Even though the presumptive nominees for president have already been decided, Pennsylvania still has a primary happening on Tuesday, April 23 — and there are plenty of local and statewide candidates trying to win your vote.
Voters will choose each party’s respective nominees for offices like attorney general, state treasurer, auditor general, and state representative. The candidates who win this April will ultimately appear on the general election ballot in November.
Like with every other election, you have to be registered in order to vote. Here’s your checklist to make sure you’re ready in time.
✅ Check To See If You’re Already Registered
Find out if your voter registration is up to date using this tool. You can also check your polling place and political party.
✅ If You’re Not Registered, Make Sure You’re Eligible
According to the Pennsylvania Department of State, you’re allowed to vote if:
- You’ve been a U.S. citizen for at least one month before the election.
- You’ve been a resident of both Pennsylvania and your specific election district for at least 30 days before the election.
- You’ll be at least 18 years old on or before the day of the election.
✅ Register or Make Changes by April 8!
You can fill out your voter registration application online here, by printing out and mailing this form, or in-person at Philly’s voter registration office (520 N. Columbus Blvd, 5th Floor) or Board of Elections (City Hall, Room 142).
Keep in mind when choosing an option: the City Commissioners Office has to receive your application by April 8.
If you’re already registered in PA but you moved, changed your name, or want to change your party affiliation, you can make changes to your registration before April 8 as well.
❗ Important FYI: To Vote for Candidates, You Have To Register with a Party
Pennsylvania is one of 10 states that have “closed primaries,” which means you can only vote for your own party’s nominees. In other words, if you want to vote in the Democratic primary contests, you have to be registered as a Democrat, and if you want to vote in Republican races, you have to register as a Republican. If you’re currently an unaffiliated voter but you want to vote in partisan primary races, make sure you update your registration with your desired political party.
All voters — including unaffiliated ones — can vote on ballot questions, though. (Philly has one of those this cycle.)
📣 BTW, while we’re talking about elections, Philly is still seeking poll workers for April 23. Here’s some info on how to become one. (Psssst … it’s a paid gig!)
