The polls are closed in Pennsylvania.
Officials are warning the public to be patient, as it may take days to have unofficial results depending on how close the races are. The Associated Press began reporting results Tuesday at 8 p.m. — find those here.
Below, read dispatches from Spotlight PA reporters and get the latest updates on the counting process. As always, please donate to Spotlight PA if you appreciate this vital reporting.
Last updated:
‘It’s close’
11:05 p.m.
Around 10:30 p.m., Democratic candidate for attorney general Eugene DePasquale told his supporters at a Pittsburgh watch party to head home.
“There are still about 3 million votes to be counted, so it's close,” DePasquale told a room full of supporters. “So I just want to let everyone know if you'll go home because you're tired, I’m not going to be mad.”
“I would be shocked if this thing gets called tonight,” DePasquale said. —Kate Huangpu, Spotlight PA
Waiting for results
11 p.m.
With just over half of Pennsylvania’s votes counted at 10:30 p.m., Malcolm Kenyatta, a state representative and Democratic candidate for state auditor general, told supporters at his campaign party they could head home.
“It is going to be a long night,” he said. “It might go into the morning.”
“We want every single vote to be counted,” he continued. “We’re obviously going to respect the outcome of the election. And we’re confident that after we see all the votes counted, then we’re going to be in a strong position.”
Reached for comment, a spokesman for Republican incumbent Tim DeFoor told Spotlight PA, “We feel very good. Our supporters are not going home.” —Katie Meyer, Spotlight PA
Other bomb threats reported across Pennsylvania
8:50 p.m.
A bomb threat was reported at the Clearfield County Administrative Building where votes were being counted. A judge extended polling place times there to 9 p.m. for that reason.
A bomb threat was also sent to the Chester County Government Services Center. County Commissioner Josh Maxwell said it “mirrors the bomb threats sent to election offices across Pennsylvania and the United States.”
The county said in a statement: “Chester County election officials are redirecting voters who vote at the two polling places located at the Government Services Center to neighboring polling places where they will be able to cast their votes provisionally. The voting hours for the two neighboring polling places have been extended to 10:00 PM for those voters only.”
The Inquirer reports that locations in Bucks, Delaware and Philadelphia Counties were also the subject of threats.
York County also reported receiving a “non-credible” threat. —Sarah Anne Hughes, Spotlight PA
2020 vs. 2024 in York County
8:38 p.m.
Hilbert Caesar, 47, reached a middle school in East Manchester Township shortly before the polls closed Tuesday evening and found no line.
That’s a big difference from four years ago, when voters at this York County precinct faced hours of waiting. There were hundreds of people still in line at 8 p.m. on election night in 2020, and the last voter didn’t leave until around 10:30 p.m. that year. County officials pledged to address the problems.
This year, things appeared smoother as 8 p.m. approached. Caesar was among the last voters to leave, as a D.J. played “Closing Time” outside the middle school.
“I’m surprised to not see too many people here,” Caesar told Spotlight PA.
The D.J., Floyd Aaron, was connected to a national effort. The goal, he said, is to bring a positive energy and celebrate people coming out to exercise their right to vote.
“I’ve been getting a lot of good responses and great receptions,” he said. “People seem to enjoy the music — just keeping it family friendly and fun.”
East Manchester Township is a precinct that Republican Donald Trump won with nearly 60% of the vote four years ago. —Ed Mahon, Spotlight PA
Centre County election office temporarily evacuated over bomb threat
8:16 p.m.
The Centre County election office in Bellefonte was temporarily evacuated for a bomb threat received via email, according to officials. The FBI is investigating.
People with mail ballots were able to return them by the 8 p.m. deadline to a volunteer nearby. Law enforcement allowed people to return to the building around 8:15 p.m. They’ll all be searched, per Centre County Sheriff Bryan Sampsel.
The Centre County election office will accept mail ballots until 9 p.m. —Marley Parish, Spotlight PA
Most polls closed in Pennsylvania
8 p.m.
Most polls are now closed, though voters in line by 8 p.m. have the right to cast a ballot.
