Results to watch include Pennsylvania attorney general, Pennsylvania treasurer, and Pennsylvania auditor general. Results will begin to show after 8 p.m. on April 23.
Results for races can also be found on the Department of State website.
For complete coverage of the 2024 primary election, visit Spotlight PA’s Election Center.
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters.
HARRISBURG — This year, all Pennsylvania House representatives and half of state senators will be on the ballot.
Heather McGhee made her career in pushing for economic policy changes at the think tank Demos. But she couldn’t help but feel that something was missing from her work. So she embarked on a cross-country road trip to understand what’s at the heart of what ails America’s economy and our democracy. The result is her book “The Sum of Us,” which she joins us to talk about in this episode
Elections 101 from Spotlight PA protects you against election misinformation and empowers you to make informed decisions. This story is made possible through a collaboration with Votebeat, a nonpartisan news organization covering local election administration and voting.
You may be one of the hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians who plan to vote by mail during the 2024 election. Or maybe it’s an option you’ve considered but haven’t pursued because you distrust the process or have concerns about fraud.
This article is made possible through Spotlight PA’s collaboration with Votebeat, a nonpartisan news organization covering local election administration and voting. Sign up for Votebeat’s free newsletters here.
After a court defeat, Pennsylvania voting rights organizations are trying to convince a larger group of federal appellate judges that the state shouldn’t be allowed to reject mail ballots that lack a proper date on their return envelopes.
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters.
HARRISBURG — Millions of voters are expected to cast ballots during Pennsylvania’s April 23 primary, choosing candidates to represent the Democratic and Republican parties in November.
Ahead of the April 23 primary, Pennsylvania’s top election official answered your questions about misinformation, voting machine security, and more.
Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt joined Spotlight PA’s Kate Huangpu and Votebeat’s Carter Walker in March for a live event about building trust in elections. If you missed it, you can watch the conversation here.
Mail-in and absentee voters will soon get a chance to see the new designs for ballot materials, if they haven’t arrived already.
With the colorful envelopes and highlighted sections, the layout is intended to help voters correctly fill out the return envelope and remember to put the ballot in the secrecy sleeve.
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters.
Pennsylvania’s April 23 primary election is fast approaching, and Democrats and Republicans will soon have to decide which attorney general candidate they want to send to the general election.
HARRISBURG — On April 23, Democrats and Republicans in Pennsylvania will vote for their parties’ candidates for president, U.S. House and Senate, state row offices (attorney general, auditor general, and treasurer), and the legislature.
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds the power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters.
HARRISBURG — As the 2024 election heats up, voters in Pennsylvania may hear candidates talk about poll watchers. Appointed by candidates or political parties, poll watchers are permitted to observe polling place setup, the voting process, and the counting of ballots.
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters.
HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania House is advancing modest campaign finance reforms during an election year that will likely see a torrent of hard-to-trace political spending flood the state.
This article is made possible through Spotlight PA’s collaboration with Votebeat, a nonpartisan news organization covering local election administration and voting. Sign up for Votebeat’s free newsletters here.
After the 2022 elections, a flurry of precinct-level recount petitions prevented Pennsylvania from certifying its election results until Dec. 22 — weeks later than usual.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and Republican David McCormick will be the only eligible names on ballots for the office in Pennsylvania’s April primary after a ruling Friday by the state’s highest court.
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters.
HARRISBURG — An obscure policy issue is getting new attention in this year’s race for Pennsylvania treasurer as Democratic state Rep. Ryan Bizzarro of Erie seeks to draw a contrast with Republican incumbent Stacy Garrity.
This article is made possible through Spotlight PA’s collaboration with Votebeat, a nonpartisan news organization covering local election administration and voting. Sign up for Votebeat’s free newsletters here.
A power shift and restructuring within the Philadelphia Board of City Commissioners is causing strife among its three elected members, which observers warn could create the appearance of dysfunction in the office as it enters a high-pressure year overseeing the city’s elections.
Sixteen states and one territory are making their presidential preferences known on this biggest voting day of the primaries. Here’s what we’re following:
This article is made possible through Spotlight PA’s collaboration with Votebeat, a nonpartisan news organization covering local election administration and voting. Sign up for Votebeat’s free newsletters here.
