How to Run for City Council in Lancaster, PA

A nonpartisan guide to City Council in Lancaster. Learn the requirements to run for office near you.
Filing opens
March 10, 2027
Election date
November 2, 2027
142
Days until filing opens
379
Days until election

About City Council

About this position

The City Legislature is the municipality's governing body, responsible for voting on ordinances and policies, and often is in charge of hiring a city manager.
Office level
City
Election frequency
Every 4 years
Affiliation
Partisan
Positions
3 open seats

Election type

  • CheckPartisan election (party labels appear on ballots)
  • Run-off election

How to run for City Council

  1. User Round
    Step 1

    Meet eligibility requirements

    Candidate must be at least 18 years old and a resident of the city for at least one year.

  2. File Text
    Step 2

    File for office

    Filing requirements
    Filing fee is $0; signature requirement of 100.
    Filing period
    March 10, 2027 - August 2, 2027
    Paperwork instructions
    Submit paperwork to the County Board of Elections' office.
    Where to file
    150 N. Queen St, Suite 117, Lancaster, PA 17603-3562
    Filing phone
    717-299-8293
  3. Trending Up
    Step 3

    Launch your campaign

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Need help? You don't have to run alone. Join the GoodParty.org Community to get advice from real independents who have run and won.

Who's currently in office

Learn about who represents you in Lancaster.

What this symbol means

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Are you ready for Lancaster's next election?

Get registered and ready to vote, whether in person or by mail.

Check your voter registration

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Find your polling location

Learn where to go to vote in person.

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Request a mail-in ballot

Apply for an absentee ballot to vote by mail.

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Guide

How to Run for City Council: Requirements, Duties, and Steps

A step-by-step guide to running for City Council as an independent candidate, from deciding to run to election night.

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2026 Political Campaign Playbook

Your guide to launching a local campaign in 2026, with advice from winning candidates across the country.

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About this guide

GoodParty.org is a nonpartisan organization that helps people run for local office without backing from a political party. This voter guide shows you every race and candidate in one place. Candidates who take the GoodParty.org Pledge get a heart-and-star badge next to their name and can edit their own profiles.

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