A judge ordered polling places in Cambria County to stay open until 10 p.m. because of issues with voting machine scanners, while Luzerne County was ordered to keep the polling location in Laflin Borough open until 9:30 p.m. —Sarah Anne Hughes, Spotlight PA
Countering gender voting trends in Bryn Mawr
7:16 p.m.
Father and son Dom and Dominic Magat, 42 and 19, were two of the very few voters visiting Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church around 7 p.m.
The elder Magat voted this morning for Kamala Harris despite his own Republican leanings and brought his son to the polling location to cast his first-ever vote for the same candidate. Dominic cast a provisional ballot.
“I just think it’s important to vote because it’s our civic duty,” the younger Dominic said.
He canvassed for the vice president, as well as U.S. Senator Bob Casey, who is up for re-election this year.
This election year has been, in part, defined by a gender divide among young people, with young women leaning more democratic and young men drifting farther to the right.
But Magat hasn’t been attracted to Trump like some of his peers.
“In terms of character, I prefer Kamala over Trump,” he said. “It’s not about sex or gender or identity, it’s about the kind of leader I would want.” —Danielle Ohl, Spotlight PA
York suburb split on presidential race
7:08 p.m.
A steady stream of voters headed in and out of a York Township church early Tuesday evening.
Four years ago, former President Donald Trump won York County with more than 61 percent of the vote. But parts of the county, particularly the suburbs near the City of York, were more evenly divided.
Aldersgate Church is an example of that split. It hosts voting for two precincts. Trump won one of them by about a dozen votes four years ago. Joe Biden won the other by a little over 30 votes.
This year, Steve Wagner’s shirt made his voting preference clear. It read, “I Like My Presidents Like I Like My Guns: 40 & 45.” Over images of two guns, it showed former President Ronald Reagan’s face next to Trump’s.
“I wish he’d keep his mouth shut, but I like his policies,” Wagner, 49, said of Trump. “I don’t think he’s been as brash this time around as he was the last time.”
“I think Twitter was his downfall the last time, to be honest with you,” he added. “I think he spent too much time on it, running his mouth too much.”
Wagner, who works in the auto industry, described inflation as a major concern. “Prices need to go down,” he said. “People are having a hard time making it through.”
Another voter, 25-year-old Emily Gonzalez, also talked about the challenges that inflation has brought. She hopes to one day work as her own boss.
“It’s kind of harder to maintain just a regular lifestyle,” she said. “I just want to change that. …. Hopefully, with this, it changes.”
She didn’t want to directly say who she voted for. But then she added a big clue.
“Hopefully, we see our first female president,” she said. “You can put that in there. It’s me saying it without saying it.” —Ed Mahon, Spotlight PA
Philly officials proclaim elections “safe, simple, and secure"
6:57 p.m.
Election officials in Philadelphia say their ballot counting process is going smoothly, even as former President Donald Trump issues vague claims that “massive cheating” is happening in the city.
Two of the Philadelphia City Commissioners, who run elections, held an impromptu press conference outside the city’s ballot counting warehouse in Northeast Philly around 6:30 to push back strongly against the claim.
“Philadelphia elections are safe, simple, and secure and they have always been,” Commissioner Chair Omar Sabir told reporters. “There is no cheating. There is no smoke to it. People say things but it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s true. We learned this in 2020. We have hardworking people trying to give the citizens of America the election they deserve.”
Seth Bluestein, the Republican commissioner on the board, emphasized that there is “no truth to the allegation that there is massive cheating.” He added, the commissioners “have been in touch with the RNC and anybody who has any complaints throughout the day. We have been responsive. Everything has been handled appropriately.”
Philadelphia was the center of attention during the 2020 election as it rushed to count an influx of mail votes. Officials have estimated that this year will run more quickly but say that depending on how close races are, unofficial results could still take time.
At the city’s ballot counting warehouse in Northeast Philly, dozens of workers, who do paid eight-hour shifts, are assigned to tasks like sorting, opening, flattening, and scanning ballots. Some of these jobs are aided by machines, which whir constantly in the cavernous space.
