Pennsylvania absentee voting underway in some counties

Absentee voting is underway for some voters in the Keystone State, and Pennsylvania's 19 Electoral College votes are at stake for the 2024 presidential election.

Pennsylvania is one of the most competitive states this cycle

Pennsylvania is one of three Rust Belt states that changed hands from Democrats to former President Trump and Republicans in 2016, then returned to President Biden four years later. In each case, the difference in votes between the main candidates was close, less than 100,000 votes.

The state has also played an important role in each president's path to victory. It has the largest population and the most electoral votes of the seven most competitive states in the Fox News Power Rankings.

A recent Fox News poll found the race to be even, with Democratic candidates Vice President Harris and Trump each receiving support from 49% of likely voters.

Most of the Democratic votes come from the “bookends” of the state, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and Ms. Harris is likely to perform well among black and suburban voters.

Mr. Trump makes up for it with rural white voters in the middle of the state and voters without college education. The former president took these voters to the ballot box twice, and Pennsylvania's packed rally schedule suggests he's about to do it again.

Pennsylvania is ranked a “toss-up” in the Fox News Power Rankings.

There are also U.S. Senate races scheduled in the Keystone State. Democratic Sen. Bob Casey has won three previous elections, but securing a fourth term will become more difficult as white working-class voters are turning away from the party. It will be. Republicans are hoping businessman Dave McCormick will work with them. The race is ranked as “Leans Dem”.

Keyhouse Races in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania has several strong House races, including:

• District 7: Democratic Rep. Susan Wilde has represented this eastern Pennsylvania district since the 2018 midterm elections, a tumultuous year for House Democrats. It has been a close race ever since, with the Wild winning by 3.8 points in 2020 and by 2 points in the most recent midterm elections. This time, she will face Republican state Rep. Ryan McKenzie. This race is a “toss-up” in the FOX News Power Rankings.
• District 8: In the Northeast, longtime Democratic Rep. Matt Cartwright has served the district for more than a decade. His vote share has also shrunk over a decade of elections and redistricting, dropping to 2.4 percentage points in the last election cycle. Cartwright's opponent is Republican Rob Bresnahan, a local businessman. This district includes Scranton and Wilkes-Barre. This race is also a power ranking “toss up”. ”
• District 10: Moving south to the 10th Congressional District, rural voters in Cumberland and York counties favor Republican U.S. Rep. Scott Perry. He has been the region's representative since 2013. Perry won by a 7.6 percentage point margin in the midterm elections, but Democrats are hoping that former local news anchor Janelle Stelson will be a competitive candidate because of Perry's deep ties to the MAGA movement. There is. This race is ranked “Leans GOP.”
• District 17: Freshman Rep. Chris Deluzio kept this western Pennsylvania seat in Democratic hands in 2023 by a 6.8 percentage point margin, but it also held a 6.8-point margin in reddish Beaver County and parts of Allegheny County, where Pittsburgh is located. It has become a fierce battleground. Deluzio will face Republican state Rep. Rob Mercuri in November. This district is ranked as “Leans Dem.”

How to vote in Pennsylvania

Information about pre-registration and early voting. For comprehensive and up-to-date information on voter eligibility, processes, and deadlines, please visit: Vote.gov and election website For Pennsylvania.

Postal voting/early voting

Pennsylvania states: “On-demand mail-in voting” This allows registered voters to apply for a mail-in ballot at their county election office or other designated location, and then fill out and submit their ballot on the spot.

A sign highlighting voter registration efforts at the Bayfront Convention Center on September 29 in Erie, Pennsylvania. (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)

Mail-in ballots can be submitted in person until 8 p.m. on Election Day, but the deadline for applications is Oct. 29 at 5 p.m. Eastern Time.

Pennsylvania certified its official list of candidates on Sept. 16, but counties are still “completed, proofread, and order printed ballots,” the state said. Postal voting is currently available in 15 of the state's 67 counties.

Counties are required to begin mailing out absentee ballots to military and overseas voters by Sept. 21.

Vice President Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, call prospective voters from their election field office in Rochester, Pennsylvania, on August 18, 2024. (Kevin Lamarque/AFP via Getty Images)

voter registration

Pennsylvania residents can register to vote online or by mail until October 21st.