With control of Congress and key statewide offices on the line, Pennsylvania\u2019s primary is expected to draw national attention ahead of November, per Ballotpedia.\u00a0<\/p>\n
What you can do:<\/p>\n
When do polls open\/close? <\/p>\n
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at polling locations across the state.<\/p>\n
Find your polling place here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Am I eligible to vote? <\/p>\n In Pennsylvania, you must be a registered Democrat or Republican to vote in the primary election.<\/p>\n All registered voters can vote in a primary election if the ballot includes any of the following:<\/p>\n a constitutional amendment question,a ballot question, ora special election in their district. Races to watch <\/p>\n What we know:<\/p>\n Pennsylvania governor\u00a0 Josh Shapiro (Democrat) Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro speaks prior to Round One of the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium on April 23, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho\/Getty Images) <\/p>\n Gov. Josh Shapiro is the incumbent and remains one of the Democratic Party\u2019s most prominent figures<\/a> nationally, according to Ballotpedia.\u00a0<\/p>\n He has focused heavily<\/a> on infrastructure, economic development, abortion rights and bipartisan governance during his first term.\u00a0<\/p>\n Shapiro has no primary challenger<\/a> on the ballot for the Democratic nomination.\u00a0<\/p>\n Stacy Garrity (Republican) Pa. State Treasurer Stacy Garrity speaks during a visit to Coffee Inclusive in Pittston on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo by Jason Ardan\/The Citizens’ Voice via Getty Images) <\/p>\n Stacy Garrity currently serves as Pennsylvania\u2019s state treasurer<\/a> and is a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserve.<\/p>\n She has positioned herself as a conservative<\/a> focused on fiscal issues, government accountability and public safety. Like Shapiro, she is running effectively unopposed in the primary.<\/p>\n Why this race matters: <\/p>\n Dig deeper:<\/p>\n Although the primaries are largely uncontested, the governor\u2019s race is expected to become Pennsylvania\u2019s top statewide political battle<\/a> heading into November.<\/p>\n Pennsylvania\u2019s 3rd Congressional District (Democratic Primary) Ala Stanford Dr. Ala Stanford speaks during a campaign event for Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris in Ambler, Pa., Monday, July 29, 2024. (AP Photo\/Matt Rourke) <\/p>\n Ala Stanford is a physician and public health advocate who gained statewide attention during the COVID-19 pandemic for her work expanding testing access in underserved communities, according to her faculty biography<\/a>; she is a practice of biology professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Arts and Sciences.\u00a0<\/p>\n She has campaigned on<\/a> health care equity, economic opportunity and public health policy.<\/p>\n Sharif Street Senator Sharif Street attends a rally protesting the imprisonment of Meek Mill outside the Philadelphia Criminal Justice Center during the rapper’s status hearing on April 16, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Brian Stukes\/Getty Images) <\/p>\n Sharif Street is an attorney who serves in the Pennsylvania State Senate<\/a>, and previously served as Chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, according to his campaign website. He stepped down<\/a> from that role to focus on his congressional campaign last year.\u00a0<\/p>\n He has emphasized criminal justice reform, economic investment and voting rights during his campaign<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Chris Rabb State Representative Chris Rabb in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., on June 24, 2024. Photographer: Hannah Beier\/Bloomberg via Getty Images <\/p>\n Chris Rabb is a progressive state lawmaker known for advocating policies related to criminal justice reform<\/a>, economic inequality<\/a> and environmental justice<\/a>.<\/p>\n He has built support<\/a> among progressive activists and younger Democratic voters<\/a>.<\/p>\n Shaun Griffith Photo via Shaun Griffith for Congress’ Media Kit.\u00a0 <\/p>\n Shaun Griffith, an attorney and western Pennsylvania native, is also running in the crowded Democratic field.<\/p>\n His campaign has focused on<\/a> local community concerns and expanding representation for Philadelphia residents.<\/p>\n Why this race matters: <\/p>\n Dig deeper:<\/p>\n The Democratic primary in Philadelphia-based District 3 is shaping up to be<\/a> one of the most competitive and high-profile House races in Pennsylvania, according to Ballotpedia.\u00a0<\/p>\n The 3rd Congressional District of Pennsylvania is based entirely in Philadelphia<\/a> and includes much of West Philadelphia, portions of Center City, sections of Northwest Philadelphia and areas of South Philadelphia. It’s widely considered<\/a> the most Democratic district in the country, according to the Cook Political Report.