The commissioners have said their goal is to get 75,000 to 100,000 mail ballots counted by 8 p.m. when polls close, and Deputy Commissioner Nick Custodio said that as of this evening, the ballot counting process is “tracking to meet our goal.”
According to Pa. Department of State Data, the county had received 185,366 mail ballots from voters as of this morning. It approved just shy of 238,000 mail ballot applications, according to DOS.
Mail ballots can still be submitted until 8 p.m. But of the likely final number, Sabir said, “Ballpark, it could be close to 200,000.” —Katie Meyer, Spotlight PA
Bensalem voters focused on abortion rights, high costs
6:01 p.m.
Rush hour traffic was still choking Bristol Pike in Bensalem when Brenda O’Hara, 55, walked out of the Historic King Library and headed for her car.
O’Hara, a nine-year Bensalem resident, voted for the first time ever for one reason: abortion.
She didn’t have issues with former President Donald Trump, she said, recalling the economic stimulus and enhanced unemployment benefits people received during his administration.
But when the U.S. Supreme Court, with the help of Trump-appointed justices, overturned Roe v. Wade, she couldn’t abide the government interfering with a personal choice.
“One, you don’t get the right to judge women because you’re not one,” O’Hara said. “Two, you’re not God.”
Shortly after O’Hara joined the line of cars slowly headed home, Shanna Kirkland, 51, walked out of the polling place and took a photo with a Harris sign poking out of the lawn outside the library.
Women’s rights motivated her, too.
And Grace Maurer, 19, another first time voter, also cast her ballot for Harris, saying she ultimately aligned more with the vice president’s principles.
Jill and Shawn Kelley, 60 and 57, always vote and always vote in person. They trust it more than mail-in ballots.
Both voted for former President Donald Trump.
“The past few years have not been good for the middle class,” Jill said, citing high prices.
“You can dislike the guy, but he gets results,” Shawn said of Trump.
He felt the economy was better under the former president and that the country was less entangled in foreign wars.
“We have kids going without dinner, but we’re sending money overseas,” he said. —Danielle Ohl, Spotlight PA
‘No factual basis’ for Trump's 'massive cheating' claims
5:50 p.m.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner says there is "no factual basis whatsoever within law enforcement" to support Trump's claim of "massive cheating" in Philadelphia.
"We have invited complaints and allegations of improprieties all day," Krasner said in a statement. "If Donald J. Trump has any facts to support his wild allegations, we want them now. Right now. We are not holding our breath."
Republican City Commissioner Seth Bluestein said, "There is absolutely no truth to this allegation. It is yet another example of disinformation. Voting in Philadelphia has been safe and secure." —Sarah Anne Hughes, Spotlight PA
High turnout and good spirits in Braddock
5:27 p.m.
At the North Braddock fire station, Judge of Elections Kate Prosser says she’s seen high turnout and good energy.
“It’s been good weather. That seems to be helping the turnout,” Prosser told Spotlight PA.
Prosser’s been an election worker for nearly 20 years. She first got started when a neighbor asked for volunteers. She told Spotlight PA that turnout has been double what it was in 2020, though that year saw increased mail ballot usage during the pandemic.
Prosser estimated that over 300 people had cast their ballots thus far, with still many hours before the poll closed.
Prosser observed that voters seemed more skeptical of the election process this year than in 2020, noting that she had a few surrender their mail ballots in order to vote in person. She said they were distrustful of the mail ballot process.
Rosharon Strozier, 64, voted in Prosser’s precinct. She walked over from babysitting her grandchildren with her husband, Alfred Strozier, 62.
Rosharon said her priorities include helping people by lowering taxes and creating more low-income housing. Strozier added that she had felt that the comments on Puerto Rico at former President Trump’s recent rally at Madison Square Garden were “really negative,” and “prejudiced.”
“The economy is rough,” she told Spotlight PA. “Everybody is struggling. A lot of people just want some help.”
