When Is The Primary Election In Pennsylvania - T-Tees - Your Answers Await, Life's Questions Unraveled

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Learn more about the 3 types of elections:

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General elections

General elections are always held the first Tuesday, after the first Monday, in November. In a general election, Pennsylvanians vote for federal, state, and local officials, including:

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U.S. senators and U.S. representatives to Congress
Pennsylvania governor, lieutenant governor, general assembly, attorney general, auditor general, state treasurer
County and city officials (only elected in odd-numbered years)
Judges and magisterial district judges (only elected in odd-numbered years)

In odd-numbered years, like 2021, these November elections are also called municipal elections because there are no federal or state office on the ballot.Every four years, the General Election is also a presidential election.

Primary elections

Primary elections in Pennsylvania are held on the third Tuesday of May in most years. In presidential years, the primary election is held on the fourth Tuesday of April. In a primary election, each political party selects its candidates to run for office during the general election. The candidates who get the highest number of votes in the primary election go on to run in the general election . Voters also vote for their party’s officers during a primary election. In Pennsylvania, you can only vote for the candidates in the same political party you have named in your voter registration. For example, if you registered to vote as a member of the Republican Party then you can vote in the Republican primary, but not the Democratic primary. All voters can vote on:

constitutional amendments,
ballot questions, and
any special election contests held at the same time as a primary election.

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Special elections

Pennsylvania holds special elections when someone in office can no longer serve. This may happen when someone resigns, dies, or gets removed from office. Voters must select someone to replace that person. Special elections may be held:

during a general election
during a primary election
on a different day designated by the elections office

The county or counties running the special election must advertise the date and locations for the special election, as well as the candidates running for office.Everyone who lives in the district the candidates will represent can vote in the special election.

Presidential elections and the Electoral College

In presidential elections, each political party holds a national convention where they choose their nominee for president. The results of the primary election determine how votes from Pennsylvania are cast at the convention. The nominees from each party run against each other in the general election in November.The president is officially elected by the Electoral College, and not the popular vote. But the popular vote – including your vote – helps decide which candidate receives Pennsylvania’s electoral votes.