What to Know
- All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are on ballots in every state on Nov. 8 in what is the midterm elections of President Joe Biden's first term.
- National Voter Registration Day is Sept. 20 to raise awareness among the electorate to check their status ahead of the election less than two months away.
- In Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, there is a deadline for registering to vote. Those dates are listed below, along with links to register on each state's Department of State websites.
Voter Registration Day is Sept. 20, and it's a reminder for all voters in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware to check your status and eligibility to cast a ballot on the important midterm elections coming up Nov. 8.
In Pennsylvania, particularly, two big races in 2022 are likely to determine the course of both local and national politics.
Voters in the Keystone State will play a crucial role in which political party controls Congress, particularly with the open race to replace retiring Republican Pat Toomey in the U.S. Senate. All the while, both Democrats and Republicans see the governor's office as all-important in which party controls state politics for the next four years. Current Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat, cannot run for a third term.
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Voters in New Jersey and Delaware will also play big roles in the future of political power in Washington, D.C., and their home states, as local races will also be on the ballots.
With the stakes so high, we’re answering some of the biggest questions about both races below:
When is the deadline to register to vote?
The last day to register to vote in each state differs ahead of the general election. NBC News has a very useful tool to determine what the rules and deadlines are for voters, depending on where they live. Learn more about the tool here.
In Pennsylvania, the deadline to register is Oct. 24. In New Jersey, the deadline is Oct. 18. In Delaware, the deadline is Oct. 15.
How do I register to vote?
You can complete an online voter registration on the Pennsylvania Department of State website, on the New Jersey Department of State, and on the Delaware Department of State.
Can I vote by mail?
All three states allow voters to cast a ballot by mail or by dropbox. A list and map of the locations in southeastern Pennsylvania is below.
Decision 2022
How do I fill out my mail-in ballot in Pennsylvania?
There are a few key points to remember: Be careful when opening your ballot, make sure the ballot is inside the included secrecy envelope before putting it in the outer envelope (thus avoiding a “naked” ballot) and ensure you sign the outer envelope before sending it back. Get a more detailed explanation here and here (note that the second link is an article from 2020, but the same rules apply).
In addition to the governor and U.S. senator races, voters will be able to elect a lieutenant governor, as well as representatives across Pennsylvania’s 17 U.S. House districts.
In Southeastern Pennsylvania, every current congressional member representing the region's seven U.S. House districts is running for re-election.
Check out the candidates for those races by clicking here.
For all the candidates, issues and important dates that voters should know about in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, go to NBC10's Decision 2022 page. You'll find tools to help you navigate the midterm elections, including when to vote and who will be on your ballots in the primaries and November general elections.
