73 Pa.C.S. Ch. 15

in effect

73 Pa.C.S. § 1501 Creation and alteration of wards.

(a) Power of boards of commissioners.--In addition to reapportionment initiated in accordance with 53 Pa.C.S. Ch. 9 (relating to municipal reapportionment) and section 11 of Article IX of the Constitution of Pennsylvania, a board of commissioners may, by ordinance, do any of the following: (1) Divide townships into wards. (2) Create new wards out of two or more adjoining wards or parts of wards. (3) Consolidate two or more wards into one ward. (4) Divide any ward already erected into two or more wards. (5) Alter the lines of two or more adjoining wards. (6) Cause the lines or boundaries of wards to be ascertained or established. (7) Abolish all wards. (b) Limitations.-- (1) No township may be divided or redivided into more than 15 wards. (2) No ward shall be created containing less than 300 registered electors. (c) Less than five wards in township.--If a ward is abolished under this section and the number of wards in the township is reduced to less than five, then the commissioner or commissioners in the abolished ward or wards shall continue in office for the term for which elected and shall become a commissioner or commissioners at large from the township. (d) Compact and contiguous territory.--All wards in the township shall be numbered and composed of compact and contiguous territory as nearly equal in population as practicable as officially and finally reported in the most recent Federal decennial census. Cross References. Section 1501 is referred to in sections 1502, 1503 of this title.

73 Pa.C.S. § 1502 Petition of electors.

(a) General rule.--At least 5% of registered electors of the township or, for a proposal affecting only a portion of the township, at least 5% of the registered electors of the ward which would be affected by the proposal, may petition the board of commissioners to initiate proceedings under section 1501 (relating to creation and alteration of wards) and may present to the board of commissioners a plot showing the boundaries of the proposed wards of the township. The board of commissioners shall, by motion approved by a majority of the commissioners within 90 days of presentment of the petition, determine whether to initiate proceedings under section 1501. (b) Failure to approve motion.--If the board of commissioners has not approved a motion within 90 days after the presentment of a petition under subsection (a), 10 registered electors may petition the court of common pleas to contest the existing apportionment as violating section 1501(b) or (d). The proceedings before the court shall be conducted in accordance with 53 Pa.C.S. §§ 906 (relating to contest of reapportionment by governing body) and 907 (relating to costs and expenses of contest).

73 Pa.C.S. § 1503 County board of elections.

A copy of the ordinance enacted under section 1501 (relating to creation and alteration of wards), along with a plot showing the boundaries of the wards established, shall be forwarded to the county board of elections.

73 Pa.C.S. § 1504 Schedule for election of commissioners in townships first divided into wards.

(a) General rule.--When a township is first divided into wards, the township commissioners then in office shall continue in office until the expiration of the commissioners' respective terms. (b) Election of commissioners.--At the first municipal election occurring at least 90 days after the division into wards, the registered electors of each ward of the township shall elect one township commissioner who shall reside in the ward for which the commissioner is elected. (c) Terms of office.--At the election under subsection (b), the township commissioners elected in even-numbered wards shall be elected for terms of two years each. Commissioners elected in odd-numbered wards shall be elected for terms of four years each. The terms of office for even-numbered and odd-numbered wards may be vice versa so that the expiration of the terms will harmonize with the expiration of terms of township commissioners elected for the even-numbered or odd-numbered wards under the provisions of this part. For subsequent elections, commissioners shall be elected for terms of four years each at the municipal election immediately preceding the expiration of the terms of ward commissioners. (d) Township divided into less than five wards.--For a township divided into less than five wards that will have less than five township commissioners upon the expiration of terms, at the municipal election preceding the expiration of the terms of any commissioner or commissioners elected at large, there shall be elected at large a sufficient number of township commissioners so that the total number of commissioners elected by wards and at large in the township shall be five. The following shall apply: (1) If one township commissioner is elected at large, the commissioner shall be elected for a term of four years. (2) If two township commissioners are elected at large, one shall be elected for a term of two years and one for a term of four years. (3) If three township commissioners are elected at large, two shall be elected for terms of four years each and one for a term of two years. (4) Successors to the township commissioners elected at large shall be elected for terms of four years each. (e) Commencement of terms.--All terms of office of township commissioners, elected at large or by wards, shall commence on the first Monday of January next following their election. Cross References. Section 1504 is referred to in section 109 of this title.

73 Pa.C.S. § 1505 Schedule of election of commissioners in newly created wards.

(a) Wards fewer than five.-- (1) If a new ward is created in a township previously divided into wards and the number of wards in the township, including the new ward, is less than five, the registered electors of the new ward shall elect one township commissioner at the next municipal election following the expiration of the term of the commissioner or commissioners elected at large whose terms shall first expire after the creation of the new ward. (2) The individual elected commissioner under paragraph (1) must be a resident of the ward for which the commissioner is elected. (3) The commissioner elected under paragraph (1) shall serve for a term of two or four years, so that the expiration of the commissioner's term will harmonize with the expiration of terms of commissioners for the even or odd numbered wards under the provisions of this part. (4) A commissioner elected to succeed a township commissioner elected under paragraph (1) shall serve a term of four years. (5) The number of commissioners elected at large in the township shall be the difference between the number of wards and five, and a sufficient number of commissioners shall be elected at large at each municipal election preceding the expiration of terms of commissioners at large so that the total number of commissioners in the township will at all times be five. (b) Wards numbering five.-- (1) If a new ward is created in a township previously divided into wards and the number of wards in the township, including the new ward, is five, the residents of the ward shall elect a township commissioner at the municipal election preceding the expiration of the term of office of any commissioner or commissioners elected at large. (2) The individual elected commissioner under paragraph (1) must be a resident of the ward for which the commissioner is elected. (3) The commissioner elected under paragraph (1) shall serve a two-year or four-year term so that the expiration of the commissioner's term will harmonize with the expiration of terms of commissioners for the even-numbered or odd-numbered wards under the provisions of this chapter. (4) A commissioner elected to succeed a commissioner elected under paragraph (1) shall serve a four-year term. No township commissioner shall thereafter be elected at large in the township. (c) Wards more than five.-- (1) If a new ward is created in a township previously divided into wards and the number of wards in the township, including the new ward, is more than five, the court of common pleas of the county in which the township is located shall appoint a township commissioner for the new ward. (2) The commissioner appointed under paragraph (1) shall hold office until the first Monday in January succeeding the first municipal election at which township commissioners are elected in the even-numbered or odd-numbered wards under the provisions of this part. (3) The qualified electors of the new ward shall elect a township commissioner for a term of four years at the municipal election described under paragraph (2), and every four years thereafter. (4) The individual elected commissioner under paragraph (3) must be a resident of the ward for which the commissioner is elected. (d) First day of office.--A township commissioner elected under this section shall take office on the first Monday of January next succeeding the commissioner's election.

73 Pa.C.S. § 1506 Pennsylvania Election Code.

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as affecting the powers and duties of the court of common pleas, the county board of elections or restrictions on alteration of election districts as provided in Article V of the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code.

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://www.palegis.us/statutes/consolidated/view-statute?txtType=HTM&ttl=73Fetched: 10/16/2026