Pa. election 2024: How to vote, where to vote, and everything you need to know for Nov. 5

By Elizabeth Estrada of Spotlight PA

Publisher13 hours agoLast Updated: November 3, 2024

4 minutes read

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HARRISBURG — The Nov. 5 general election in Pennsylvania is quickly approaching. If you still have questions about where your polling place is, who is on the ballot, and how to vote, Spotlight PA has got you covered.

Voters across the commonwealth will cast their ballots for president, U.S. House and Senate, Pennsylvania’s three statewide row offices (attorney general, auditor general, and treasurer), and state House and Senate. Depending on where you live, there might also be local ballot questions.

Here’s a last-minute checklist of everything you’ll need to vote.

First, the basics:

Make sure you’re registered. You can check your voter registration status on the Pennsylvania Department of State website. Unfortunately, if you’re not already registered, it’s too late to vote in this election cycle.
It also is too late to request a mail ballot if you haven’t already. If you have, you can track your mail ballot on the Pennsylvania Department of State’s election ballot status webpage. To be counted, your county election office must receive your ballot by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Postmarks do not count. Read more about mail ballots and how to properly fill them out.
If you plan to vote in person, you can find your polling place online.
If it’s your first time voting at your polling location, you need to bring a form of valid ID such as a driver’s license, a passport, or a student ID. If you don’t have a photo ID, there are various options you can bring, including a current utility bill or bank statement. You can find the full list of acceptable IDs on Pennsylvania’s official election website.
For general voting and election resources, check out Spotlight PA’s 2024 Election Center. We have candidate guides for auditor general, attorney general, treasurer, and U.S. senator. We also have a quiz for each row office — auditor general, attorney general, and treasurer — to help you figure out which candidate best aligns with your values.
Still have questions? You can reach out to your county election office for answers. Find contact information for your local county on the Pennsylvania election website. You can also try Spotlight PA’s election assistant.

Here’s what you can expect to see on your ballot:

Enter your address into Spotlight PA’s sample ballot tool to see a customized list of races. You can also search your county on the Pennsylvania Department of State voting and election webpage, then follow the link to the official county website, where you may be able to find a digital sample ballot. If you have any questions or have issues finding this information, contact your county election office for support.
For president, voters will decide between Democrat Kamala Harris, Republican Donald Trump, Jill Stein of the Green Party, and Libertarian Chase Oliver.
For U.S. Senate, voters will choose between Democratic incumbent Bob Casey, Republican Dave McCormick, and third-party candidates Leila Hazou (Green Party), Marty Selker (Constitution Party), and John C. Thomas (Libertarian). Read more about the candidates in Spotlight PA’s U.S. Senate guide.
For U.S. House, who is listed on your ballot will be dictated by the congressional district you live in. To find who is running in your district, use Spotlight PA’s sample ballot tool.
To find which Pennsylvania General Assembly candidates are running in your district, Spotlight PA’s sample ballot tool. Consult our guide to vetting these candidates to learn more about them.
For attorney general, Pennsylvanians will pick between Democrat Eugene DePasquale, Republican Dave Sunday, and third-party candidates Justin Magill (Constitution Party), Eric Settle (Forward Paty), Richard L. Weiss (Green Party), and Robert Cowburn (Libertarian). Read more about these candidates in Spotlight PA’s attorney general guide.
For auditor general, voters will choose between Republican incumbent Tim DeFoor, Democrat Malcolm Kenyatta, and third-party candidates Erin Anton (American Solidarity Party), Alan ‘Bob’ Goodrich (Constitution Party), and Reece Smith (Libertarian Party). Read Spotlight PA’s auditor general guide to learn more about the candidates.
For treasurer, voters will decide between Republican incumbent Stacy Garrity, Democrat Erin McClelland, and third-party candidates Chris Foster (Forward Party), Nick Ciesielski (Libertarian Party), and Troy Bowman (Constitution Party). Read Spotlight PA’s guide to these candidates to learn more about them.

There are no statewide ballot measures this year, but some voters may see local questions. Check your county’s election website or sample ballot to know exactly which races and candidates you will be voting for.

A complete listing of Spotlight PA voter guides and coverage:

En Español:

BEFORE YOU GO… If you learned something from this article, pay it forward and contribute to Spotlight PA at spotlightpa.org/donate. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results.

Publisher13 hours agoLast Updated: November 3, 2024

4 minutes read

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