It is always difficult for Pennsylvania election officials to calculate the number of signatures needed for district office, for independent candidates and the nominees of unqualified parties, in years after redistricting. The law requires a petition of 2% of the winner’s vote for the same office in the previous election. But after redistricting, that calculation is difficult, because the new boundaries must be overlaid on the old election returns.

This year, the Pennsylvania Elections Department says it will have the requirements known by March 16. The formula is likely to show that in a few U.S. House districts, the number of signatures will exceed 5,000. If so, that would be unconstitutional, because the U.S. Supreme Court has twice ruled that the number of signatures for district office can’t be higher than the number for statewide office, and the Pennsylvania statewide requirement is exactly 5,000.