Feb. 18 is the first day for candidates to gather signatures and file petitions for county, city, borough, township and school board offices that will be decided this year. The last day to circulate and file before the primary is March 11.

Winners of the Democratic and Republican primaries, and any third party candidates that come forward, will face off in the general election in November.

Candidates need to gather a certain number of signatures of qualified voters -- residents of the municipality of the same political party as the candidate -- and, in most cases, pay a filing fee to secure a spot on the primary ballot.

Offices on the ballot this year in Mercer County include: commissioner, clerk of courts, prothonotary, recorder of deeds, sheriff, district attorney, coroner, district justice, jury commissioner and common pleas court judge. Except for the district attorney and judges, who must be lawyers, the only qualification for any county office is residency.

County offices require 100 signatures and a $100 filing fee, except judges and district justices. Judicial hopefuls need 250 signatures and a $100 filing fee. For district justice, candidates need 100 signatures and pay a $50 filing fee.

Voters will also elect school board members, borough and city councilmen and commissioners, some mayors, township supervisors, local tax collectors, constables and municipal auditors and assessors.

Petitions can be picked up at the Mercer County Election Bureau in the courthouse.

In Sharon, Farrell and Hermitage, all offices except constable and assessor require 25 signatures and a $100 filing fee. Constable and assessor candidates need 10 signatures and a $10 filing fee.

In most boroughs, mayor, tax collector and auditor hopefuls need 10 signatures and a $5 fee. Council candidates need 10 signatures and a $10 fee. Constables need 10 signatures and $10 fee. Candidates for mayor and council in Grove City, New Lebanon and Sandy Lake don't have to pay a fee. Sheakleyville does not require a fee for mayoral candidates.

In townships, all offices require 10 signatures but only constable candidates must pay a $10 filing fee.

Judges and inspectors of elections who man the polls need 10 and 5 signatures, respectively, to get on the ballot. There is no filing fee.

The fee is also waived for party committee people, who need to gather 10 signatures.

For more information, contact the Mercer County Registration and Election Bureau at (724) 662-3800 or (724) 962-5711.