Election HQ: A Pennsylvania voter guide to the 2020 elections

Election Day in Western Pennsylvania is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and voters are asked to wear a mask and practice social distancing inside polling places because of the coronavirus pandemic.

For more information on polling places, go to the official election pages for your county:

Allegheny County election page | Westmoreland County election page |Armstrong County election page

The last day to register to vote was Oct. 19.

The deadline to apply for a mail-in or absentee ballot was Oct. 27 and that ballot must be returned by Nov. 3. The envelope must be postmarked by 8 p.m. You may hand-deliver the ballots to your county election office by 8 p.m. that day. More voting information is available here.

Election coverage from TribLIVE

Beaver County’s role in presidential race attracts attention

Beaver County’s role in the presidential election and the political transformation of the former Democratic stronghold are explored in a WPXI Now streaming special featuring Tribune-Review senior news editor Tom Fontaine.

When will election results be known for Westmoreland, Allegheny, Pennsylvania?

With record numbers of registered voters and the first general election held with “no excuse” mail-in balloting, state and local officials are bracing for what could be a lengthy process to count votes. Counties cannot begin counting mail-in ballots until polls open at 7 a.m. Tuesday.

Women-powered grassroots efforts support Biden, Trump in Western Pennsylvania

Stasia Vernallis knew she was onto something when Facebook groups of frustrated female voters began cropping up across Pennsylvania just days after the 2017 Women’s March on Washington. “We counted 550 grassroots organizations from January to July,” Vernallis said.

How covid-19 did and didn’t affect the election in Pennsylvania

While covid-19 has fundamentally changed the course of the 2020 election, many voters say their minds were made up long before the crisis hit.

Black voters a focal point in election, but many feel campaigns haven’t done enough

Jojo Burgess has spent the past month or so reaching out to Black voters across Southwestern Pennsylvania. A common sentiment, according to Burgess, is: “Why vote? No one cares about us.”

Blue dot of Joe Biden supporters stand strong in red Somerset County

There’s a pulsing blue dot in the middle of screaming red Trump Country these days. Just southeast of the Westmoreland County line where the Laurel Highlands soar, Somerset County was the reddest of Western Pennsylvania’s rural counties that pushed then-candidate Donald Trump to a narrow win in Pennsylvania in 2016 and on to the White House.

Basement democracy: Residents open homes as polling places in Westmoreland County

Democracy happens in Betty Tokarcik’s Wyano basement. Voting rights have been exercised in Kathleen Slomiany’s living room in Van Meter.

Super supporters: These voters go above and beyond in their adoration for Trump, Biden

As the 2020 general election looms, all eyes are on Pennsylvania. Here are eight Southwestern Pennsylvania voters who have gone above and beyond in their support for their candidate.

Democrats still hold the edge, but Pennsylvania voter registration gains favor GOP

Although Democrats still hold a 700,000 voter registration edge statewide, Pennsylvania Republicans have done a better job recruiting party members since they helped elect President Trump in 2016.

Allegheny County Elections Office offering expanded hours before Election Day

The Allegheny County Elections Division on Tuesday announced expanded hours for voters to apply for, receive and return absentee and mail-in ballots before Election Day.

More ballot delays in Westmoreland County

More delays in the mailing of ballots to Westmoreland voters ahead of the Nov. 3 general election could prompt county commissioners to take back control over the process that was shipped out-of-state last month.

Republican congressional candidates seek poll watchers at Allegheny Co. satellite election offices

Two Republican congressional candidates in Western Pennsylvania filed a lawsuit in federal court Friday seeking permission to post poll watchers at seven satellite election offices that were approved last month in Allegheny County.

CNN, New York Times spotlight Westmoreland County as key in presidential race

National media outlets are eyeing Westmoreland County as a key battleground in the looming presidential election.

How to vote in Election 2020: A user’s guide

This reference guide provides information about voting in person, as well as voting by mail, and includes a helpful FAQ.

