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Live updates: Democrats flip 4 congressional seats, win trifecta in Harrisburg
See the latest from Pennsylvania as voters elect a governor, decide control of the state legislature, and cast ballots for Congress.
This story was reported and written by Spotlight PA, an independent, nonprofit newsroom, and is shared with WEEU listeners through our news partnership. Read the original story at spotlightpa.org.
Democrats flipped four congressional seats and won complete control of the Pennsylvania legislature during Tuesday’s election, while Gov. Josh Shapiro easily secured reelection.
Below, see our dispatches from the Nov. 3 election.
Associated Press calls Pennsylvania House, Senate for Democrats
As of 10 a.m. Wednesday, the Associated Press had called all races in the Pennsylvania Senate. Unofficial results show Democrats will have a 26-24 majority.
The AP had also called most state House races. Democrats will have at least 110 seats in the 203-member chamber. See more results.
Democrats say they’ve won the Pennsylvania House and Senate
Democrats say they have won control of the Pennsylvania Senate for the first time in more than three decades, giving the party a vaunted trifecta and the power to set policy for the state with few limitations.
Democrats flip four Pennsylvania congressional seats
Democrats have flipped four congressional seats in Pennsylvania.
Bob Brooks defeated incumbent Ryan Mackenzie in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley-based 7th Congressional District.
In the south-central 10th Congressional District, Janelle Stelson beat incumbent Scott Perry.
Paige Cognetti won her race against incumbent Rob Bresnahan in the 8th Congressional District, which covers Pennsylvania’s northeast corner.
And Bob Harvie came out ahead of incumbent Brian Fitzpatrick in the 1st Congressional District outside Philadelphia. —Sarah Anne Hughes
The pitfalls of power
Harrisburg’s hired guns tend to have long memories. As lobbyists and operatives watch returns and contemplate the possibility of a Democratic trifecta, they’re recalling the last trifecta — and the fact that it wasn’t very effective.
Republicans held both chambers and the governorship from 2011 to 2015, under former Gov. Tom Corbett.
Discussing that era at an election night party for lobbyists in Harrisburg, operatives note that Corbett never figured out how to cut a deal with GOP legislative leaders. So even if Democrats get a trifecta, will the party be able to capitalize and advance a legislative agenda in the next two-year session?
Senate Democrats are certainly trying to be prepared if they call the shots.
Two sources familiar told Spotlight PA that Senate Democrats have held trainings for their staff to get them up to speed on what being in the majority means for their day-to-day work. —Stephen Caruso
‘I’m hopeful and optimistic’
Sparky Morrison, 73, has high hopes for tonight’s election results.
“I’m hopeful and optimistic,” she told Spotlight PA at an election party hosted by the Bucks County Democratic Committee.
Morrison, a retired nurse and Northampton Township Democratic Committee member, said she expected Gov. Josh Shapiro’s win. Now, she’s focused on her congressional district, where Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie is challenging Republican incumbent Brian Fitzpatrick
“We need safety brakes in Congress, and our current congressman is not providing any safety brakes. He’s either silently complicit or he votes with Trump,” Morrison said. “[Bob Harvie] will be a much better choice in Congress.”
With Shapiro confirmed for a second term, Morrison said she hopes that he and legislative Democrats will be able to raise the minimum wage and protect abortion rights.
Key to that is Bucks County Clerk of Courts and social worker Eileen Hartnett Albillar, who is challenging Republican state Sen. Frank Farry.
The race was too close to call around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, but Morrison says that she’s hopeful.
“I live in Northampton Township, and that’s a very Republican township. And I was around the polls all day, so I know what my numbers are.” —Kate Huangpu
Shapiro: ‘This is a good night for our commonwealth’
In his 20-minute acceptance speech, Gov. Josh Shapiro spent only a few moments talking about first-term accomplishments and his goals for the next four years.
Instead, he focused on loftier themes — themes with national political overtones: the strength of a healthy democracy and the need to keep fighting for a more just future.
Shapiro didn’t mention Donald Trump by name, but he took aim at the president and the administration.
Speaking to a standing-room-only crowd, he said: “You declared that you could not be more ready for the end of this ruthless chaos and cruelty, and this rampant corruption that raises our costs and rattles our conscience.”
“You declared loud and clear that you would wait no longer for a new chapter that restores the voice of the people, that returns accountability, and that revitalizes the American spirit that has defined us since our founding,” he said.
The governor said he’s been approached repeatedly by voters who are feeling adrift and worried about the future of the nation.
“Like so many of you, I have been shocked and saddened by what we have seen … the shamelessness, the self-dealing, the brutality, the cruelty. It’s struck a nerve with so many of us because it feels bigger than politics, bigger than policy,” Shapiro said.
But he declared early results in Pennsylvania showed there is much room for optimism, or as he put it, that “America is not a bounty to be plundered, but a treasure to be shared by one and all.”
“The results are still rolling in, but the picture is starting to come into focus,” the governor said. “This is a good night for our commonwealth. And it’s looking like it’s going to be a pretty good night for our country too.”—Angela Couloumbis
Garrity on party support: ‘There could have been more money’
Garrity spoke to supporters in the audience after her concession speech and took questions from reporters. She said she was “not necessarily” surprised by the outcome, but she believes it will likely be a closer race as more results come in from around the commonwealth.
Despite an early endorsement from the state GOP to clear the primary field, the Republican establishment did not contribute money directly to her campaign. Pressed on whether she felt the party had left her to campaign on her own, Garrity said, “There could have been a lot more done.”
“There could have been more money. There could have been more advertising. There could have been a lot of other things, but I never relied on anybody else,” Garrity said.
“I think any campaign is always going to wish they would have had more money or more support or this and that, but I think that, you know, we did well with the resources that we had.”
On her political future, Garrity noted she has two more years in her term as state treasurer but did not elaborate further.
Isaac Millard, 54, has known Stacy Garrity for a few years. He considers himself her neighbor in Bradford County and voted for her for state treasurer.
After Garrity’s concession speech, Millard said he was “still sorting” out the fact that she lost to incumbent Democrat Josh Shapiro and that the race was called so quickly.
Millard said he opposed Shapiro because of “corruption” he believes is happening within his administration, pointing to an incident in which a top Shapiro aide resigned after facing a sexual harassment allegation.
“That just brings to mind what else is going on … what little bit we do know,” Millard said.
On Garrity’s future, Millard said he wasn’t quite sure what the future holds.
“It’s far from over,” Millard said. “There’ll be more governor races. There’ll be other elections and possibilities. So I would encourage her to just continue to move forward in her political career. —Jaxon White
A strong start for Democrats
At an election party hosted by the Bucks County Democratic Committee, state Sen. Steve Santarsiero was able to deliver good news just minutes after polls closed.
To a crowd of supporters, he first announced that Gov. Josh Shapiro won reelection. Less than an hour later, initial state House race results began to roll in. State Reps. Tina Davis and Tim Brennan were both reelected.
“It’s not surprising that it was called that early,” Santarsiero said of the governor’s race. “I do think we have an excellent shot at the trifecta.”
Santarsiero said Democratic voters were highly motivated to turn out due to “a lot of anger with Donald Trump,” pointing to the war in Iran and affordability as examples.
“People want to make a change,” Santarsiero said. “Obviously for Congress, but also closer to home in Harrisburg as well.” —Kate Huangpu
Garrity concedes: ‘I stand before you tonight with a heart full of gratitude and thanks’
Republican Stacy Garrity, the state’s treasurer, spoke to supporters gathered for a results watch party at a golf course in Wyoming County at 8:50 p.m. — nearly an hour after her race was called for Gov. Josh Shapiro. She said she called Shapiro and congratulated him on his “hard-fought victory.”
“While today’s results are not what any of us had hoped, I stand before you tonight with a heart full of gratitude and thanks,” Garrity said on stage, flanked by her husband, sister, mother, and running mate Jason Richey.
Garrity said her one goal in running for governor was to turn “our commonwealth around.”