As Sajda Blackwell approached the front of the room, she did a little dance of excitement — a shimmy as she pumped both fists in the air.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Law enforcement agencies, civil defense officials and election administrators have begun meeting in Pennsylvania to coordinate how they will identify and fight election threats with the presidential contest just eight months away in the battleground state, Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration said Thursday.
HARRISBURG — When voters go to the polls this November, control of the Pennsylvania House could rest on the outcome of a single race.
Currently, Democrats control the 203-member chamber by two votes, with one safely Republican seat vacant. All state representatives must run for reelection every two years.
This series from Spotlight PA protects you against election misinformation and empowers you to make informed decisions. This story is made possible through a collaboration with Votebeat, a nonpartisan news organization covering local election administration and voting.
During what is likely to be another contentious presidential election in Pennsylvania, you may hear contradictory, confusing, or downright false claims about voting machines.
As the presidential election approaches, Pennsylvania is facing a deficit of experienced election directors, increasing the risk of errors that could cause difficulties for voters, disenfranchise their votes, and ignite disputes over results.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A federal appeals court must decide if Pennsylvania voters need to put accurate handwritten dates on the outside envelopes of their mail-in ballots for the votes to count, a dispute with implications for this year’s presidential contest.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania’s 2024 primary election may lack drama in the high-stakes races for president and U.S. Senate, but the field for lower-ballot contests are filling up for the state’s attorney general’s office and a handful of its 17 seats in the U.S. House.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democrat Dan McCaffery won an open seat on Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court in Tuesday’s general election, preserving a strong Democratic majority on a panel that has produced several critical election-related rulings in the presidential battleground state.
The seven-member bench, which will be made up five Democrats and two Republicans, is also at the center of cases on guns and abortion rights — which had a prominent role in the campaign.
WPSU | By Marc Levy | Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democrat Timika Lane won a seat on a statewide appellate court in Pennsylvania, giving Democrats a sweep of four statewide judicial races in Tuesday’s election, including an open seat on the state’s highest court.
Vote-counting continued into Wednesday and put Lane, a Philadelphia Common Pleas Court judge, over the top in her race for a seat on the state Superior Court.
WPSU | By The Associated Press
HARRISBURG — Democrat Matt Wolf, a Philadelphia municipal judge, will fill an open seat on Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court.
The Associated Press called the race at 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Unofficial results show Wolf with 53% of the vote and Republican Megan Martin, a former legislative official, with 47%.
WPSU | By Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PA
These are unofficial election results.
Centre County
In the race for Centre County Commissioner, Democrats Mark Higgins and Amber Concepcion and Republican Steve Dershem have been reelected.
There were a few competitive Centre County row offices. Democratic incumbent Jason Moser has been reelected as Controller. Democrat Colleen Kennedy holds on to her Treasurer position. And in a very close Recorder of Deeds race, Republican incumbent Joseph Davidson currently holds a 127 vote lead over Robert Zeigler.
For the State College Area School District Board of Directors, all five Democratic “Slate for State” candidates have been elected by numbers about double their Republican competitors’. Amy Bader and Gretchen Brandt will return to the board, along with newcomers Anne Demo, Dan Kolbe and Aaron Miller.
HARRISBURG — Elections for seats on Pennsylvania’s highest courts tend to lack the urgency of other races, as those courts seem to operate far from our everyday lives, especially when compared to the work of local and state officials.
But judges in these positions hold an immense amount of power, and make decisions that profoundly impact some of the most pressing and hot-button issues of our time, including abortion, civil liberties, education, voting and elections, and the environment.
That’s why Spotlight PA is launching a new voter tool ahead of this November’s judicial contests to illustrate how the courts in recent years have affected the policies you care about most.
WPSU | By Elizabeth Estrada of Spotlight PA
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s 2023 election will give voters the chance to pick a new slate of judges across several statewide courts.
On Nov. 7, voters will elect a new state Supreme Court justice, as well as new judges to sit on Commonwealth and Superior Courts. They will also decide whether two appellate judges on Superior Court should get another term.
Across the state, some residents will also vote in municipal races for offices like mayor and school board, and answer ballot questions.
