Elections office announces municipal primary schedule, petition rules and absentee deadlines

At an elections board meeting that addressed Northumberland County election business, Election Director Phillips announced key dates for the 2025 municipal primary and said petitions are now available in the elections office.

Phillips said the municipal primary will be held May 20, 2025, and polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. She told the board that petitions for candidates will be available beginning Feb. 14, 2025, during normal business hours and noted, “Petitions are not able to be mailed, emailed, or faxed.” Phillips added that petition packets actually arrived early and are available now.

The announcement included absentee-ballot and registration deadlines. Phillips said the last day to circulate and file nomination petitions is March 11, 2025; the last day to change voter registration information is May 5, 2025; and the last day to apply for mail-in absentee ballots is May 13, 2025, by 5 p.m. She said ballots returned by mail must be received in the elections office by 8 p.m. on May 20, 2025, to be counted.

The board also moved to ratify reports that included certification of political parties for Northumberland County. The motion to ratify the reports passed without recorded opposition.

During the meeting, a staff member named Lindsay was thanked by a public speaker for her work in the elections office; that comment was made during general remarks and was not part of the official election calendar or motions.

The board approved dispensing with the reading of the minutes from its Dec. 3, 2024 meeting and ratified the summary reports as listed on the agenda. There was no public comment on agenda items during the portion of the meeting that covered election business.