Pa. primary election 2025: What you need to know before you vote

Below are deadlines specific to voting in Pennsylvania’s municipal primary election.

• Deadline to register to vote: Monday, May 5
• Deadline to apply for a mail or absentee ballot: 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 13
• Deadline to return mail or civilian absentee ballot: 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 20 (postmarks do not count)
• Deadline to submit military or overseas absentee ballots: 11:59 p.m. on Monday, May 19 (county election offices must receive by Tuesday, May 27)
• Primary Election Day: Tuesday, May 20

Pennsylvanians must register to vote for the primary election by Monday, May 5. They can find out whether they are registered to vote online.

Anyone can register to vote, so long as they will have been a U.S. citizen for at least 30 days before the election, are a resident of Pennsylvania and are going to be at least 18 years old on or before Election Day.

Under state law, people who are incarcerated for felonies can’t vote. However, people who are serving time for misdemeanor charges or are out on probation, parole or house arrest are eligible. However, if your misdemeanor conviction was in relation to a violation of the Pennsylvania election code, you are not eligible to vote.

Additionally, if you have been convicted of a felony, but were released or will be released from incarceration prior to the date of the next election, you are eligible to vote under Pennsylvania law.

Completed mail or absentee ballot applications must be received by county boards of elections by 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 13.

Once ballots are ready, Pennsylvanians who are registered to vote may apply for mail ballots in person at their county board of elections offices, then complete and cast the ballots while there.

Pennsylvanians can also vote early in person by mail ballot through 8 p.m. on Election Day, as long as they have applied for a mail ballot before the deadline. The deadline to apply for a mail ballot in person is 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 13.

For those who choose to vote by mail, counties are providing secure drop-box locations for ballots.

Once available, official drop-box locations for Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties, as well as Philadelphia, can be found online.

Pennsylvania has a closed primary system, which means that only Democrats and Republicans can vote for their party’s nominees to run in the general election.

That said, all registered voters can vote in a primary election if the ballot includes a constitutional amendment question, a ballot question or a special election in their district.

Voters interested in changing their party affiliation may update their voter registration online, by mail, or in person using the Pennsylvania voter registration application form. On the form, such voters would select the box that says “Change of Party.”

Voters who wish to change their party affiliation and participate in the 2025 primary must do so by Monday, May 5.

Completed mail or absentee ballots must be received by county boards of elections by 8 p.m. on Election Day, which is Tuesday, May 20. Postmarks do not count.

If there isn’t enough time to mail the ballot, a voter can drop it off in person at their county elections office or, if available, at a county drop box.

Pennsylvanians can also vote early in person by mail ballot through 8 p.m. on Election Day, as long as they apply for a mail ballot before the deadline. The deadline to apply for a mail ballot in person is 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 13.

Voters can check the status of their mail ballots online.

Pennsylvanians who would prefer to vote the old-fashioned way can do so in person on Election Day at the polls, which will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters can find their polling places online.

Voters can find their polling places online.

Voters who receive absentee or mail ballots can opt to vote in person on Election Day. To do so, voters must bring their ballots and the pre-addressed outer return envelopes to be voided. After they surrender their ballots and envelopes and sign a declaration, they can vote using a regular ballot.

Voters who request a mail ballot but don’t receive it, or don’t have it to surrender, may vote by provisional ballot at their polling places. The provisional ballots will be reviewed by the county board of elections post-Election Day to determine whether they will be counted.

Here’s a look at the major races, and who’s running for what:

Statewide judicial offices

Intermediate appellate courts

Pennsylvania has two statewide intermediate appellate courts: the Superior Court and the Commonwealth Court.

Pennsylvania Superior Court

• What is it?: The Pennsylvania Superior Court is the intermediate appellate court for most civil and criminal cases appealed from county-level courts of common pleas. It also handles appeals on matters involving children and families. Its 15 judges serve 10-year terms, after which they run in yes-no retention elections without an opponent.
• Which seats are up for election?: One Pennsylvania Superior Court seat is up for partisan election on Nov. 4, to fill the vacancy left by Daniel McCaffery.

Vote for 1

• Democratic Party
  • Brandon Neuman
• Republican Party
  • Maria Battista
  • Ann Marie Wheatcraft

Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court

• What is it?: The Commonwealth Court, composed of nine judges, usually handles matters involving state and local governments and regulatory agencies. Judges serve 10-year terms and preside over cases in three-person panels.
• Which seats are up for election?: One Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court seat is up for partisan election on Nov. 4, to fill the vacancy left by Ellen Ceisler.