WPSU | By Elizabeth Estrada of Spotlight PA
HARRISBURG — On Nov. 7, Pennsylvanians will cast their vote for a new state Supreme Court justice, as well as for new judges to sit on Commonwealth and Superior Courts. Voters will also decide whether two appellate judges on Superior Court should get another term.
Across the state, depending on where you live, there might also be municipal races on the ballot, for offices like mayor and school board, along with ballot questions.
To help you prepare for Election Day 2023 in Pennsylvania, we’ve answered some of your most frequently asked questions below…
WPSU | By Elizabeth Estrada of Spotlight PA
HARRISBURG — Near the bottom of this year’s general election ballot, Pennsylvania voters will be asked simple questions with long-term consequences.
Depending on where they live, voters will decide whether at least two state judges should “be retained for an additional term” of 10 years.
All state judges — from those who preside over municipal courts to the justices of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court — initially run in partisan races. Once elected, the judges on Pennsylvania’s powerful appellate and Common Pleas courts serve 10-year terms — often holding their seats for decades with little notice.
WPSU | By Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PA
HARRISBURG — A political group almost entirely funded by Pennsylvania’s richest resident has contributed one out of every three dollars raised this year by candidates running in critical statewide judicial races.
The group, Commonwealth Leaders Fund, has spent over $2.7 million, the vast majority to support just one candidate: Montgomery County judge Carolyn Carluccio, a Republican running for a seat on the state Supreme Court.
The position comes with great power. In recent years, the high court threw out the state’s congressional map for being overtly partisan, allowed a lawsuit challenging the state’s education funding system to go to trial, and upheld the state’s mail voting law.
WPSU | By Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PA, Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PA
At a quick glance: The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is made up of 7 justices. Currently, there are 4 Democrats and 2 Republicans that serve on the court. There is 1 vacancy before voters in the November 2023 election. To qualify for a seat on the court, candidates must have state residency for at least one year and reside in the commonwealth throughout the duration of their term. They must be at least 21 years of age, but not older than 75. They also have to be a member of the Bar of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and licensed to practice law in the state.
WPSU | By Elizabeth Estrada of Spotlight PA
At a quick glance: Superior Court is made up of 15 judges. Currently, there are 7 Democrats and 7 Republicans that serve on the court. There are 2 vacancies before voters in the November 2023 election. To qualify for a seat on the court, candidates must have state residency for at least one year and reside in the commonwealth throughout the duration of their term. They must be at least 21 years of age, but not older than 75. They also have to be a member of the Bar of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and licensed to practice law in the state.
WPSU | By Elizabeth Estrada of Spotlight PA
At a quick glance: Commonwealth Court is made up of 9 judges. Currently, there are 3 Democrats and 5 Republicans that serve on the court. There is 1 vacancy before voters in the November 2023 election. To qualify for a seat on the court, candidates must have state residency for at least one year and reside in the commonwealth throughout the duration of their term. They must be at least 21 years of age, but not older than 75. They also have to be a member of the Bar of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and licensed to practice law in the state.
WPSU | By Elizabeth Estrada of Spotlight PA
This article is made possible through Spotlight PA’s collaboration with Votebeat, a nonpartisan news organization covering local election administration and voting. This article is available for reprint under the terms of Votebeat’s republishing policy.
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania lawmakers are once again considering expanding the state’s voter ID requirements, this time as part of a larger proposal to change the date of the 2024 presidential primary.
The Democratic-controlled state House is expected to consider a Republican-authored amendment this week that would require voters to show proof of identification every time they cast a ballot in person. Currently, state law requires voters to show proof of identification the first time they vote at a polling place.
WPSU | By Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PA, Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PA, Carter Walker of Votebeat
In the heyday of American labor, the influence of local unions extended far beyond the workplace. Unions were embedded in tight-knit communities, touching nearly every aspect of the lives of members—mostly men—and their families and neighbors. They conveyed fundamental worldviews, making blue-collar unionists into loyal Democrats who saw the party as on the side of the working man.
Today, unions play a much less significant role in American life. In industrial and formerly industrial Rust Belt towns, Republican-leaning groups and outlooks have burgeoned among the kinds of voters who once would have been part of union communities. This episode explores why that’s happened and whether new unions coming online at places like Starbucks may change the picture moving forward.