She didn’t feel attached to either party in particular, though Strozier said she felt a deep respect for Democratic U.S. Senator John Fetterman, former mayor of Braddock.
“He did so much for Braddock. He built Braddock back up,” Strozier said.—Kate Huangpu, Spotlight PA
Philly Trump voter wants better economy, future
5:20 p.m.
David Newhouse, a registered Republican, voted for Donald Trump for president. But down his ballot, he did a lot of ticket-splitting.
Newhouse, 50, is a real estate manager. He hasn’t always been a Republican, but as Trump has become the party’s standard-bearer, Newhouse has started voting for them more often. He thinks he last supported a Democrat for president in 2012, when Barack Obama won his second term.
The issues that Newhouse, a father of three, cares most about are the economy and safety.
“The journey’s been a little bit rocky,” he said of his political evolution. “I usually vote for what I think affects me. And I just feel like a dollar doesn’t stretch as much. It’s a little bit difficult to survive, sometimes, with this economy. Just living paycheck by paycheck. I want it to be a little bit better, to have a better future for our kids.”
But he doesn’t just look to Republicans to solve those issues. Newhouse also voted for two Democrats this year: state Sen. Jimmy Dillon, who is in a fairly competitive race, and U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle.
“If you know people, if you think they could help you if you needed help with something, then you typically vote for them,” Newhouse said. “That goes into the presidential race too — how I vote is, I think about if somebody could help me personally.”
This part of Northeast Philadelphia is one of the few solid Republican parts of the city. In 2020, the precinct went for Trump by nearly 20 points.—Katie Meyer, Spotlight PA
Chester County expects mail ballot count to end tomorrow
4:13 p.m.
As of 3 p.m., Chester County officials had processed approximately 20,000 mail ballots.
The county had received roughly 104,000 mail ballots back from voters as of noon. This number will continue to rise as voters return their ballots until the 8 p.m. deadline.
County spokesperson Rebecca Brain said the county is anticipating finishing its mail ballot count Wednesday, in the late afternoon or early evening. The county hopes to have all in-person votes uploaded by 1 a.m. Wednesday, Brain said.
Police were called to one polling place for a person violating the prohibition on electioneering within 10 feet of a polling place, and a tabulation machine was briefly offline at one precinct. Otherwise, no major issues have been reported so far.—Carter Walker, Votebeat
Split support in Allentown
3:53 p.m.
Young voters in this growing Lehigh Valley city backed Harris — but that doesn't mean they didn't hear out the other side.
J. Jimenez, a 23-year-old computer science major at Kutztown University and first-time voter, said he backed Harris despite thinking that Trump may be better on some issues, like housing.
"Her political standpoint on diversity and women won me over," Jimenez said.
Mildred Molina, a 30-year-old mother of seven, said she thought Harris would be better for working-class people.
Molina also said that she didn't actually think Trump opposed access to abortion, but it didn't matter to her vote.
"She is focusing on my kind of people," such as Hispanics and single moms, Molina said of Harris.
Lillian Santiago, a 22-year-old Army veteran voting in person for the first time, said reproductive health care, including abortion, IVF, and birth control, informed her vote.
As a lesbian with no desire to have kids, these policies aren't critical to her, she said. But future generations "should always have the rights we had,” she feels. She backed Harris, but also voted for libertarians in the auditor general and treasurer races.
In the future, Santiago wants candidates to attract people to the polls through their policies rather than with advertising.
"If campaigns spent more time talking about the policies and less about propaganda, more people would vote," she said.
Long lines at Pa. colleges
3:32 p.m.
Long lines have been reported across Pennsylvania today, including at college campuses.
At Banana Factory Arts and Education Center in Bethlehem, LehighValleyNews.com reported wait times of three to four hours. The polling location serves Lehigh University students.
Voters also experienced long lines at the Marts Center at Wilkes University in Luzerne County, across Philadelphia, and in parts of Pittsburgh. —Sarah Anne Hughes, Spotlight PA
Election fatigue in Sewickley
3:09 p.m.
Voters in Sewickley are ready for this election to be over, one way or another.