She noted that she traveled to all 67 counties over her 15-month campaign, where she heard from voters about their concerns over data center developments, property taxes, and utility and grocery bills rising.
Garrity thanked members of her campaign by name. Among those who received the kindest words was Bob Asher, one of Garrity’s largest donors and chair of her campaign.
“In politics, you learn very quickly that not everyone follows through on the promises they make,” Garrity said. “But guess what? Bob Asher isn’t everyone.”
“I know Pennsylvania can lead the nation again, but as I’ve said in nearly every single speech that I gave on the campaign trail, leadership matters, accountability matters, and putting Pennsylvania families first matters,” Garrity said.
The results do not change that, Garrity added.
“Tonight, I wish the governor and his team my sincere best, as we all should, you guys,” Garrity said, “because his success is our success.”
She did issue some words for Shapiro, perhaps alluding to his alleged White House ambitions: “It is my hope that the campaign we’ve run, the issues we’ve addressed, and the solutions that we presented are a reminder to him that Pennsylvania just doesn’t deserve but needs a full-time chief executive.” —Jaxon White
‘I think he’s a wonderful man’
Shapiro’s victory party was a first for Marie Rau.
Despite being a longtime Democrat, she’s never been to a political event before.
She skipped the election night party for Democrat Janelle Stelson, a former newscaster who is in a tense and closely watched race against Republican U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, because of her administration for Shapiro.
"I think he’s a wonderful man," said Rau, who lives in East Pennsboro, a suburb near Harrisburg.
Her motivating factor for getting out to vote this year: pushing back against Republicanism.
"That was the biggest issue for me," she said. "Voting against their politics and their attitudes toward everyone but the rich." —Angela Couloumbis
‘They're just not coming out to vote’
There was no apparent shift in attitudes among supporters gathered at Republican gubernatorial nominee Stacy Garrity’s watch party, as the Associated Press called the race for incumbent Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro shortly after polls closed at 8 p.m.
Most attendees continued to eat their meals as music played over a loudspeaker. Several voters first learned of the news when asked for their thoughts by Spotlight PA.
Michael Lacey of Wyoming County stood at the bar as a TV displayed Fox News results from competitive races across the county. Lacey said Shapiro’s win does not mean he outworked Garrity.
“There are people out there on the conservative end that are not voting — veterans, Christians,” Lacey said. “They’re just not coming out to vote. If they were coming out to vote, I believe that this would have been a slam dunk.”
Standing with Lacey was Harry Haas of Luzerne County. He said he won’t believe the race is over until more votes are counted, but that Shapiro had an extreme advantage because of the out-of-state money his campaign received.
“Everybody knows that Josh Shapiro wants to run for president,” Lacey said. “Unfortunately, what I see a lot of this race is, it’s a trial run for a bigger race.”
Garrity had not addressed the crowd before the results were published. —Jaxon White
Word of the day: ‘Tie-fecta’
At an election night party for lobbyists in Harrisburg hosted by the Pennsylvania Association for Government Relations, chatter turned to Pennsylvania’s state legislative results after the quick call for Gov. Josh Shapiro.
Word of the day? Tie-fecta — a term for a tied 25-25 state Senate (a scenario that would still give power to Democrats but require constant dealmaking with Republicans). —Stephen Caruso
Josh Shapiro easily wins second term as governor
The Associated Press called the governor’s race shortly after polls closed at 8 p.m. for Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro. For a few minutes, the crowd at his victory party had no idea — until CNN, which is playing on TVs set up around the ballroom at the Penn Harris Hotel near Harrisburg, announced it.
The crowd erupted in cheers and applause, even though the ballroom was still filling up with supporters.
One of those supporters is Jenna Behringer. An education advocate from the Harrisburg area, she called herself a lifelong Democrat who respects Shapiro’s "ability and willingness to work across the aisle."
"I think that is incredibly important," she said. "If we are going to address polarization and work in a purple state, we need to be able to talk across both sides, and I really admire that about him."
Behringer said it doesn’t bother her that Shapiro may interrupt a second term in office for a possible presidential run in 2028. She believes he would make a good president because he cares about people.
In this midterm election, she said she felt "basic human decency was on the ballot." —Angela Couloumbis
The polls are closed in Pennsylvania
The polls are closed in Pennsylvania (except three polling locations in Chester County). See the latest results here from the Associated Press.
Wyoming County Republicans say Shapiro war chest too much to overcome
Supporters of Republican gubernatorial nominee Stacy Garrity began to gather at a golf course in Wyoming County for a campaign results watch party around 7 p.m. Drinks were flowing from the bar, and guests were treated to catered appetizers, like fried macaroni and cheese bites.
Among the attendees were Republicans Dale and Judy Shupp, who owned a dairy farm in Tunkhannock before they retired from the industry. They now raise show cows to bring to fairs around the commonwealth. Garrity’s pledge to support agriculture as governor won them over.
But the pair acknowledged to Spotlight PA that Garrity is not expected to win the race.
“Whether Stacy gets it or not, I still like to support her because she’s done an excellent job of going out there and trying her best to win in the proper way,” Judy Shupp, 72, said.
The Shupps said incumbent Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro raised too much money from out of state, which let him heavily outspend Garrity — not leaving her much of a chance to pose a challenge.
“He had a big goddamn wad before she ever started,” Dale Shupp, 76, said.
Both are members of the PA AG Republicans political committee. They said it was hard to tell whether the Republican Party should have done more to support Garrity’s bid.
The state GOP and many of its top donors have not contributed to Garrity’s campaign, despite the group backing her candidacy early into the primary to stave off any challengers for the nomination. President Donald Trump also never came to Pennsylvania to stump for Garrity.
Jason Richey, the Republican lieutenant governor candidate, laughed when asked by Spotlight PA at the campaign’s watch party if the GOP provided the support it could have.
“No comment,” he said. —Jaxon White
Immigration, healthcare cuts affect votes in Warminster
Lena Dowd, 29, came out to “vote in more Democrats” to lower prices. She and her mother, Rosemanda, came to Warminster Community Center after work hours.
Dowd hoped that Democrats could block some of Trump’s actions.
Namely, she wants to see state funding increased to healthcare programs to balance cuts to Medicaid and Medicare.
In her community, there are two highly competitive seats; one in the state Senate and another in the state House.
Dowd said she knew of both of the races due to ads on social media, but “hated” the ads as they felt like “a smear campaign.”
“I’d rather just know what the candidates support,” Dowd said.
In particular, Dowd said she met Democratic state Rep. Brian Munroe, who is running for reelection, and “really liked” him.
“He was very supportive, she said.
Silvia Egoavil, 40, felt she had a more difficult choice.
Egoavil, a stay at home mom, said she was concerned about rising grocery prices and housing costs, but also about the immigration crackdown in the country.
Both her and her husband immigrated to the country, Peru and Mexico respectively.
She said as a Christian family, she has a lot of “Republican values” but has also supported the Democratic side.
“It’s a difficult choice,” Egoavil told Spotlight PA. “We’re in the middle.”
Egovil came to vote with two of her kids and her husband, saying it was important for them to see her vote and “know that in the future they’ll be able to.”
“They love hearing about this stuff,” Egoavil said. —Kate Huangpu
Cost of living motivates voters in Reading
A slow, but steady stream of voters went to cast their ballots at Lauer’s Park Elementary, located in downtown Reading.
Martin Santana, 61, has lived in Reading for 15 years, and works as a refrigeration technician. He said the “economic situation” and the cost of living are what brought him to the polls.
“If people have to buy things at higher prices, they have less and buy less,” Santana told Spotlight PA in Spanish. He said that the overall increase in the cost of living has impacted people’s ability to afford his services.
Rep. Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz, a Democrat who represents the 129th District, greeted voters in Spanish while she visited the polling place in the afternoon. Cepeda-Freytiz is running unopposed for a third term. Lauer’s Park Elementary School was one of 28 polling sites she visited on Election Day.
