day before the primary election on which official applications for civilian absentee ballots from certain persons listed below may be received by the county boards of elections.

• No later than April 5, the county boards of elections must transmit ballots and balloting materials, including a write-in ballot, if necessary, to all covered voters under the Uniform Military and Overseas Voters Act (UMOVA) who by this date submit a valid military-overseas ballot application.

• April 9 is the last day for candidates for state-wide offices and treasurers of political committees and lobbyists, which have expended money for the purpose of influencing the nomination of such candidates, to file campaign finance reports or statements due by the sixth Tuesday before the primary election in the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Such reports shall be complete as of April 1.

• April 22 is the last day to register to vote before the primary election.

• April 22 is the last day to change party enrollment or non-partisan enrollment before the primary election .

• May 6 is the last day before the primary election for any person to file a petition with the county registration commission appealing against rejection of registration .

• May 10 is the last day for all candidates and treasurers of political committees and lobbyists, which have expended money for the purpose of influencing the nomination of candidates, to file campaign finance reports or statements due by the second Friday before the primary in the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth and/or the county boards of elections, as the case may be. Such reports shall be complete as of May 6 .

• No later than May 13, the county boards of elections must prepare and submit a report to the SECRETARY OF THE COMMONWEALTH containing a statement of the total number of electors regis- tered in each election district, together with a breakdown of registration by each political party or other designation .

• May 14 is the last day before the primary election on which official applications for civilian absentee ballots from certain persons listed as follows may be received by the county boards of elections.

• May 21 is the municipal Primary Election. Polls shall remain open continuously between the hours of 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.