This article is made possible through Spotlight PA’s collaboration with Votebeat, a nonpartisan news organization covering local election administration and voting. This article is available for reprint under the terms of Votebeat’s republishing policy.
The effort to move Pennsylvania’s 2024 presidential primary date appears to be dead due to a legislative impasse, leaving the commonwealth as the only state with an April 23 election that conflicts with Passover.
In separate statements Thursday, state Senate leadership said the matter was “closed” and state House leadership called it “unresolvable.”
WPSU | By Carter Walker of Votebeat
This article is made possible through Spotlight PA’s collaboration with Votebeat, a nonpartisan news organization covering local election administration and voting. This article is available for reprint under the terms of Votebeat’s republishing policy.
Republicans at the state and national level are still crying foul over Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s announcement last month that the state had adopted automatic voter registration at motor vehicle offices.
Conservatives are questioning not only the security and motives of the program, but also Shapiro’s authority to unilaterally make such a change without the legislature.
WPSU | By Carter Walker of Votebeat
Pennsylvania’s 2024 presidential primary is scheduled to take place April 23, but state Rep. Scott Conklin, who is majority chairman of the State Government Committee, said the committee is looking to move that earlier in the month.
Conklin said the committee will likely discuss the various dates being proposed on Oct. 3, with a goal of moving the legislation out of committee quickly. A bill from the House would change the primary to April 2. Another bill from the state Senate would move the presidential primary to the third Tuesday in March. But that, Conklin said, would push the date when candidates begin collecting petitions to get on the ballot to the day after Christmas.
This article is made possible through Spotlight PA’s collaboration with Votebeat, a nonpartisan news organization covering local election administration and voting. This article is available for reprint under the terms of Votebeat’s republishing policy.
A judge has told Delaware County to count ballots cast in person by voters whose mail ballots were rejected during the primary, a ruling the county, even though it lost the case, says it welcomes.
Following the May 16 primary, Delaware County’s Board of Elections decided not to accept provisional ballots cast in person by voters who had already been told their mail ballots were rejected due to technical defects. That means that these voters were twice rejected, after trying to remedy their mail ballot mistake by voting provisionally at their nearby polling places, and ultimately were disenfranchised.
WPSU | By Carter Walker of Votebeat
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania’s five most recent former governors have collectively announced their support for open primaries, adding new fuel to a long-smoldering debate over whether the commonwealth should allow unaffiliated voters to help choose partisan candidates.
In a letter published Monday, Govs. Tom Corbett, Ed Rendell, Tom Ridge, Mark Schweiker, and Tom Wolf wrote that they, “pledged to govern on behalf of all Pennsylvanians,” and argued that primary elections are now decided by fewer, more extreme voters. The letter goes on to assert that opening primaries would help tamp down extremism and polarization.
WPSU | By Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PA
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democrats will retain their one-vote majority in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives after voters in Pittsburgh on Tuesday elected former congressional aide Lindsay Powell.
Powell’s victory gives Democrats a 102-101 majority in the House. Republicans have a 28-22 majority in the Senate, creating a divided Legislature that has kept Democrats from passing priorities such as broadened protections for LGBTQ+ people and gun control measures and Republicans from wins on issues including school vouchers.
WPSU | By Brooke Schultz | Associated Press/Report for America
HARRISBURG — On a rainy June Thursday, Pennsylvania lawmakers gathered in Harrisburg as the governor signed off on a complete revamp of the law that regulates elections.
One new rule the legislature had landed on: the need to have lanterns, or a proper substitute, in polling places.
The year was 1937, when electric lights were only in roughly two of every three American homes, and power was just starting to make its way to rural Pennsylvania.
Today, that rule is still on the books.
WPSU | By Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PA
On Nov. 7, Pennsylvanians will select a new judge for Commonwealth Court and two for Superior Court — and all of these new judges will immediately wield the power to referee legal disputes over state law and decide major criminal cases.
During Pennsylvania’s general election on Nov. 7, voters will select the newest state Supreme Court justice.
The winner of the election — Democrat Daniel McCaffery or Republican Carolyn Carluccio — will have considerable power over the interpretation of laws in the commonwealth, and will help determine the balance of the court in coming years.
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