\u00a0<\/p>\n Whoever wins this race will face off against the Republican nominee in November, and any third-party or independent candidates if they qualify for the ballot.\u00a0<\/p>\n Pennsylvania\u2019s 7th Congressional District (Democratic Primary) Carol Obando-Derstine Photo via Carol Obando-Derstine for Congress’ Media Kit. <\/p>\n Carol Obando-Derstine has focused her campaign<\/a> on health care access, reproductive rights and working-family issues. She is “an engineer, advocate and educator,” according to her campaign website.\u00a0<\/p>\n She has emphasized<\/a> grassroots organizing and coalition-building throughout the Lehigh Valley.\u00a0<\/p>\n Bob Brooks Photo via Bob Brooks for Congress’ Media Kit. <\/p>\n Bob Brooks is campaigning on<\/a> economic development, public safety and support for small businesses.<\/p>\n He spent 20 years as a firefighter in Bethlehem and now serves as the union President of the Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association, according to his campaign website<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n He has sought to appeal<\/a> to moderate Democratic voters in the swing district.\u00a0<\/p>\n Lamont McClure Lamont McClure applauds a speaker’s remarks during an event announcing his campaign to run for the Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District, in Easton, Pa., Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo\/Matt Rourke) <\/p>\n Lamont McClure is the former Northampton County executive and is one of the best-known candidates in the race<\/a>.<\/p>\n He has highlighted<\/a> his local government experience, infrastructure projects and economic growth in the region during his campaign, according to his campaign website.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ryan Crosswell Ryan Crosswell, former federal prosecutor who quit the Department of Justice in protest, speaks at a campaign event for his run for Congress, Dec. 4, 2025, in Allentown, Pa. (AP Photo\/Marc Levy) <\/p>\n Before entering politics, Ryan Crosswell served as a federal prosecutor at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), handling public corruption and fraud cases focused on government accountability. In 2025, he stepped down<\/a> from the DOJ, saying it was in protest over internal decisions he believed undermined prosecutorial independence.<\/p>\n Crosswell has focused his campaign<\/a> on affordability issues, education and expanding economic opportunities for middle-class families in eastern Pennsylvania, according to his campaign website.\u00a0<\/p>\n Why this race matters: <\/p>\n Dig deeper:<\/p>\n District 7 is considered<\/a> one of Pennsylvania\u2019s most competitive congressional districts and could play a role in determining control of the U.S. House, according to Ballotpedia.<\/p>\n It is centered in the Lehigh Valley in eastern Pennsylvania and includes<\/a> all of Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon counties, along with part of Monroe County. It includes major communities such as Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton, along with surrounding suburban and rural areas.<\/p>\n The Lehigh Valley has become a major political battleground<\/a>, making both the primary and general election closely watched contests. In recent election cycles, the area has shifted<\/a> from a more reliably Republican-leaning area to a highly competitive region, with tighter margins in both statewide and federal races, according to the Commonwealth.\u00a0<\/p>\n It is also widely viewed<\/a> as a bellwether for broader trends in Pennsylvania, a key presidential swing state.<\/p>\n Whoever wins this race will face off against the Republican nominee in November, and any third-party or independent candidates if they qualify for the ballot.<\/p>\n Pennsylvania\u2019s 10th Congressional District (Democratic Primary) Justin Douglas Justin Douglas, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. House in Pennsylvania, speaks during a news conference in the Pennsylvania Capitol, April 7, 2026, in Harrisburg, Pa. (AP Photo\/Marc Levy) <\/p>\n Dauphin County Commissioner Justin Douglas has campaigned as a progressive candidate<\/a> focused on health care, labor rights and economic fairness, according to his campaign website.\u00a0<\/p>\n He has worked to build support<\/a> among younger and more progressive Democratic voters.<\/p>\n Janelle Stelson Janelle Stelson, a candidate for Congress in Pennsylvania’s 10th District, listens during a news conference, Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, in Enola, Pa. (AP Photo\/Marc Levy) <\/p>\n Janelle Stelson is a former television news anchor who previously ran for Congress and quickly became a high-profile Democratic figure in central Pennsylvania politics, according to her campaign website.\u00a0<\/p>\n Her campaign has centered on<\/a> protecting abortion rights, defending democracy and lowering costs for families.