She said her third term will focus on education, preparing young people for careers, and supporting small businesses with funding and technical assistance.
"Now I feel more experienced and more seasoned, and I’m definitely a champion for education, but at all ages and all levels,” Cepeda-Freytiz said. —Gabriela Martniez
Voters end on different paths using faith as a guide
Faith in God sent two Lancaster voters in different political directions today.
One 76-year-old retired pastor, who declined to give her name, told Spotlight PA at a West Lampeter Township polling location that her motto for the election was "vote and hope."
A self-described "yellow dog Democrat," she said her belief in the Gospel and Jesus’s beatitudes informed her straight ticket vote for the party.
She also described herself as a James Talarico Democrat (the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas), and added she thinks Gov. Josh Shapiro can be a "light shining in the darkness."
"He’s not mean. He’s not vicious," the pastor said.
Meanwhile, in West Manheim Township at Ironville United Methodist Church, Alex Rosario, a 41 year old chef and registered Republican, told Spotlight PA he voted straight GOP.
He blames the war in Iran for higher prices, and said hopes the Republican Party can bring an end to the conflict.
Rosario added he’s a former Democrat, but felt like "nothing has been done" by them. He registered as a Republican and voted for Trump in 2024. He said he followed that political shift by delving more deeply into his Christian faith.
While he backed Republicans this year, he noted, that could change in the future.
I’m on the verge of being independent," Rosario said. "Ever since I started following Jesus, I put my faith in Jesus Christ and not a politician." —Stephen Caruso
In Archbald, data centers are top of mind
Christine Earl, 59, has lived in Archbald her entire life. She hasn’t liked hearing about the several proposed data center developments in the Lackawanna County borough — as many as six separate campuses.
(According to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, two here have permits “under review.”)
The natural landscape in and around Archbald is one of the reasons Earl said she and many other locals like the area. Data centers threaten that, she fears.
“I just don’t think this is the area for it,” Earl said. “There’s plenty of areas for them.”
A registered Democrat, Earl cast a straight Democratic ballot after clocking out of work at the local Chewy pet food and supplies fulfillment center. Speaking to Spotlight PA outside the Archbald Borough Municipal Building polling place, she said one race this year gave her pause.
Earl said she likes Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan’s “demeanor.” However, she said she couldn’t support him after several news outlets reported that he was a prolific stock trader, while he also backed legislation to ban members of Congress from doing so.
“I can’t go for that,” Earl said.
So this year, she said she voted to give his Democratic challenger, Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti, a chance in Congress.
Earl spoke in detail about her support for several other Democrats down the ballot, including incumbent state Rep. Kyle Mullins, who she’s met at local kids’ baseball games, and state Senate hopeful Brian Wrightson, who has framed much of his campaign as opposing data centers. —Jaxon White
Two young Erie voters motivated by community violence
Alexander Hurtado, an Erie native, voted for the first time today. He told the News Lab at Penn State he cast his ballot for change in his community.
“It feels pretty sweet,” said Hurtado, 24. “I thought it was going to be super busy and a lot of people here, and I think that is one of the reasons why I never came out.”
Hurtado said that his mother convinced him to participate, and he felt like it was the right time to act.
“Throughout the year, there’s been a lot more violence,” said Hurtado. “I’m sure a lot of representatives will get that done for us.”
Madison Roberts, 19, is another Erie local who said she has been looking forward to voting.
“My family has been very passionate about it, and it was something I was personally very excited to do when I turned 18,” said Roberts.
Roberts also said violence is prevalent in her community. She wants to see legislation and policy that can help address the issue.
She said part of the reason she feels so passionate is because of the local non-profit, Erie Center for Arts and Technology (ECAT). The community organization offers adult career training and after-school programs at no cost to Erie residents.
“They try to make sure that we can feel comfortable using our voice for things that are important to us,” said Roberts.—Vivian Parker, The News Lab at Penn State
A ‘very boring’ election
I was just chatting with Thad Hall, elections director in Mercer County, asking him if he was hearing of any issues today.
“It’s very boring,” he said via text. “But with very good turnout.”
This is exactly what election officials want: High participation and no drama. It’s a relief from the past few cycles in the state which have seen high-profile election administration errors that have brought national scrutiny to the state.
He added, hopefully not tempting fate, that he thinks this is the best election the state has had in the last 6 years.
“No problems and great turnout.”—Carter Walker, Votebeat
In Weedville, ‘people can’t pay their bills’
While visiting their polling location, a couple of lifetime Weedville residents told the News Lab at Penn State it is unaffordable to continue living in the place that their ancestors settled in Elk County.
“We go to buy groceries,” said Randy Gouldthread, a retired Weedville resident voting at the Weedville Wesleyan Church in Elk County. “It was costing us roughly $350 a month for two, now we’re spending over $600 for the same amount.”
Joe Uberti Jr., 68, Jay Township Supervisor, said the cost of living is too high for his community. “They’re getting to the point that people can’t pay their bills,” he said. “You have to survive to eat first.”
The residents of Weedville feel that the politicians are not showing them the attention they deserve, they said. “Rural stuff, they’re not as interested [in] as the big towns,” Uberti said.
Gouldthread concurred. “The average working individual is suffering,” he said, adding, “If you look at both forms of government, the Democrats and Republicans, they’re warring against each other. And nobody cares about the people.”—Samantha Oropeza and Jacob DeLuca, The News Lab at Penn State
When will Pennsylvania have results?
Our partners at Votebeat have a state-by-state guide that lays out when results will start coming in around the country.
Of Pennsylvania, they wrote that the state has come a long way since the 2020 presidential election, when it took four days to call due to a glut of mail ballots.
In 2024, Pennsylvania was at 83% reporting by midnight, and 95% of all ballots were counted by 3 a.m.
The commonwealth faces one major obstacle to faster results: State law prohibits election officials from processing mail ballots before 7 a.m. on Election Day. As a result, workers have just hours to verify, open, and tabulate hundreds of thousands of ballots — at the same time as they’re managing in-person voting.
Nevertheless, many counties are able to report all their mail ballots on Election Night, although the timing of the mail-ballot report can vary greatly by county. Notably, once county officials start processing mail ballots, state law requires them to keep going until they’re done — even if it’s past their bedtime.—Nathaniel Rakich, Votebeat
(Again, you can find Votebeat’s full interactive tool here.)
Montco voters say they’re thinking about Trump and data centers
Though President Trump isn’t on the ballot today, voters in Montgomery County’s Limerick Township are still voting like he is.
Intellectual property paralegal Judith Morgan, 61, said she doesn’t fully support the president, saying “he’s not a great guy.” But his position on abortion won her allegiance.
“He’s doing what he’s supposed to do for the kingdom of the lord,” Morgan told Spotlight PA. “I wanna make sure his party has the advantage.”
Social worker Justin Clark, 44, meanwhile said he came out to the polls for a chance to reverse the cuts that the Trump administration levied on aid programs like SNAP, Medicare, and Medicaid.
Those cuts, he said, affect many of his clients. He also said he hopes with control of the state Senate, Democrats can counter some of the cuts to those programs.
“The past few years under the Trump administration have been horrible,” Clark said. “I want some kind of semblance of stability.”
Clark added that he also considered data centers a big issue for him locally. He voted for Democratic candidates down the ballot, but noted that both state Senate candidates had been accused of taking money from data center developers.
“For me, I’m thinking it’s the lesser of two evils,” Clark said.
The state Senate race in this district is one of Pennsylvania’s more competitive, between incumbent Republican Tracy Pennycuick and Democratic challenger Chris Thomas.—Kate Huangpu
Roughly one third of PA-01 mail ballots counted
In Bucks County, which makes up almost all of Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District, election officials are about one-third of the way through opening and scanning their mail ballots.
