Just more than 1 in 10 races across Southwestern Pennsylvania are being contested in Tuesday’s primary, with many races on either the Republican or Democratic side failing to field any candidates at all.
Still, there are some key races to watch, including a Republican contest for lieutenant governor, two contested congressional races and nearly a dozen races for state House and Senate. About a half-dozen races regionwide feature incumbents facing primary challenges for the chance to run in the November general election.
Pennsylvania has a closed primary system in which Republicans and Democrats can vote only for candidates in their respective parties. But all voters in Pittsburgh — including independents and members of third parties — will be able to vote on a ballot question about public hearing notices.
Here’s what you need to know going into the primary:
How to vote
Polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday.
About two dozen polling locations are being moved for this primary in Allegheny County, compared with nearly a dozen in Westmoreland County. To find your polling place, check online at www.pa.gov/services/vote/find-your-local-polling-place.
Those who aren’t sure if they are registered to vote can check online at www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/pages/voterregistrationstatus.aspx.
Some people have already voted, either by mail or by going to their county courthouse to request, fill out and return a mail-in ballot. Voters in Allegheny County also had the option of doing the latter at satellite voting locations.
The deadline to request a mail-in ballot has passed. The deadline to return a completed one is 8 p.m. Tuesday — elections offices must receive a ballot by that time for it to be counted. To track your mail-in or absentee ballot, go to www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/Pages/BallotTracking.aspx.
Allegheny County voters looking to return their ballots rather than using the mail can go to one of 10 ballot-return locations through Tuesday.
Drop-off hours will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the following locations: Allegheny County Emergency Services Building in Moon, Avalon Public Library, Boyce Park Four Seasons Lodge in Plum, Carnegie Library Squirrel Hill, CCAC Homewood, the County Office Building lobby (Ross Street entrance), Dormont Pool, Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank in Duquesne, North Park Ice Rink in Pine and South Park Ice Rink in Bethel Park.
In Westmoreland, voters can return mail-in ballots at the county’s election bureau from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Some residents had called for Westmoreland to again place drop boxes across the county where people could return ballots, as it had from 2020 through 2023. Republican Commissioners Sean Kertes and Doug Chew said past use of the drop boxes did not justify the costs of running the program.
For help with any voting issue, people can call their respective elections bureau. In Allegheny County, the main number is 412-350-4500. In Westmoreland, it’s 724-830-3150.
Voter turnout
Allegheny County Elections Division Manager Dave Voye predicts about 40% of the county’s 915,000 registered voters will cast ballots, though he acknowledges, “There isn’t a lot of hype surrounding this primary. Most incumbents are unopposed, and the candidates for governor on both sides (Democratic incumbent Josh Shapiro and Republican challenger Stacy Garrity) are unopposed.”
A 40% turnout would eclipse the county’s 37.1% performance in the 2022 primary, the last midterm election year. That primary featured contested races for governor, lieutenant governor, the U.S. Senate and House, and the state Senate and House.
Voye estimates that no-excuse, mail-in voting has boosted typical turnout by about 7%, on average, spurring many people who in the past might have skipped going to the polls to cast ballots.
Westmoreland County Election Bureau Director Scott Ross did not return messages from TribLive. Nearly 36% of the county’s roughly 246,000 registered voters turned out in 2022.
A number of factors contribute to lower turnouts in non-presidential elections, according to Chris Borick, a political science professor at Muhlenberg College and director of its Institute of Public Opinion.
The lack of contested races keeps many voters away.
“The reality is, when incumbents are in races, rarely do you see primary challengers. It’s an outlier,” Borick said.
Also, in districts for Congress and state House and Senate that lean overwhelmingly Democrat or Republican, often “you don’t get much desire from the opposition party to run,” Borick said.
And with an increasing number of Pennsylvania voters becoming independents or members of other parties, Pennsylvania’s closed primary system further dampens turnout.
Two decades ago, before the 2006 midterm primary, 11.7% of Pennsylvania’s registered voters were independents or members of a third party, according to state voter records. Today, nearly 17% of the state’s voters — almost 1.5 million voters — are independents or members of a third party.
Contested races
Republican voters will pick a GOP nominee for lieutenant governor. Jason Richey, an attorney from Sewickley who chairs the Republican Committee of Allegheny County, is facing John Ventre, a retired UPS security and public affairs executive from Hempfield. The winner will become the running mate of state Treasurer Stacy Garrity, the lone Republican candidate for governor.
Gov. Josh Shapiro and Lt. Gov. Austin Davis are unopposed in their primary.
Other contested races include:
• 12th Congressional District: Incumbent U.S. Rep. Summer Lee of Swissvale faces William Parker of Pittsburgh in the Democratic primary. Republican challenger James Hayes of Pittsburgh is unopposed.
• 17th Congressional District: Beaver County Sheriff Tony Guy of Hopewell faces Jesse James Vodvarka of Robinson in the Republican primary. Incumbent U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, a Democrat from Fox Chapel, is unopposed.
• 32nd state Senate District: Incumbent state Sen. Pat Stefano of Bullskin Township, Fayette County, faces former state Rep. Harry Young Cochran of Connellsville in the GOP primary. No Democrats are on the ballot.
• 42nd state Senate District: Incumbent state Sen. Wayne Fontana of Brookline faces a challenge from Paul Steenkiste of Lawrenceville in the Democratic primary. No Republicans are on the ballot.
• 46th state Senate District: Incumbent state Sen. Camera Bartolotta of Carroll Township, Washington County, faces Al Buchtan of Greene County in the GOP primary. Democrat Evan Snyder of Nottingham, Washington County, is unopposed.
• 12th state House District: Ethan Nicholas and Scott Timko, both of Cranberry, are seeking the GOP nomination. Democrat Brandon Dukes of Cranberry is unopposed.
• 24th state House District: Incumbent state Rep. La’Tasha Mayes of East Liberty faces a challenge from Homewood’s William Anderson in the Democratic primary. No Republicans are on the ballot.
• 39th state House District: Dylan Altemara and Kellianne Frketic, both of Elizabeth Township, are seeking the Democratic nomination. Incumbent state Rep. Andrew Kuzma, a Republican from Elizabeth Township, is unopposed.
• 45th state House District: Allegheny County Council President Pat Catena of Carnegie and Brittany Bloam of Robinson are seeking the Democratic nomination. Republican James Julius of Robinson is unopposed.
• 50th state House District: Incumbent state Rep. Bud Cook of West Pike Run Township, Washington County, faces a challenge from Ben Humble of Waynesburg in the GOP primary. Democrat Lois Bower-Bjornson of North Bethlehem, Washington County, is unopposed.
• 59th state House District: Lisa Gephart of Mt. Pleasant Township and Jordan Omlor of Latrobe are seeking the Democratic nomination. Incumbent state Rep. Leslie Rossi, a Republican from Unity, is unopposed.
Ballot question
Pittsburgh voters will get to decide whether the city’s Home Rule Charter should be amended to change public hearing notice requirements “in light of changes in the public consumption of newspapers of general circulation and increased use of digital media.”
The charter currently requires the city to publish notices of public hearings in “a newspaper circulated generally in the city.” Proposed additional language to the charter would add, “… or, if no newspaper exists, (notices could be published in) successor media that reasonably ensures public access, including the city’s official website and a digital news publication of general circulation.”
What’s next?
Primary winners will set their sights on the Nov. 3 general election.
