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PENNSYLVANIA – With the Nov. 3 general election approaching, Pennsylvania remains a key battleground. Race outcomes will directly impact the balance of power in both the state and country.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Whether you plan to drop a ballot in the mail or cast it in person at your local polling place, here are the official resources you need to ensure your voice is heard.<\/p>\n
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A pedestrian walks past a ballot drop box during early voting ahead of the midterm election outside City Hall in San Francisco, California, US, on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. A proposal to tax California’s billionaires has fractured Democratic politics, <\/p>\n
Check your registration status <\/p>\n
Before making any other voting plans, verify that you are actively registered to vote at your current address.<\/p>\n
How to check: You can verify your registration status through the state’s official voter portal.<\/a>Need to register or update? If you have moved, changed your name, or need to register for the first time, you can complete your application online.<\/a> PA voter registration deadline <\/p>\n The last day for Pennsylvania residents to register to vote for the 2026 general election was Oct. 19.<\/p>\n Voting by mail <\/p>\n In Pennsylvania, you have two vote-by-mail options.<\/p>\n Mail-in ballot:\u00a0Any registered voter can apply for a mail-in ballot.Absentee ballot:\u00a0Registered voters who can\u2019t make it to their polling place on Election Day because of illness, disability, work, or travel can apply for an absentee ballot. <\/p>\n Your\u00a0application\u00a0for a mail-in or absentee ballot must be received by your\u00a0county election office by 5p.m. October 27, while your completed ballot must be received by 8 p.m. Nov. 3.<\/a> A postmark by 8 p.m. Nov. 3 is not sufficient.<\/p>\n Voting in person <\/p>\n If you prefer to vote in person, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3.<\/p>\n Find your polling place: Look up your current polling place using an official “Polling Place Search”<\/a> to confirm your correct location and its confirmed operating hours.Voting requirements: If it is your first time voting at a new polling place, you will need to bring an approved form of identification.<\/a> What’s on the ballot <\/p>\n In Pennsylvania, voters will elect the governor, 17 U.S. House seats, all 203 members of the state House and half of the 50-member state Senate. Here is what will appear on the ballot in the Philadelphia area. (Note: an asterisk * denotes an incumbent)<\/p>\n Governor Josh Shapiro* (D)Stacy Garrity (R)Kenneth Krawchuk (L) <\/p>\n Democratic incumbent Josh Shapiro is seeking a second term against Republican state Treasurer Stacy Garrity. Libertarian Ken Krawchuk is also on the ballot. Both major-party candidates won their May nominations unopposed.<\/p>\n Quinnipiac’s first likely-voter poll of the cycle released on Oct. 7 showed Gov. Shapiro holding a commanding 59% to 34% lead over Garrity among likely Pennsylvania voters. Libertarian candidate Ken Krawchuk is currently polling at 2%.<\/p>\n U.S. House of Representatives <\/p>\n As both parties fight for control of the U.S. House in the Nov. 3 midterm elections, Pennsylvania has emerged as a crucial battleground. Two of the state’s highly competitive congressional districts fall in the Philadelphia area (1st and 7th). They are currently held by Republicans, making them a primary focus for Democrats looking to flip seats and shift the balance of power.<\/p>\n District 1: Brian Fitzpatrick* (R) vs. Bob Harvie (D) (Third Party: Jamie Frost Remmey, Josh Hoban): Republican incumbent Brian Fitzpatrick is facing Democrat Bob Harvie. Harvie is a Bucks County commissioner and former high school social studies teacher. An Oct. 9 Cook Political Report moved the race from “likely” to “lean” Republican, meaning Fitzpatrick is still favored.District 2: Brendan Boyle* (D) vs. Jessica Arriaga (R): Democratic Rep. Brendan Boyle is seeking a seventh term against Republican Jessica Arriaga, a North Philadelphia native and operating room technician.District 3: Christopher Rabb (D) vs. Dennis Mahoney (I): This is the seat of retiring Rep. Dwight Evans. Democratic state Rep. Chris Rabb, a self-described democratic socialist, won the primary with about 44% in a four-way race. He faces independent Dennis Mahoney, a 34-year-old humanitarian aid worker from South Philadelphia. District 4: Madeleine Dean* (D) vs. Aurora Stuski (R): Democratic Rep. Madeleine Dean, who won 59.1% in 2024, faces Republican Aurora Stuski.District 5: Mary Gay Scanlon* (D) vs. Nick Manganaro (R): Democratic Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon is seeking a fifth term against Republican Nicholas Manganaro, a financial professional.District 6: Chrissy Houlahan* (D) vs. Martin Young (R): Democratic Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, was first elected in 2018 and won 56.2% in 2024. Republican Marty Young is a West Point graduate and restructuring executive.District 7: Ryan Mackenzie* (R) vs. Bob Brooks (D) (Third Party: Andrew Tupone, Frank Golden, Ramon Granados): Incumbent Republican Ryan Mackenzie is defending a seat he flipped in 2024 against Democrat Bob Brooks. Mackenzie won it by about 4,000 votes in 2024. Brooks won a crowded Democratic primary with 41%. The Cook Political Report moved the race from “toss-up” to “lean” Democratic on Oct. 9. Pennsylvania General Assembly\u00a0 <\/p>\n Your ballot will only feature the specific House and Senate races for your exact address.<\/a> Voters in the Philadelphia metro area will be deciding the following districts:<\/p>\n State Senate districts: 6, 12, 24, 26, and 44State House districts: 13, 18, 26, 29, 31, 74, 141, 142, 143, 145, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 170, 172, 173, 177, 178, and 192 <\/p>\n The Source: Information from this article was sourced from the PA Department of State. Quinnipiac University Polls, the Cook Political Report, candidate websites and the Associated Press.<\/p>\n Pennsylvania Politics<\/a>Pennsylvania<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"PENNSYLVANIA – With the Nov. 3 general election approaching, Pennsylvania remains a key battleground. 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