County spokesperson Jim O’Malley told me at 2:30 p.m. that about 31,000 ballots had been fully opened and scanned. As of Monday, roughly 100,000 ballots had been returned in the district, which is one of the most competitive seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Results will start rolling in after 8 p.m., and O’Malley said based on past elections, they should have all results posted online (aside from military and provisional ballots) by 1 or 2 a.m. in the morning.—Carter Walker, Votebeat
Poll monitors staying outside in major Pa. cities
I am hearing that on both sides of the state, the Department of Justice poll monitors are not actually being allowed into polling places. They don’t have a legal right to be inside where voting is taking place, so it’s really up to each jurisdiction if they will allow it.
In Philadelphia, Commissioner Seth Bluestein told me that while monitors have been allowed inside in the past, the commissioners voted last week to not allow that this year or going forward. He said he hasn’t heard any reports of the monitors causing any issues today, or of any federal interference at the polls for that matter.
“Everything is going smoothly,” he said.
A spokesperson for Allegheny County, where Pittsburgh is located, told me that “per their typical limitations, DOJ monitors are expected to stay on the sidewalk.
Like in Philly, they don’t appear to be causing any issues in Pittsburgh, per reporting from Public Source.—Carter Walker, Votebeat
Two straight tickets in Lehigh County
At Germansville Memorial Hall, about 20 miles northeast of Allentown, Lehigh County’s rural Heidelberg Township saw a steady stream of voters in the early afternoon.
“Republicans are doing as good as they can,” Steve Metzger, 66, told Spotlight PA. “They’ve only had two years, and I’d like to see them stay and finish [President Donald] Trump’s agenda.”
The registered Republican said he cast his ballot for Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie. Mackenzie is facing Democratic candidate Bob Brooks in the competitive 7th Congressional District Race.
“I think he’s doing a good job and I agree with most of his ideas,” Metzger said of Mackenzie.
He also voted for State Treasurer Stacy Garrity in the gubernatorial race. Asked if he aligned with any of Garrity’s positions, Metzger said he “pretty much voted against [incumbent Democrat Josh] Shapiro.”
Tuesday was the second time Amber Hausman, 38, voted in a midterm election. She’s a registered Democrat and voted with her party, she told Spotlight PA.
“I think the economy needs positive change,” she said.
While she doesn’t follow politics very closely, Hausman said “it’s not a matter of, ‘make everything blue,’ it’s just fair judgement and clean politics,” adding that “America is not a reality TV show.”—Molly Bilinski
Voting extended at some Chester County polls
Voting hours have been extended to 8:30 p.m. in three polling locations in Chester County, which is just west of Philadelphia.
According to the county, there was an issue setting up the machines in some precincts, so they asked a judge to give voters a little more time.
Votes cast after 8 p.m., which is when polls otherwise close in the state, will be done on provisional ballots. Get more info from the county here.—Carter Walker, Votebeat
Routine election audits to follow voting today
Election Day may be the end of the story for voters who want to make their voices heard, but it’s just the beginning for election officials. Well, maybe more like the middle. Counties and states don’t just look at the results on election night and say, “Okay! Guess that’s that!” In the coming weeks, state and county officials around the country will begin conducting post-election audits to double-check and make sure they got it right.
The process is designed to catch any issues that tabulation machines may have encountered, and give voters confidence in the results. Every state has some kind of post election audit procedure, from requiring a certain number of ballots be recounted, to complicated statistical models designed to ensure the correct outcome was reported. Check out our explainer on how they work so you know what to expect in the days and weeks ahead.—Carter Walker, Votebeat
Dem hoping to help flip Pa. Senate feels confident
Chris Thomas says he’s ready for the ads to stop, though he appears in many of them.
“I think all the voters are ready for the ads to stop,” Thomas told Spotlight PA.
Thomas, a volunteer firefighter and former middle school math and science teacher, is challenging Republican state Sen. Tracy Pennycuick in one of the most competitive legislative races this cycle.
Thomas and Pennycuick have spent millions of dollars on attack ads, accusing each other of being in favor of data centers or not prioritizing affordability.
If Thomas wins, Democrats will be one step closer to taking control of the state Senate and winning a political trifecta, which would allow them to set the legislative agenda in Harrisburg.
A September survey from the nonprofit State Navigate showed Thomas with a two-point lead — within the poll’s four-point margin of error.
Thomas said he’s spending Election Day driving to polling places to talk to voters and volunteers.
At St. James Lutheran Church, Thomas met with local Democrats and field organizers for his campaign.
Among them was Marlene Armato, 78, committee chair for the local Democratic organization, and a longtime participant in local politics. The retired educator said she has high hopes for Thomas.
“The energy is closest to the 2008 Obama campaign,” she told Spotlight PA.
Thomas said he’s seen people “fired up to vote,” saying they are “fed up” with the status quo — regardless of party affiliation.
“I’m excited. I’m cautiously optimistic. I don’t know what else we could have done,” Thomas said.—Kate Huangpu
Healthcare paperwork, access ‘should be easier’
Frieda Rauch tries to vote in every election, but this time it was more personal than before.
Rauch, 75, lost her husband, a disabled veteran, this year. She said she has had a lot of trouble dealing with paperwork — they are sent repeatedly; they get mixed up; she doesn’t always understand them. “I thought it should be easier when you die,” she told the News Lab at Penn State.
Now, on her own, healthcare is the main issue that she has been dealing with. Rauch has been battling cancer and doesn’t know if her chemotherapy is covered under her health plan.
“I just got done with chemo and radiation, so they took my port out, and I don’t even know if I’m covered,” she said.
“I keep getting Medicare calls about 10 times a day,” she said. “I get sick of it.”
To add to the stress, Rauch’s local doctor is retiring, and she now has to drive 16 miles to a new physician. Even then, she is struggling to find a solution to her needs.
She doesn’t know whether to get Medicare, Geisinger, or some other plan through her treatment center.
“The only doctors we can find are with Geisinger, but the only treatment centers we can find are with UPMC,” she said.
With insurance companies calling her constantly, she just wants them to leave her alone.
“Can’t they make anything simpler?” she asked as she walked away. —Alexandria Smith, The News Lab at Penn State
Pittsburgh, Philadelphia begin processing mail ballots
Mail ballot processing is moving along smoothly in both of Pennsylvania’s major cities.
In Philadelphia, Commissioner Seth Bluestein told me at 11:30 a.m. that the city had removed almost all of the ballots they had received by Sunday evening from their outer return envelopes (though they are still in their secrecy envelopes). As of Monday, the county had received a little over 98,000 mail ballots.
Bluestein said the city’s goal is to have those ballots scanned and results uploaded around the time polls close at 8 p.m. Check out my interview with him here.—Carter Walker, Votebeat
Garrity supporter prays she wins, but isn’t ‘feeling so confident’
Traci Miller, 56, decided to get more involved with the Republican Party this year. After speaking with a door-knocker, she volunteered to canvas voters outside the poll at Friedens Evangelical Lutheran Church in Center Valley for the first time.
But Miller, who voted for President Donald Trump in each of his bids for the White House, said she has “tremendous concerns” with how Trump has led his second term — especially his handling of the war in Iran and foreign policy. Trump, she said, seems more focused on overseas issues than domestic ones.
Miller said she’s been so disheartened by Trump’s second term that she nearly didn’t vote this year.
National political experts predict voter dissatisfaction with the Trump administration will likely push Democrats to turn out in droves this election, potentially sparking a blue wave across the country.
That worries Miller, who agreed this may be a tough year for Republicans.
Miller’s hopes are especially low for Republican gubernatorial candidate Stacy Garrity, who serves as state treasurer and is attempting to oust incumbent Democrat Josh Shapiro.
“I’m praying she wins, but I’m not feeling so confident,” Miller said of Garrity. “I think everybody stands a chance. I don’t know if she campaigned enough against him.”
(The October Franklin & Marshall College poll found Shapiro leading Garrity 59% to 36%, respectively, among likely Pennsylvania voters.)
Democrats simply hold policy beliefs that Miller finds too extreme — though she noted she wouldn’t be too upset if Shapiro wins a second term because he “isn’t a horrible governor.”
