Vote 2026: Everything You Need for the 2026 Primary Elections in Pennsylvania
AccessMatters firmly believes voting is a fundamental right that all people should be able to exercise without barriers. The lives of all Pennsylvanians are greatly impacted by the policies that our elected officials create, which can have a large influence on access to sexual and reproductive health care, as well as other important issues that affect health and wellbeing. That is why AccessMatters is a proud partner and supporter of National Voter Registration Day and the Committee of Seventy’s WeVote Initiative.
Pennsylvanians will go to the polls on May 19, 2026, to vote in the primary election.
Guide to Voting in the May 2026 Primary Election
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Primary Election Voting
Primary election day is Tuesday, May 19, 2026. While the polls will be open throughout the state from 7am-8pm, any registered voter has the option to vote by mail!
Voting at a polling place
- The polls will be open from 7am-8pm. You can find out your polling location here.
- If you are a first-time voter, you will be required to show a photo or non-photo I.D.
Voting by mail
- There are two types of mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania: absentee, which are for individuals who will be out of their municipality on election day or who have a disability or illness, and mail-in ballots, which are available to all qualified voters for any reason. You must apply to request a mail-in ballot online or by mail. The deadline to register for a mail-in or absentee ballot is 5:00 PM on Tuesday, May 12. Note: the County Board of Elections must receive your application by 5:00pm.
- Once you receive your mail-in ballot (if you submitted your application by the deadline above, the completed ballot itself must be received by the County Board of Elections by 8pm on May 19.
Primary Election Ballot
The following offices will appear on the May 19 Ballot in Pennsylvania:
- U.S. House of Representatives
- Governor
- Lieutenant Governor
- Pennsylvania House of Representatives
- All House Districts
- Pennsylvania Senate
- Half of the Pennsylvania Senate Districts will appear on the May 19 ballot. You can preview your ballot and see which elections are occurring in your area at Vote411.
The following offices will appear on the May 19 Ballot in Philadelphia:
- Ward leaders
- Committee people
Additional Resources
- Visit Vote PA for voter registration information, vote-by-mail information, and polling location information.
- Committee of Seventy’s WeVote Initiative: You can build your own ballot and find out more information about this year’s election.
- Pennsylvania Voting Information offers a personalized ballot tool that provides you with information on the different candidates specific to your address
- Report any issues to the Pennsylvania Department of State online or call 1-877-VOTESPA (1-877-868-3772).
- From another state? Look into options available in your state for voting by mail, voting early, and more on https://www.nass.org/can-i-vote/absentee-early-voting.