In battleground states, Catholics are a pivotal swing vote

For decades, Roman Catholic voters have been a pivotal swing vote in U.S. presidential elections, with a majority backing the winner — whether Republican or Democrat — nearly every time.

Evangelicals in Trump’s base hope for Pennsylvania repeat

President Trump’s homestretch push to repeat his razor-thin victory in Pennsylvania four years ago won’t happen without white evangelicals, and there are signs that critical component of his coalition hasn’t lost the faith.

Allegheny County to open new elections offices for ballot drop-offs, voting help

Allegheny County voters who don’t want to go to polls on Election Day have more options to vote early and submit ballots without relying on the mail. Satellite offices will be open on the three weekends before Election Day, starting Oct. 10. Click here to read the county’s list of places.

Pa. Supreme Court grants 3-day extension on mail-in ballots; Green Party ordered off ballot

Pennsylvania’s highest court gave the Democratic Party a series of victories, including one allowing repairs to glitches and gray areas in the battleground state’s fledgling mail-in voting law and another that kicked the Green Party’s presidential candidate off the November ballot.

USW lights up iconic Pittsburgh landmarks with Biden-Harris message without permission

The Gulf Tower in Downtown Pittsburgh, the Carrie Furnace in Rankin, the Carnegie Science Center on the North Shore and even Mt. Washington were tapped as backdrops for the USW’s night-time light show.

Frustration grows as covid restrictions remain, political rallies go on

As thousands gathered in Latrobe at a rally for President Trump, others across Western Pennsylvania stayed home — working remotely and unable to go to schools, restaurants or sporting events.

Presidential candidates

Republican	Democrat	Libertarian
Donald J. Trump, (incumbent) website	Joe Biden, website	Jo Jorgensen, website

6 key questions going into the 2020 presidential election

Election Day is finally upon us. Here are some key questions we are considering as the final votes are cast and counted.

Aftermath of Trump rally in Butler was ‘nothing like Omaha’ owner of bus company says

The aftermath of a rally held Saturday evening by President Donald Trump in Butler has garnered local and national attention after some say supporters were left waiting in the cold for buses to take them back to their vehicles.

Joe Biden expected to visit Pittsburgh’s North Shore on election eve

Former Vice President Joe Biden is expected to visit the Pittsburgh metro area on Monday while other members of his campaign fan out across other parts of the state.

Trump nears end of campaign with boisterous rally near Butler

President Donald Trump doubled down on attacks on former Vice President Joe Biden on Saturday evening as he offered closing arguments for his 2020 reelection campaign to a pumped-up crowd of supporters at the Pittsburgh-Butler Regional Airport.

Pittsburgh artist creates scene with replica of President Trump head

Yes, that indeed is a 7-foot gold replica of President Donald Trump’s head one might see, strapped to the bed of a U-Haul pickup truck driving around Pittsburgh.

Biden lead holds steady at 6 points in latest Franklin & Marshall College Poll

Former vice president Joe Biden continued to hold a six-point lead among likely voters in Pennsylvania last week as the number of undecided voters declined, a poll Franklin & Marshall College Poll found. The poll of 558 likely Pennsylvania voters.

Ivanka Trump near Portersville: U.S. ‘much more capable of combating this virus as we wait for the vaccine’

The United States and its public health leaders are “much more capable” of confronting the next waves of coronavirus cases than they were when covid-19 first struck last spring, Ivanka Trump said while stumping for her father, President Donald Trump, Wednesday on a Lawrence County farm.

‘We need you’: GOP hunts for new Trump voters in Pennsylvania

President Donald Trump’s campaign has a bold theory for how he will win reelection: It can tap a universe of millions of supporters who did not vote for him in 2016 but will do so this time.

Election 2020: What to watch for in the campaign’s final week

The race for the presidency is in the home stretch, with less than a week until Election Day. Here are five things to watch.