She said she feels Democrats cater to people who overly rely on government assistance programs, like Medicaid and SNAP. That, along with wanting to protect gun ownership rights, is why she votes Republican.
“I believe people will need help, but I don’t think you need help for the rest of your life,” Miller said.—Jaxon White
‘If they’re not for Donald Trump, I voted for them’
In Allentown’s Seventh Ward, at Christ Lutheran Church, registered Democrat George Hoefling said he voted with his party.
“The people I vote for — if they’re not for Donald Trump, I voted for them,” he told Spotlight PA.
A former registered Republican, Hoefling said he switched to Democratic “quite a few years back.” He said Republicans seem to be enriching themselves in office, while Democrats are trying to help people.
At the Allentown Agri-Plex, in the city’s 11th Ward, Tuesday marked 19-year-old Victoria Smith’s first time casting a ballot.
“It was easy and very quick,” Smith told Spotlight PA, adding it took “two minutes” to vote.
While the city is part of the competitive 7th Congressional District race between Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie and Democratic candidate Bob Brooks, Smith, a registered Democrat, said her focus was on the 132nd state House District. She voted for Democratic state Rep. Mike Schlossberg, who is running for reelection.
“I’m glad she’s engaged and here,” her father, Jeremy Smith, said.
Jeremy, 48, said he was registered as an independent until 2016, when he switched to Democratic so he could vote in a primary.
Smith’s fiancée, Lori Unser, also a Democrat, was there to mark the occasion.
“I just think people should vote,” Unser, 53, said. “I can’t stand the slander.”
Unser said she’s looking forward to watching TV without being inundated with political ads.—Molly Bilinski
Garrity running mate, supporter acknowledge lopsided campaign funding
GOP Lieutenant governor nominee Jason Richey thinks Pennsylvania needs campaign finance reform, he told Spotlight PA outside a Lancaster polling place.
Currently, Pennsylvania places no limits on political giving by individuals, allowing candidates to take in theoretically unlimited cash.
"I mean, even the federal government has more restrictions than Pennsylvania, and so at least if we could even get to where the federal government is, I think that would be a good first step," Richey told Spotlight PA in an interview.
Gov. Josh Shapiro outspent his GOP challenger, state Treasurer Stacy Garrity, by a ratio of 7 to 1, per campaign finance reports. He also regularly attracted six- and seven-figure checks from billionaires and interest groups.
At least one Garrity voter noticed the spending discrepancy Tuesday. Leaving her polling place, Cassandre Maxwell, a 59-year-old illustrator and Republican, told Spotlight PA she saw "more ads than usual" but "didn’t think there were enough for Stacy Garrity."
She said "radical Democrats," citing candidates like Abdul El-Sayed and James Talarico, brought her out to vote.
"I think American people have to wake up. It used to be the barbarians were at the gate but they’ve gotten inside," Maxwell said.
(She added that she didn’t think Shapiro was as radical and wasn’t as concerned about Pennsylvania Democrats.)
Garrity has at times used Shapiro’s recognition as a political attack, noting donations from Big Tech, casino owners, and individuals who visited billionaire sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein’s island. Her campaign, meanwhile, struggled to raise money until the final weeks, when it received millions from skills game distributors and operators.
Those dollars helped the campaign pay for a wave of AI-generated ads that created a digital Josh Shapiro describing a string of negative attacks against him. Richey defended the ad, arguing everything referenced was true and noting the ad disclosed its use of AI. He thought requiring such a disclosure would also be good public policy.—Stephen Caruso
2 young voters support Shapiro
Today marks 19-year-old Danika Sorber’s first time participating in an election. Most important to the Center Valley native, voting at Friedens Evangelical Lutheran Church late Tuesday morning, is the gubernatorial race between incumbent Democrat Josh Shapiro and Republican challenger Stacy Garrity.
“It doesn’t matter who you are, the color of your skin, how you identify, who you love — he’s a very welcoming governor, and he strives to protect those people,” Sorber said of Shapiro.
Sorber, a registered Democrat, said she hasn’t heard much about the governor’s goal this year to help downballot Democrats flip the state Senate for the first time in decades. But Shapiro, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, has appeared all over her Instagram and TikTok.
Social media is where Sorber said she gets most of her news and information about top political issues. She disputed criticisms she hears from older generations that younger people don’t care enough about what’s happening in the country, and criticized politicians for not taking her cohort seriously.
“They think a lot of the time that social media has a huge influence on our opinions and because of that, we tend to lean more Democratic than we do Republican,” Sorber said.
“I think the younger generation does more research actually, instead of just looking at things and taking them for face value.”
In addition to wanting to protect rights for minorities, immigrants, and the LGBTQ community, Sorber said she opposes the rapid rise of data center developments across the state. She cited one development underway in Bethlehem.
Isaiah Martinez, 21, said he’s voting to improve the economy, protect the country’s democratic norms, and cast out ineffective members of Congress. He said he voted down-ballot for Democrats, including Shapiro, firefighter Bob Brooks in Congressional District 7, and state legislature candidates.
Martinez said he doesn’t support Republicans’ “One Big Beautiful Bill,” the federal tax and spending legislation signed by President Donald Trump last summer. He also opposes Trump’s use of tariffs on other countries and the ongoing war in Iran.
“Even if I find myself more aligned with their policies, I’m probably still not … voting them, just because they aren’t doing their jobs at all,” Martinez said.—Jaxon White
Affordability, opportunities top concern for Williamsport family
For Ifeanyi Bertram Nwadukwe and his wife, Ifeoma Kwadukwe, voting in Williamsport comes down to the cost of living today and the opportunities available to the next generation.
Ifeanyi, a physician at Geisinger Medical Center, told the News Lab at Penn State that rising costs for everyday necessities like gas, heat and groceries have become an ongoing conversation in his household. He said his family has had to become more intentional about spending, making decisions about what they can and cannot afford. They only get what they need — no excesses, he said.
Nwadukwe wants lower taxes and more affordable housing, particularly for younger generations entering the workforce, he said. He also wants to see greater support for lower-income families, giving more people the opportunity to “live the American dream.”
Education is another priority. He believes college costs need to come down and that students should have access to curricula and degree programs that better reflect the realities of today’s job market.
His wife, Ifeoma, runs a small baking and catering business called Ifychops n Cake. She wants to see the state’s current policy ensuring free school meals remain available to children across Pennsylvania. Gov. Josh Shapiro’s 2026-27 budget proposal included funding for universal free school breakfast for a fourth consecutive year, according to his administration.
“As a mom, you want to make sure that your kids are fed three times a day, so that is really important for me,” she said. —Tori Misuraca, The News Lab at Penn State.
Minor issues in Cambria County
This morning, reports were circulating online of what sounded, to me, like pollbook issues in Cambria County. You may recall that Cambria County had a significant issue in 2024 with tabulators being unable to scan ballots.
Shortly after polls opened this morning, conservative activist Scott Presler posted on X that a polling place in Johnstown was “turning people away” as a result of voters’ names being missing, presumably from pollbooks.
I asked the county what was happening, and they sent me this statement. TL;DR: One precinct did not receive a complete pollbook, but a replacement was printed and sent to the polling place. The issue did not prevent any voter from casting a ballot.
Minor issues like this sometimes happen in elections, which is why there are contingency plans like provisional ballots to ensure voters can still vote.—Carter Walker, Votebeat
Different choices in the Lehigh Valley
At Easton City Hall, in the city’s Second Ward, a line of voters snaked across the lobby.
Logan Cole, 25, said he voted “Democrat down the board.”
“I can’t say I’m very informed when it comes to midterms specifically, but I feel more strongly about one side over the other,” he told Spotlight PA.
A chef who has lived on his own the past few years, Cole said the economy, healthcare, and education are important issues to him.
“The economy is a large factor, [but] just the nonsense of it all,” he said, pointing to Republican majorities at the federal level.
“Priorities are completely out of whack,” he said. “This isn’t an America-first government. It’s also an uneducated government.”
