The campaigning for Congress has just begun, but the candidates are already lining up.

The seats in Pennsylvania's 3rd and 5th districts are held respectively by first-term Representatives Kathy Dahlkemper and Glenn Thompson.

Several candidates have thrown their hats into the ring to challenge the incumbents.

With Tom Trevorrow dropping out of the 3rd District race on Tuesday, the list of Republicans vying for the party's nomination is down to six: Ed Franz of Conneautville; Clayton W. Grabb of Connoquenessing Township, Butler County; Paul Huber of Meadville; Steven Fisher of Cochranton; Donna Reese of Millcreek Township; and Mike Kelly of Butler.

No Democrats have gone public with efforts to challenge Dahlkemper.

In the 5th District, only one challenger, Democrat Michael Pipe of State College, has announced his candidacy.

There are a number of steps involved in running for Congress.

To serve, a person must be at least 25 years old, be an inhabitant of the state in which they are running, and have been a U.S. citizen for at least seven years. If elected, Pipe, who would turn 25 prior to taking office, would be the youngest member of Congress.

Anyone who has been "convicted of embezzlement of public moneys, bribery, perjury or other infamous crime is ineligible to hold any office of trust or profit in the Commonwealth," according to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

For Congressional candidates, there is a filing fee of $150. A prospective nominee must then accumulate 1,000 signatures on a nomination petition to gain access to the primary election ballot. The first day to circulate and file nomination petitions was Feb. 16. The last day to circulate and file is March 9.

Those who are not members of either the Republican or Democratic parties may gain access to the November election ballot through nomination papers. Minor political parties and political bodies - groups that don't make the definition of political parties - may file nomination papers. Anyone registered and enrolled with a political party at any time from 30 days before the primary through the general election may not be the candidate of a political body in that year. The nomination papers process may begin on March 10 and may continue until Aug. 2.

Information from the Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Commissions, Elections and Legislation, Division of Elections, also urges those interested in running to recognize the "commitment of time and energy necessary to run a successful campaign for public office."

According to the Erie Times News, Dahlkemper's campaign has raised more than $1 million so far for the 2010 election cycle and ended 2009 with almost $700,000.

Trevorrow told the Times-News that he anticipated the party nominees spending from $1 million to $2 million by November.

The Bureau of Elections does not have a formal candidate list yet.

"We don't require them to register with us," Deputy Press Secretary Charlie Young said. "It's free to just pick it up and go."

Those candidates who wish to continue their campaigns must file the paperwork, including the required signatures, and pay the fee by March 9.

Young said he expects some candidates will file before the deadline.

The bureau's Web site will list the candidates as they file, he said.

A casting of lots will be held on March 17 to determine the order of the candidates on the primary ballots.

The state has until March 29 to provide a list of all candidates to the local elections office, according to Warren County Director of Elections Lisa Zuck.