<\/p>\n Why this race matters: <\/p>\n Dig deeper:<\/p>\n The 10th Congressional District of Pennsylvania, centered in the Harrisburg and York regions, is considered a competitive seat heading into the November election, according to the Cook Political Report.\u00a0<\/p>\n Its recent electoral history and demographic mix have kept it on the radar of national analysts<\/a> as a district where either party could be competitive depending on the broader political environment.<\/p>\n Whoever wins this race will face the Republican nominee in November, along with any third-party or independent candidates who qualify for the ballot under Pennsylvania\u2019s election rules. Incumbent Scott Perry (R) is running unopposed in the primary.<\/p>\n Pennsylvania\u2019s 1st Congressional District (Democratic Primary) Bob Harvie Bob Harvie, commissioner of Bucks County, sits for a photograph in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, U.S., on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020. Photographer: Rachel Wisniewski\/Bloomberg via Getty Images <\/p>\n Bob Harvie serves as a Bucks County commissioner and is a former educator.<\/p>\n His campaign has focused on<\/a> protecting abortion rights, strengthening public education and defending democratic institutions, according to his campaign website.\u00a0<\/p>\n Lucia Simonelli Photo courtesy of Lucia Simonelli’s campaign.\u00a0 <\/p>\n Lucia Simonelli, a mathematician with a PhD who served as a scientific adviser<\/a> in the U.S. Senate on energy and climate policy, is running for Congress.<\/p>\n She’s campaigned on<\/a> affordability, public safety and government accountability.<\/p>\n She has sought to position herself<\/a> as an alternative voice in the Democratic primary field, according to Blue Voter Guide.\u00a0<\/p>\n Why this race matters: <\/p>\n Dig deeper:<\/p>\n District 1, located in suburban Bucks County, remains one of the most politically competitive areas<\/a> in Pennsylvania, according to the Cook Political Report.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Democratic nominee will likely face<\/a> Republican incumbent Brian Fitzpatrick, one of the GOP\u2019s most prominent moderates in Congress. Fitzpatrick is running unopposed in the primary.\u00a0<\/p>\n Pennsylvania State House District 100 (Republican Primary) Dave Nissley <\/p>\n Longtime Lancaster County business owner Dave Nissley is running on conservative<\/a> priorities, including lower taxes, public safety and support for local businesses.<\/p>\n He lost his most recent campaign in 2024 by just a few hundred votes<\/a>, according to Ballotpedia. Bryan Cutler defeated him.\u00a0<\/p>\n He’s additionally emphasized<\/a> community involvement and fiscal responsibility during the campaign.<\/p>\n Kelly Osborne <\/p>\n Retired Pennsylvania State Police master trooper<\/a> Kelly Osborne has campaigned on government transparency, education issues and economic development in the district.<\/p>\n She has sought to appeal to Republican voters<\/a> looking for new leadership in Harrisburg, according to her campaign website.\u00a0<\/p>\n Why this race matters: <\/p>\n Dig deeper:<\/p>\n Pennsylvania State House District 100 is located in Lancaster County<\/a> in southeastern Pennsylvania and includes a mix of rural and small-town communities such as Quarryville, Strasburg and surrounding townships including Bart, Providence and Drumore.\u00a0<\/p>\n While smaller than the statewide and congressional contests, State House races could determine control of the Pennsylvania legislature, as Democrats currently hold a one-seat<\/a> majority.\u00a0<\/p>\n With every seat in the Pennsylvania House<\/a> up for election in 2026, even local primaries could have broader political implications later this year.<\/p>\n Whoever wins the Republican primary for Pennsylvania House District 100 will face the Democratic nominee in the general election in November, along with any qualified third-party or independent candidates.<\/p>\n 2026 Elections<\/a>Pennsylvania Politics<\/a>News<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"PHILADELPHIA – Voters will head to the polls Tuesday to cast their ballot in the Pennsylvania primary election.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":196610,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[25694,139,8347,28,30,29,50],"class_list":["post-196609","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-pennsylvania","tag-elections-2026","tag-news","tag-pa-politics","tag-pennsylvania","tag-pennsylvania-headlines","tag-pennsylvania-news","tag-politics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/196609","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=196609"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/196609\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/196610"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=196609"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=196609"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=196609"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/gettyimages-2272842883.jpg\")
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