At Bethlehem City Hall, in the city’s Sixth Ward, Mike Garcia, 86, said he’s hopeful for change.
“I vote for the individual,” Garcia, a registered Republican, told Spotlight PA. “I don’t go by party.”
However, he voted with his party in both the 7th Congressional District and gubernatorial races.
Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie is “very dedicated to the county,” Garcia said, adding that he “cares about the people.”
Garcia said he’s “displeased” with Gov. Josh Shapiro.
Stacy Garrity “is a good treasurer, a good person,” Garcia said. “I think she can make good changes.”
Adriana Trumbower, a 22-year-old house cleaner who is registered as an independent, told Spotlight PA it’s her first time voting in a midterm election, adding “it’s really important for people to vote, and I think it’s important we start going in another direction as a country.”
She cast her ballot for Democrats, including Gov. Josh Shapiro and 7th Congressional District candidate Bob Brooks.
“I really love Shapiro,” Trumbower said, highlighting his support for women’s reproductive rights.
“I voted for Bob Brooks because I really don’t like Ryan Mackenzie,” she said. She listed several issues she disagrees with Mackenzie on, including his vote for President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” his position on abortion, and that he “takes money from corporations.” —Molly Bilinski
Lehigh County voters tired of polarization
Jevata Crawford, 53, and Ryan Durkin, 55, had never met before the morning of Election Day. But the pair struck up a conversation while they waited in line to cast their ballots at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church in Lower Macungie Township, Lehigh County.
Despite Crawford being a Democrat and Durkin being an independent, they told Spotlight PA they found themselves agreeing on a lot — especially that the polarization and volume of political advertising in this year’s contested races was out of hand.
It just seemed “wasteful” to Crawford, who noted that “finances are tight for so many people.”
Their area is a petri dish of competitive and expensive races this year, from U.S. Congress to state Senate to state House.
Affordability and the rising costs of goods, Crawford said, were the issues top of her mind when she filled out her ballot for Democratic candidates.
The personal attacks, like those launched between Republican U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie and Democrat Bob Brooks in the 7th Congressional District, also upset Crawford and Durkin. (One example Crawford cited was Mackenzie criticizing Brooks over a lawsuit sparked by the Democrat being indebted to his former mother-in-law.)
That race is one of four congressional seats that Democrats aim to flip this year as the party hopes to seize a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Crawford and Durkin said they’re tired of polarization making it difficult to have conversations with friends and family members about politics.
Durkin, a self-identified split-ticket voter, said the economy and personal finances are what he and the vast majority of voters care most about. This year, these issues are even more prominent because of general spikes in costs and the war in Iran driving up oil prices, he said.
Durkin said he’s also frustrated with congressional Republicans who have “abrogated” their responsibilities to allow President Donald Trump to take more power.
Speaking about Trump, Crawford and Durkin — in unison — called the president an “opportunist.”
As Durkin and Crawford headed to their cars parked in the church’s lot, they waved and said they looked forward to seeing each other at their local grocery store. —Jaxon White
‘It’s time’ for Perry ‘to go’
Joe Calhoun wore purple on Tuesday when he came to cast his vote at the municipal building in Dauphin Borough in central Pennsylvania.
It’s a borough that is so red, he noted, that in 2008, then-vice presidential candidate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, came to this tiny town on the edge of the Susquehanna River to trick-or-treat with her daughter during the campaign.
His purple sweater, he said, symbolizes his registration as an independent. He votes in every election, he said, although he noted with a hint of disapproval that in Pennsylvania, that means he can’t vote in primaries.
His big issue is energy — he described himself as being “in the energy business” — and it’s the top reason he’s voting for Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is seeking a second four-year term in office. He said the U.S. Department of Energy has become politicized: The government agency’s website and social media “read like a Trump campaign slogan.”
“They have nothing to do with what the Department of Energy should be doing or is doing for the good of the people,” he said. “It’s not why it was established; it was established to advance new technologies and make things better for all of us. We have the technology for carbon capture and all kinds of things that we aren’t even talking about.”
“So I vote energy all the time, so that makes me very proud of what Josh Shapiro has done,” Calhoun said. “This is a guy who understands energy and works with both sides of the aisle.’
He said he “was ashamed to say” he voted for Trump once.
“But I would never vote for him again,” said Calhoun, who was at the polling station Tuesday with his wife, who said she switched her registration from Republican to Democrat after Trump was first elected in 2016 — and that her now 96-year-old mother did so as well.
Calhoun said the race between Republican U.S. Rep. Scott Perry and Democrat Janelle Stelson was also at the top of his mind. In his opinion, Perry needs to go.
“I don’t understand how someone who is ‘in favor’ of term limits has gone for six terms,” he said. “I just don’t understand that. It’s just time to go.” —Angela Couloumbis
Healthcare motivates a retired physician
Gunhilde Beck is a retired physician and registered Democrat living in a very red area: Dauphin Borough in central Pennsylvania’s Dauphin County.
Republican voters here outnumber Democrats, and the borough has gone for President Donald Trump in the last three presidential elections. So Beck is somewhat of a rarity here.
But on Tuesday, she got up before dawn and set up a lawn chair outside the borough’s polling station at the municipal building. She planted signs for Democrats, including Gov. Josh Shapiro and congressional hopeful Janelle Stelson, who is challenging U.S. Rep. Scott Perry. She made the sign for Democrat Kathryn Waters, who is trying to unseat GOP state Rep. Joe Kerwin in what is widely considered a very uphill battle.
She made the sign, she said, because Waters’ campaign is not flush with enough cash for campaign merchandise.
Beck, who describes herself as an “environmentalist, pro-science, and anti-corruption,” is originally from Germany but has lived in the borough for five decades. She was never political, she said, until Trump won in 2016. And in this year’s election, she decided to volunteer for the Democratic Party for the first time, going door-to-door canvassing.
One of her biggest issues is healthcare.
“The money goes to insurance companies and to hospitals and to providers; it doesn’t go to a patient,” she said. “But now we are blaming the poor people. And now we are taking their Medicaid away, and they are ending up in the emergency rooms, and we are paying more for them.”
“And vaccinations,” she said. “My mind explodes thinking about RFK being our health secretary during a measles epidemic. I’ve never seen a measles case in my life. We are taking all the science away. Corruption at every level.”
Beck said she thinks it’s important for voters to understand how important state elections for governor and the legislature are. She believes the divided General Assembly — the House is controlled by Democrats, the Senate by Republicans — has amounted to gridlock that has prevented good policies, including increasing the minimum wage, from being approved.
“The statehouse makes so many decisions that impact our lives,” she said. “If Shapiro gets the House and Senate, they can finally make change.” —Angela Couloumbis
Different views on data centers
Two Democrats voted straight-party at a Concord Township, Delaware County, polling place Tuesday.
Both agreed the economy is bad, and shared concerns about the Trump administration. But they had radically different opinions on artificial intelligence and data centers.
Neil Shah, a 52-year-old working in real estate, came out to vote with the "crap economy" and corruption within the Trump administration on his mind.
He voted only for Democrats, though he considered voting for Republican state Rep. Craig Williams, because he saw the lawmaker’s position on data centers and utility costs as closest to his own.
"I think there’s a lot of heat around data centers and I don’t think it’s all well placed," Shah said. His business, he added, uses AI "everyday" to automate administrative tasks, which he argues keeps them competitive.
He also argued that Gov. Josh Shapiro’s GRID standards, enacted by executive order over the summer, are good protections against the worst excesses of the industry.
Joanne Stow, a 69-year-old retired nurse practitioner, told Spotlight PA she also thinks the economy is bad, citing her volunteer experience at a local food bank.
"The rich are getting richer," she said, "the poor are getting poorer."
But Stow couldn’t disagree more with Shah on AI, both because of data centers’ energy consumption and because of how the technology has "infiltrated" everyday life, including mimicking humans and creating false information. She does use it to query for information, but always checks its sources to ensure its responses aren’t hallucinations.