Here’s what you need to know about the Libertarian candidate for president

Jo Jorgensen is the Libertarian Party candidate for president. She won’t win, but for those who won’t hold their nose and vote for Trump or Joe Biden, Jorgensen is an alternative.

Biden supporters caravan around the A-K Valley, rally in Harrison

A caravan of about 140 cars, trucks and SUVs adorned with decorations touting support for the Biden-Harris presidential ticket paraded around the Alle-Kiski Valley on Saturday, then parked at Harrison Hills Park for a social distance-friendly political rally.

Bernie Sanders spreads Joe Biden love as he stumps in Western Pennsylvania

The ongoing love affair between Sen. Bernie Sanders and his supporters was evident Saturday as Sanders stumped in Western Pennsylvania for former Vice President Joe Biden.

V.P. Pence’s rally builds on slew of Trump surrogate visits to Western Pa.

Vice President Mike Pence affirmed his confidence Friday afternoon in West Mifflin that he believes President Donald Trump will again clinch victory in Pennsylvania, among the most critical battleground states in the 2020 election.

Eric Trump makes surprise visit to Oakmont Bakery

Eric Trump made a surprise visit Thursday to Oakmont Bakery, where he passed out cookies decorated with his father’s face to dozens of supporters.

Route 22 battle royale: Murrysville area serves as ground zero for Biden, Trump supporters

The battle for the crucial suburban vote in the Nov. 3 presidential election is playing out along an unlikely 7-mile stretch of Route 22 through Murrysville and neighboring communities through competing campaign offices and billboards.

5 takeaways from the dueling presidential town halls

Voters got to see a presidential debate after all Thursday night. But it wasn’t between President Trump and his Democratic challenger, former Vice President Joe Biden. It was between Trump and NBC News’ Savannah Guthrie.

President Trump swoops into Johnstown for rally as Election Day grows closer

Chants of “four more years” greeted President Trump as he emerged from Air Force One at the John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport on Tuesday evening, just days after declaring himself cured of covid-19.

‘Hold your nose’ voters could tip 2020 election as Biden struggles with enthusiasm

Less than a month before Election Day, the vast majority of likely American voters have made up their minds about the presidential candidates.

How reliable are 2020 polls after they had Clinton leading Trump four years ago?

It wasn’t quite “Dewey Beats Truman,” but voters who assumed the polls and predictions of a Hillary Clinton victory had a rude awakening on Nov. 9, 2016.

Biden scores big union wins on train trek through Western Pennsylvania

It was a beautiful day in the neighborhood for former Vice President Joe Biden on Sept. 30 as he ventured deep into what was the heart of Trump country in Westmoreland County in 2016 to pick up endorsements from two unions that represent 950,000 working people.

Joe Biden Express rolls into Western Pennsylvania for whistle-stop train tour

An Amtrak passenger train carrying Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his campaign contingent rolled into Western Pennsylvania from Ohio on Sept. 30, a day after the contentious televised debate with President Donald Trump.

5 takeaways from the presidential debate

So what did we learn from the Sept. 29 presidential debate? Not a whole lot. Here are 5 takeaways from the debate.

Debates 2020: Trump to woo suburban voters while Biden shows he’s more than ‘not Donald Trump’

Before the first debate, Biden spent time preparing at his Delaware home while Trump was busy with campaign stops in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida, Georgia and Virginia. Because of the pandemic, the debates will include social distancing and not have a live audience — which could be a weak point for Trump.

Statewide

Attorney General

Pa. Attorney General Josh Shapiro seeks second term in race against Republican Heather Heidelbaugh

Attorney General Josh Shapiro calls himself “the people’s lawyer.” Heather Heidelbaugh, his Republican challenger in the Nov. 3 election, refers to herself as “a lawyer’s lawyer.”