Vote for 1

• Democratic Party
  • Stella Tsai**
• Republican Party
  • Josh Prince
  • Matt Wolford

** highly recommended by the Philadelphia Bar Association Judicial Commission

District attorney

• Democratic Party
  • Larry Krasner (incumbent)
  • Pat Dugan
• Republican Party
  • No candidates running

Controller

• Democratic Party: Christy Brady (incumbent)
• Republican Party: Ari Patrinos

Court of Common Pleas judges

What is it?: The Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, a general trial jurisdiction court, has 101 judges across three divisions: trial, family and orphans’. Judges serve 10-year terms, after which they run in yes-no retention elections without an opponent.

Judges and justices serving on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Superior Court and Commonwealth Court all serve 10-year terms, as do Court of Common Pleas judges. Philadelphia Municipal Court judges are elected to six-year terms.

• Trial Division: Most felony criminal and major civil cases with contested amounts over $12,000
• Family Division: Domestic matters like divorces, custody, child support and domestic violence as well as juvenile matters like delinquency, dependency and adoptions
• Orphans’ Division: Matters involving estates, wills and trusts

Vote for no more than 9

• Democratic Party
  • Anthony Stefanski*
  • Brian Kisielewski*
  • Deborah Watson-Stokes*
  • Elliott G. Williams
  • Irina Ehrlich*
  • Kia Ghee*
  • Larry Farnese*
  • Leon A. King II*
  • Michael Parkinson*
  • Mike Huff
  • Qawi Abdul-Rahman
  • Sarah Jones*
  • Sherrie Cohen
  • Taniesha Henry
  • Will Braveman*
• Republican Party
  • No candidates running

* recommended by the Philadelphia Bar Association Judicial Commission

Municipal Court judges

What is it?: Philadelphia’s Municipal Court is a limited jurisdiction court of record comprised of 27 judges across three divisions: criminal, civil and traffic. Judges are elected for six-year terms, after which they run in yes-no retention elections without an opponent.

• Criminal Division: Adult criminal cases with maximum incarceration sentences of up to five years. It also has initial jurisdiction in processing the city’s criminal arrests and holds misdemeanor trials and preliminary hearings for felony cases
• Civil Division: Civil cases with contested amounts up to $12,000, landlord-tenant cases and real estate and school tax cases with contested amounts up to $15,000
• Traffic Division: Traffic violations

Vote for no more than 3

• Democratic Party
  • Amanda Davidson*
  • Cortez Patton
  • Mike Huff
  • Qawi Abdul-Rahman
  • Shawn Page
  • Sherrie Cohen
• Republican Party
  • No candidates running

* recommended by the Philadelphia Bar Association Judicial Commission

Inspector and judge of election

• What does a judge of elections do?: The judge of elections is responsible for overseeing the entire election process and voter activities for their division.
• What does an inspector of elections do?: The inspector of elections assists the judge of elections in overseeing the entire election process at a particular polling place and helps enforce voting regulations and procedures.

Elected by ward and division. Vote for 1 each

See below to check which Democratic and Republican candidates are running to become inspectors or judges of elections based on ward and division.

Unsure which Philadelphia election ward and division you’re in? Use the city’s Atlas tool to look up your ward and division number, along with your polling place.

In Philadelphia, municipal primary voters will weigh in on three ballot questions.

» READ MORE: Philly’s ballot questions and explanatory statements in Spanish and Chinese

Philly ballot question No. 1: Should the city increase minimum spending on Housing Trust Fund purposes?

• A “yes” vote supports increasing the minimum amount that must be allocated for spending on Housing Trust Fund purposes in the city’s operating budget each year.
• A “no” vote opposes increasing the minimum amount that must be allocated for spending on Housing Trust Fund purposes in the city’s operating budget each year.

Philly ballot question No. 2: Should the city create an Office of Homeless Services ombudsperson?

• A “yes” vote supports creating the Office of Homeless Services Ombudsperson, which would advocate for individuals experiencing homelessness, investigate client complaints and provide oversight and recommendations to the city’s homeless service providers.
• A “no” vote opposes creating the Office of Homeless Services Ombudsperson.

Philly ballot question No. 3: Should the city establish an independent Prison Community Oversight Board and an Office of Prison Oversight?

• A “yes” vote supports amending the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter to establish an independent Philadelphia Prison Community Oversight Board and an Office of Prison Oversight, with the city council authorized to determine their composition, powers and duties.
• A “no” vote opposes amending the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter to establish an independent Philadelphia Prison Community Oversight Board and an Office of Prison Oversight.

• Check to see if you are registered to vote
• Register to vote
• View a sample ballot based on your address
• Sign up to become a poll worker
• Find your polling place
• Apply for a mail ballot
• Apply for an absentee ballot
• Check the status of your mail or absentee ballot