She wants Shapiro, whom she likes, to have a Democratic state legislature to advance his policies. And at the top of the list is stricter rules for data centers and AI.
"I live in fear of them," she said with a shudder. —Stephen Caruso
An Indiana County voter concerned about taxes
For Dave Stiffler, a 63-year-old retired resident of White Township in Indiana County, the election is an opportunity to support candidates he believes will address the rising cost in taxes and bring change to the state’s leadership.
One of Stiffler’s biggest concerns is taxes. He told the News Lab at Penn State he believes taxes are too high and wants to see them lowered across the state.
“Everything,” said Stiffler. “Mostly property taxes, and all that stuff. Taxes in general.”
Stiffler said the issue extends beyond his own financial concerns, describing property taxes as a common complaint among neighbors and residents in his community. He said he regularly hears concerns.
“Everybody complains about property taxes, school taxes, everything,” he said. “It is too high.”
Stiffler said he has been voting ever since he was old enough and wants to see a change in the state’s governor race. He showed frustration with Gov. Josh Shapiro and said he hopes to see someone else elected.
“Trying to get Governor Ding-Dong out, and get somebody else elected,” Stiffler said.
Stiffler added that he pays attention to the broader election and the candidates running for office even when he can only vote on a limited number of them.
“I care about all of them, but I can only vote on three things in there today,” said Stiffler. —Bronwyn Liber, The News Lab at Penn State
1.1 million mail ballots returned
As of 8 a.m. Election Day, 1,114,767 mail ballots had been returned by voters in Pennsylvania. That’s out of 1,315,879 requested, according to the Pennsylvania Department of State.
The vast majority of returned ballots — 718,641 — were requested by Democrats. See more stats here. —Sarah Anne Hughes
A ‘conservative’ voter for Shapiro
Nestled behind the Susquehanna River sits the Lock Haven Regatta Foundation building. A small “Vote Here” sign in the back alley leads voters to a basement.
Brett Everhart, a professor at Commonwealth University-Lock Haven, lives on Water Street. He made his way to the building to vote just past 7 a.m.
Everhart said he is conservative but doesn’t always vote along the party line.
“It’s [about] who’s the best one,” he told the News Lab at Penn State. Adding that he supports Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is seeking reelection against Republican challenger state Treasurer Stacy Garrity. “I think that’s a big deal right now,” he said.
Everhart said he is “pretty pleased” with how his family and his city are doing. “So I am not looking for a whole lot of change,” he said.
National issues are nothing that “one person can solve right now,” Everhart said. He thinks the nation has to be patient and let things “take care of themselves eventually.” —Avery McGurgan, The News Lab at Penn State
Splitting the ticket in Delaware County
Charles Vogeley, a 75-year-old accountant in Concord Township, Delaware County, has been a registered Republican for as long as he’s been voting.
Still, he split his ticket this year. He voted for Gov. Josh Shapiro, who Vogeley thinks works hard and has a "good head on his shoulders." He didn’t even know the name of Shapiro’s GOP opponent, Stacy Garrity, and said he can’t remember the last time he voted for a Republican for governor.
Still, Vogeley voted for his local GOP state Rep. Craig Williams.
Williams is "doing as good a job as he can do," Vogeley said. In particular, Vogeley appreciated Williams’ focus on utility prices, which Vogeley thinks were driven high by data centers.
Williams’ district, the 160th in a wealthy corner of the Philadelphia suburbs, is a top target for Democrats as they push to expand their control of the state House.
Shapiro has personally stumped for Democrat Elizabeth Moro as part of his efforts to win the vaunted trifecta — control of both legislative chambers and the executive — and hopefully pass key policy wins without having to negotiate with Republicans.
But it’s that very frictionlessness that Vogeley says he fears, and which informed his ticket splitting.
"The split legislature is OK because it provides checks and balances," he said. Under unified party control, "it can become a steamroller." —Stephen Caruso
A first-time voter at 63
Darin Bumbaco, 63, a disabled retiree, cast his first-ever ballot last week in Troy Township. The Towanda native walked, cane in hand, from his home to Trinity Lutheran Church after polls opened on Tuesday morning to collect his “I Voted” sticker.
For Bumbaco, this election cycle represents a break from the norm, for himself and, hopefully, from the country’s politicians.
“That’s why I never really voted,” Bumbaco told the News Lab at Penn State. “Every election, these politicians promise and promise. Nothing ever gets done.”
Economic upheaval and growing racial divides over the last two years finally urged Bumbaco to the polls.
“The cost of living goes up 100% every year, and the salaries never go up,” he said. “I could go back to work today and make probably $3 more an hour than I would have made 20 years ago. How crazy is that?”
Standing on the pavement in his black jacket and beanie, Bumbaco stands a bit taller having contributed to the democratic process for the first time.
“I wanted to vote this year so I can at least say I wasn’t one of those guys that complained about everything and didn’t get his vote in to try and change something, even if it doesn’t get changed,” said Bumbaco. “ I did my part.” —Avery McGurgan, The News Lab at Penn State
A Democratic lawmaker’s cautious optimism
Democratic state Rep. Nate Davidson, running for a second term this year, came to West Creek Hills Elementary School in Cumberland County’s East Pennsboro Township to greet voters.
The polling place, where voters from two precincts cast ballots, is one of the largest in his district.
He said he felt optimistic about his race, as well as that of Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is also up for reelection.
“It’s the other races,” he said, his voice trailing off for a minute. He was referring to the national picture, where control of Congress is front and center with multiple hugely competitive races for U.S. Senate seats, from Texas to Alaska to North Carolina.
“Am I supposed to believe polls? The last one I saw, the national generic is D-plus-10,” he said, adding that those numbers are reminiscent of years Democrats swept in midterm races. “I am anxiously optimistic.”
When he was campaigning, he said affordability issues were on voters’ minds, as was “corruption” in Washington, D.C.
“It just all kind of ties together with data centers, and corruption, and oligarchs, and ‘costs are going up for me but not for others,’” he said. “And I think a lot of voters are connecting the dots.”
Another big issue he’s heard from voters has not been in the national conversation as of late, but still apparently looms large: former financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
When President Donald Trump was running for president in 2024, he promised to release a trove of law enforcement files on Epstein. After he was elected, however, his administration came under scrutiny for missing key deadlines for releasing the case files; and as some of those files were released by the Justice Department in the months after, they contained multiple references to the president, who had been a close friend of Epstein’s.
“You can’t run for president saying you are going to release the Epstein files, learn that you are in them a lot, and then cover them up,” he said. “Oligarchs are in them too. And I think voters are connecting those dots.” —Angela Couloumbis
What’s motivating a Bradford County voter
Afton Camp, 40, worked the night shift at the Qnity manufacturing plant in Towanda, Bradford County, before stopping to vote this morning. She cast her ballot before 7:30 a.m., as she does in every election, at Trinity Lutheran Church before heading home to sleep.
She hopes her neighbors will get out and vote today, too.
“It can’t just rely on one or two people,” Camp told the News Lab at Penn State. “If anybody wants change, they have to help make the change.”
Camp said she wants to elect the candidates that best represent the people because she has seen politicians becoming distanced from the people they serve, as well as the Christian values she said the country was built on.
“We were built on God, and we have ventured away from that,” Camp said. “We need to get back there, but to get back there, people have to come out and vote.” —Alli Satterfield, The News Lab at Penn State
‘People are struggling’
Samuel Copeland was one of the first voters to cast a ballot at the West Creek Hills Elementary School in Cumberland County’s East Pennsboro township after doors opened at 7 a.m.
This is a busy polling place, with voters from two precincts in the township casting ballots here — one is dominated by Republicans who went for President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election; the other is more evenly split and went for Kamala Harris in that election.
Copeland, who works at a local grocery store, has shifted his registration back and forth from Republican to Democrat over the years. He is currently a registered Democrat who volunteered for Janelle Stelson’s campaign. Stelson is running to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Scott Perry in one of the most closely watched and hotly contested elections in Pennsylvania this year.
