The Pennsylvania midterm elections are among the most closely watched in the nation. Nearly 20 seats are open, giving Democrats the opportunity to win back power in Washington, D.C., or Republicans the chance to solidify their current hold on Congress.
The biggest step ahead of November's general election is Tuesday's primary.
NBC10 broke down the nitty gritty of exercising your right to vote. Check out our election guide below:
How do I vote?
You can vote either in person or via absentee ballot. Unfortunately, the deadlines to register to vote in the primaries have ended.
If you missed those deadlines, it’s not too late to register for the November general election. The first day to apply for absentee ballot for the general election is Sept. 17. The last day to register to vote in person in the general election is Oct. 9 Meanwhile, the last day to apply for absentee ballot for general election is Oct. 30.
To find your voting precinct, visit the Pennsylvania Department of State website and enter your address.
How do I register to vote?
Save time and money by registering online for the November general election. You don’t need a stamp or gas to do so. Just log on and click here to register. If you’re not sure whether or not you already registered, click here to check your status.
I am registered to vote in the primary election. Can I vote in both the Democratic and Republican primaries?
No. Tuesday's primary is closed, which means you can only vote in the primary for your declared party. If you are a registered Independent, then you must wait until the general election in November. Otherwise, Republicans must vote in the GOP primary and Democrats must do the same for their party.
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Who’s running where?
All told, 84 people are running for 18 seats in the Pennsylvania primary, making our election one of the most crowded in the nation. Three primary races are so crowded that a candidate could win with far below 20 percent of the vote.
In the solidly conservative 13th District stretching along 120 miles of southern Pennsylvania's border, Stephen Bloom and seven other Republicans are competing for the party nomination that will all but determine the successor to retiring Rep. Bill Shuster, who with his father before him has held the seat a combined 46 years.
In southeastern Pennsylvania, 10 Democrats are vying to win the new heavily Democratic 5th District and succeed the now-resigned Republican Rep. Patrick Meehan in what had been viewed as one of the most gerrymandered districts in the country.
In the Allentown area's new 7th District, six Democrats are competing for the nomination in a seat being vacated by seven-term Rep. Charlie Dent. In the district, viewed as a tossup in the general election, candidates diverge on core Democratic Party issues, and it is driving the race.
To see a complete list of who is running, click here.
Why are so many people running?
Thank the Pennsylvania Supreme Court for the chaotic cluster that has become the midterm elections. In February, just one month before the deadline for candidates to declare their intention to run, the state’s highest court threw out the old congressional map and replaced it with a new one. The remedial map dramatically changed the shape and size of congressional districts, and forced many candidates to rethink their campaigns. Some decided to run in a completely district. Other simply dropped out. And many more saw wide open seats in districts that never existed before.
To understand the whole saga, read our explainer here.
Do I need any identification to vote?
If you have voted at your polling location before, you do not need to bring ID to vote. Only voters who are voting for the first time in their election district need to show ID. Acceptable IDs for first-time voters:
- Driver’s license
- U.S. passport
- Military, student, or employee ID
- Voter registration card
- Firearm permit
- Current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck or government check
- Any ID issued by the commonwealth or federal government
Note: An ID without your photo must have your address on it.
My vote doesn’t count. What’s the point?
Oh yes it does! Remember the special election in March?
If you don’t, it was close. Very, very close. So close, in fact, that Republican candidate Rick Saccone waited several days to concede to Democrat Conor Lamb in the southwestern Pennsylvania contest.
Lamb, 33, claimed the seat by just 750 votes in a Republican-held district that President Donald Trump won by almost 20 percentage points just 16 months ago.
That special election was largely seen as a bellwether for the November midterms. Democrats are convinced voters unhappy with the Trump administration will come out in droves, while Republicans say the president is polling better and better as the months go by. Usually, the truth is somewhere in the middle, which means the 2018 midterms will likely be just as close as that special election. And with 18 seats up for grabs in the state, the power dynamic in Washington, D.C., could very well depend on who you chose.
What if I see something strange at the polls?
The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office and Philadelphia-based Committee of Seventy are tracking elections to make sure there are no irregularities.