Auditor General

Treasurer

Local races of note

U.S. Congress

13th District

Joyce challenged by retired FBI agent for 13th Congressional District

Voters in the massive 13th Congressional District — stretching from Westmoreland County to Gettysburg — will chose between a freshman incumbent who embraces the agenda of President Trump and a Democratic challenger who wants to serve as an opposition to power.

14th District

In 1st re-election bid, Rep. Reschenthaler faces Democratic challenger Bill Marx

Guy Reschenthaler, 37, will attempt to win a second two-year term Nov. 3 in a race against Democrat Bill Marx, 44, who serves as vice president of Delmont Council.

15th District

16th District

17th District

17th District House race pits ‘rising star’ Conor Lamb against Trump-backed challenger Sean Parnell

Western Pennsylvania’s suburbs and working-class towns across much of the Alle-Kiski Valley and Allegheny, Beaver and Butler counties will have their say Tuesday in a nationally watched match-up — whether to re-elect “rising star” Democrat U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb.

18th District

State Senate

37th District

Pair of accomplished veterans vying for District 37 state Senate seat

Voters in much of Allegheny County’s southern and western suburbs will be asked to choose between a pair of candidates with impeccable credentials running for the 37th District state Senate seat. Incumbent Democrat Pam Iovino faces a challenge from Republican Devlin Robinson.

39th District

Kim Ward says state Senate reelection is about helping people of Westmoreland County

Kim Ward feels like she’s fought this battle before. For the past eight months, the Republican state senator from Hempfield worked to push legislation that will help health care workers and the public during the coronavirus pandemic, efforts that mirror actions she took in the 1980s when the AIDS pandemic ravaged the country, sling-shotting Ward from a career in respiratory therapy to one in politics.

Tay Waltenbaugh bids to take his community action to Harrisburg as 39th District Senator

After 29 years at the helm of Westmoreland Community Action, Tay Waltenbaugh knew it was time for a change.

Ward, Waltenbaugh vie for 39th District Senate seat

Tay Waltenbaugh knows if he wants to unseat Kim Ward in the race for the 39th District state Senate seat, he has to get Republicans on his side.

41st District

Democrat Tony DeLoreto challenges incumbent Republican Joe Pittman in 41st Senate District

State Sen. Joe Pittman, R-Indiana, is facing his first reelection challenge just 16 months after being sworn in to represent the 41st Senate District. Democrat Tony DeLoreto, a restaurateur from Indiana, is looking to knock off Pittman.

45th District

Incumbent state Senator Brewster faces GOP challenge from Lower Burrell attorney

A Lower Burrell attorney is challenging a Democratic incumbent known for working both sides of the aisle in the 45th State Senate District, which includes parts of Allegheny and Westmoreland counties and stretches from McKeesport to the Alle-Kiski Valley.

47th District

State House

12th District

15th District

16th District

21st District

25th District

28th District

2 political newcomers squaring off to fill vacant state House 28th District seat

Two candidates with no prior political experience and starkly different backgrounds are vying for the open state House seat created when Republican Mike Turzai resigned in June.

30th District

33rd District

36th District

38th District

39th District

40th District

42nd District

44th District

45th District

46th District

48th District

49th District

50th District

52nd District

Cochran returns to challenge Warner for 52nd state House District seat

Former state legislator Harry Young Cochran, a Democrat, is looking to return to Harrisburg by challenging incumbent Ryan Warner, a Republican seeking his fourth term in the 52nd state House district.

55th District

Longtime stunt performer challenges veteran House member in 55th District

Democrat Joe Petrarca is asking voters on Nov. 3 to return him to Harrisburg for a 14th term representing residents of the 55th District in the state House. Republican challenger Jason Silvis is hoping those voters instead will help him end that long run.

58th District

Rematch pits Davanzo against Prah in race for state House 58th District

Voters in the state House 58th District have seen this race before — seven months ago, to be exact, when Republican Eric Davanzo and Democrat Robert Prah Jr. vied to serve out the remaining time of a vacant term.