He said his biggest issue is a belief that politics needs “fresh, new faces,” people who are young, open-minded, and who will help the working class.
Affordability has been a problem for him, as he’s found himself spending more money on food and gas. Given his job — he said he’s a floater who stocks shelves, pushes carts, and fills in wherever he is needed at the grocery store that day — he’s also seen and heard firsthand how people are feeling pinched paying for groceries.
“People are struggling,” he said. “They’re hurting.”
What brought him to the polls Tuesday was the Perry-Stelson race. He wants someone in Washington, D.C. who will stand up to President Donald Trump, whom he called “the worst president in history.”
“Poll numbers prove it, and everybody is upset about it. Even his supporters are turning on him because of what he’s doing,” said Copeland. “He said he was going to lower prices, but he’s done nothing he’s promised, and it’s making a lot of people angry.” —Angela Couloumbis
Garrity, Shapiro make final pitches to voters
Pennsylvania’s two major party candidates for governor — incumbent Democrat Josh Shapiro and Republican Stacy Garrity — made their closing pitches to voters on the eve of the election.
"I came here tonight to tell you you’ve got a lot of power in this election," Shapiro said at a rally in Jenkintown, according to Fox 29. "Enough to be a check on Donald Trump’s chaos and cruelty and corruption.”
At her own rally in Newtown, Garrity focused on Shapiro: “Pennsylvania deserves so much better than the last four years. Under the failed leadership of Josh Shapiro.” Read more from Fox 29. —Sarah Anne Hughes
Voters cast ballots in the critical 7th Congressional District
Just after polls opened at 7 a.m. in Pen Argyl’s Second Ward, a steady stream of voters entered St. John’s Lutheran Church in the unit block of N. Westbrook Avenue.
The Northampton County polling place is in the critical 7th Congressional District, where incumbent Republican Ryan Mackenzie is in a tight race against Democrat Bob Brooks.
Louann Thomas, 67, told Spotlight PA that she voted for all Democrats.
“My thing is, right now, we have a president who is destroying the United States, and I feel he has to go — like every other Republican,” she said.
Thomas, who works in retail as an assistant manager, said it’s her third time voting. She previously voted against Trump in the 2024 election.
Emily Bacerra, 46, said she’s supporting Republicans.
“I vote in every election, and I’m voting really to uphold principles, based on spiritual principles, as much as you can when there are a bunch of fallible people running,” she said.
Bacerra, an accountant, said “politics feels like a big game these days,” describing being inundated with political ads.
“It feels scripted and a little like a game, but I’m grateful to live in a country where we can vote and have our vote counted — not everybody has that,” she said. —Molly Bilinski
‘Common sense issues’ in Cumberland County
Voters were already starting to pull into the parking lot at West Creek Hills Elementary School in East Pennsboro, Cumberland County, shortly after 6:30 a.m.
This is a busy polling place, with voters from two precincts in the township casting ballots here — one is dominated by Republicans who went for President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election; the other is more evenly split and went for Kamala Harris in that election.
On the sidewalk outside, Scott Grob was setting up his table to promote Republican candidates, propping up his red pop-up tent and hammering lawn signs into the grass. Aside from ones specific to GOP campaigns, there were also black and white ones urging voters to “stop fraud and theft” and “stop the Democratic socialists,” as well as ones calling for “no males in female sports.”
Grob is a Cumberland County committeeman and registered Republican who said his signs reflect “common sense issues” that voters should care about.
The Democratic Party, he believes, has swung impossibly left and “once we get into communism, there is no way out.”
“My father was a Democrat. My grandfather was a Democrat,” said Grob, who was wearing a red hat with the phrase “Make Girls Sports Female Again.”
But before his dad died a few years back, Grob said, he believed the party had become unrecognizable.
“I know many young people don’t understand communism anymore,” he said. “But socialism has no place in the United States.” —Angela Couloumbis
Election monitors in Pennsylvania
The U.S. Department of Justice plans to send election monitors to polling places in Philadelphia, Allegheny, Lehigh, and Luzerne Counties.
Pennsylvania Deputy Secretary of the Commonwealth Jonathan Marks told counties in an email that the monitors “are not authorized by any specific state or federal statute” and “may not enter restricted areas, inspect voting equipment, or demand access to any records.”
A spokesperson for the Department of State clarified to Votebeat and Spotlight PA that “restricted areas” include the area starting at the 10-foot buffer zone from the entrance of a polling site, meaning, effectively, monitors cannot enter polling places.
More from our partners at Votebeat:
“The Department of Justice had already announced that it would be sending around 1,000 election monitors to observe the voting today in all 50 states — the widest net the department has ever cast. But until this morning, we didn’t know the full list of exactly where in each state they would be. The department has now released that list; you can check it out here.
As a reminder, Department of Justice monitors are a regular presence in every election; if they do their job as they always have, they won’t interfere with voting. My colleagues will have more to say on the monitors later today.” —Nathaniel Rakich, Votebeat
The polls are open in Pennsylvania
Polls across Pennsylvania opened at 7 a.m. and will remain open until 8 p.m. As long as you are in line to vote by 8 p.m., you are entitled to cast a ballot.
Here’s more of what you need to know to vote today. —Sarah Anne Hughes
The pivotal 10th Congressional District
Good morning, it’s Election Day in Pennsylvania and across the country. It’s a pivotal election, with control of Congress and key governorships hanging in the balance.
Here in Pennsylvania, we are watching the governor’s race between incumbent Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro and Republican Stacy Garrity, the state treasurer. Shapiro has held commanding leads in the polls leading up to this day, and if voters reelect him, he will have another four years in office — a term that could be interrupted by a presidential run in 2028.
We will also be closely tracking state legislative races as Democrats try to wrest control of the GOP-controlled state Senate for the first time in decades.
Also on our watchlist are several competitive congressional races, including the tense rematch between Republican U.S. Rep Scott Perry and Democrat Janelle Stelson, a former TV news anchor, in the 10th Congressional District. The district covers all of Dauphin County and parts of Cumberland and York Counties in Central Pennsylvania.
Polls open at 7 a.m., and I’ll be starting my day in Cumberland County, one of the fastest-growing counties in Pennsylvania. Republicans outnumber Democrats here in voter registration, and the county went for Donald Trump in the last presidential election. —Angela Couloumbis
‘What do I need to bring with me to vote?’
If this is your first time voting or your first time voting since changing addresses, you’ll need to bring proof of identification. This can include any government-issued ID such as a driver’s license or U.S. passport, a utility bill or bank statement that includes your name and address, or a military or student ID. See the full list of options. —Sarah Anne Hughes
How to report a problem while voting or get voting info
If you need last-minute voting information, you can seek official answers from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling 1-877-VOTESPA. The nonpartisan Election Protection coalition has its own hotline, as well: 866-OUR-VOTE.
If you need to lodge a complaint about something you experience while voting, you can call the state’s hotline (1-877-VOTESPA) or reach the department using this form.
Still preparing to cast your ballot? Read Spotlight PA’s complete coverage at our Election Center 2026 website. —Sarah Anne Hughes
What you need to know before heading to the polls
For those of you heading out to the polls, here’s what you need to know:
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Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Double-check your polling place here.
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In addition to nonpartisan poll workers, you may encounter partisan poll watchers who are sanctioned to observe polling places. Here’s what they can — and can’t — do.
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Have a completed mail ballot? You can still drop it off today by 8 p.m. Some satellite offices and drop boxes will close before then, so make sure to look up your local details. Do not put it in the mail. It will not arrive by the deadline.
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Have a mail ballot but want to vote in person? Bring all of the materials with you to your polling place.
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Requested a mail ballot but it never came? You can still vote using a provisional ballot.
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If you are facing a last-minute problem and can’t make it to the polls, you may qualify for an emergency absentee ballot. Read about those here.
Election officials can only begin processing mail and absentee ballots this morning, which means it may take days to report the full unofficial results in some competitive races. —Sarah Anne Hughes