Polls are open for the 2024 primary elections today until 8 p.m., and Allegheny County voters have until that time to return mail-in ballots to the elections office Downtown.
Democratic and Republican primaries for president, Congress, statewide office and state legislature are on the ballot to determine nominees for the General Election on Nov. 5.
Voting by mail has been underway for weeks, and tallies released by the county so far suggest no change to the now-familiar pattern of Democrats making significant use of mail-in balloting (the only form of early voting available in Pennsylvania) while Republicans overwhelmingly wait until Election Day to vote.
U.S. Rep. Summer Lee, D-Swissvale, speaks to the media after voting at the Swissvale Community Food Bank. Lee confirmed that she voted for President Joe Biden in the primary. (Photo by Stephanie Strasburg/PublicSource)
Of about 121,712 primary ballots mailed to county voters, 82% went to Democrats. While state GOP leaders have begun imploring their voters to adopt early voting, former President Donald Trump has continued disparaging mail voting. At least for now, Allegheny County Republicans appear to be largely following the former president’s advice.
Edgewood Councilor Bhavini Patel talks to the media as she arrives to greet voters at the Church of the Resurrection polling station in Monroeville. Patel, a Democrat, is challenging incumbent U.S. Rep. Summer Lee in the primary election. (Photo by Stephanie Strasburg/PublicSource)
Here is what you need to know about participating in today’s elections:
Can I vote today?
Only voters who are registered as Democrats or Republicans can vote in the primaries. Independent voters or those registered with minor parties cannot participate.
Where and when can I vote?
Use this website to find out where your polling place is. As long as you are in line by 8 p.m., you can vote.
Double check: More than 60 polling places changed locations for this election, including 16 that typically are located in synagogues that are unavailable because the election falls on the Jewish holiday of Passover.
What if I have a mail-in ballot?
Ballots must be received by the county by 8 p.m. today to be counted — no exceptions. If a ballot is placed in the mail today, it will not be counted.
Voters can deliver completed mail-in ballots to the County Office Building at 542 Forbes Avenue (Ross Street entrance). A voter can only deliver their own ballot, not one belonging to anyone else.
If you have a mail-in ballot but prefer to vote at your neighborhood polling place, you can surrender the mail-in ballot at the polling location and vote there. If you already submitted a mail-in ballot, you cannot vote in person.
Any voter with a disability as defined by the ADA can designate somebody else to deliver their ballot using this form .
Who is on the ballot
Voters of the two major parties will select nominees for president, the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, state House and Senate, and the state offices of attorney general, auditor general and treasurer.
Most legislative districts have little to no competition in the primaries this cycle. Main exceptions include the 12th Congressional District (held by Democrat Summer Lee), the 32nd state House district (held by Democrat Joe McAndrew), the 34th state House district (held by Democrat Abigail Salisbury) and two seats with no incumbent running (state Senate district 45 and state House district 38).
A PublicSource and 90.5 WESA investigation found local Republicans working to remove thousands of Allegheny County residents from the voter rolls, but the action won’t likely affect voters ahead of the 2024 elections.
PublicSource will publish live election results for all contested races involving part or all of Allegheny County, with data and race calls from the Associated Press.
View up-to-the-minute results on PublicSource.org, and follow @PublicSourcePA on X for updates as the night unfolds and winners are determined.
Charlie Wolfson is PublicSource’s local government reporter and a Report for America corps member. He can be reached at charlie@publicsource.org.
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