Lucas Piatt, 48, called the nonstop advertising a form of “pollution.”
“I’m ready for it to be done,” he told Spotlight PA.
Piatt, who works in real estate, said he’s looking for candidates who are pro-development but respectful of potential impacts on neighboring communities.
Above all, Piatt said that he’s looking for stability in a candidate and has voted for people on both sides of the aisle.
Carl Kriebel, 54, echoed those concerns. He voted in the same precinct and said he split his ticket.
Kriebel said he was tired of focusing on “lightning rod issues” like immigration and the border, which he called a “nothingburger.”
He said that those issues have served as distractions to more substantive discussions on foreign policy and inflation.
“[They’ve] dumbed it down to a few issues to galvanize people in hate,” Kriebel told Spotlight PA.—Kate Huangpu, Spotlight PA
Laflin Borough poll hours extended, per court order
2:56 p.m.
Luzerne County will keep the polling location in Laflin Borough open until 9:30 p.m. under a court order. WNEP reports the location, outside of Wilkes-Barre, opened late because the judge of elections did not show up on time. —Sarah Anne Hughes, Spotlight PA
Smooth mail ballot counting in Philly
2:43 p.m.
Philadelphia’s mail ballot counting hummed along smoothly Tuesday morning with no issues reported.
Starting at 7 a.m., the county began processing the more than 185,000 mail ballots it had received so far. This number will continue to rise as voters return their ballots throughout the day up until the 8 p.m. deadline.
City officials could not say how many ballots had been processed by noon, but that figure should become more clear after 8 p.m.
“[We’re processing] much quicker than 2020,” City Commissioner Seth Bluestein said.
Bluestein said there have been no issues with the city’s new envelope-opening machines. Commissioner Lisa Deeley expressed concern last month that the new machines might damage ballots when opening the envelopes, thus causing delays as the ballots would need to be recreated.—Carter Walker, Votebeat
Vision for America
2:32 p.m.
Turnout is as strong as it’s ever been in this east Allentown precinct, said judge of elections Barb Haver. And a stream of voters with immigrant stories are showing to vote for a vision of America they want.
Estenson Clervil Sr., a 45-year-old electrical contractor, told Spotlight PA he “want a president who stands on what’s right spiritually.”
That president, he said, would be Donald Trump, whom Clervil has voted for two times already. He thinks he’ll prevent the teaching of gender theory in schools, which he opposes.
The son of Haitian immigrants, Clervil added that Trump’s attacks on the country’s refugees didn’t change his vote, saying he can “read between the lines.”
“He was never a racist before he was president,” Clervil said. “He never put people down — unless you attack him.”
But for Jury Jurado, a 56-year-old daughter of Ecuadorian immigrants, Harris is the right choice.
Jurado used to handle ticket sales at the Allentown airport, but had to quit after she was diagnosed with lung cancer.
She doesn’t love how either candidate talks about health care, but thinks Harris will be better on the issue, as well as on the economy and immigration.
“She cares more for the people. For the community,” Jurado said.
She said she wants those in the lower classes to get more opportunities to rise into the middle class and get an education. She thinks Harris will be better for that.
And on immigration, she thinks some bad people may enter the country, but she thinks Trump’s focus on deportations is too punitive and the U.S. system must be sped up.
“If there is someone doing bad, of course,” she said. “But if you’re just working — why?” —Stephen Caruso, Spotlight PA
Abortion a top issue for men in Philly
2:16 p.m.
Three men in a row came out of the polling place inside South Philadelphia’s Mummers Museum on Tuesday afternoon, and all said the same issue had inspired them to vote for Kamala Harris: Abortion.
One was Jim Sima, 68, a hairdresser originally from Pennsport in Southeast Philly who now lives a little farther north. Pennsport is full of people who participate in Philadelphia’s New Year Mummers Parade. Sima was among them in his youth, and said voting at the museum is a bit of a throwback.
He noted that while abortion was the issue at the top of his mind, he didn’t need much convincing.
“I am a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat from Philadelphia and I have only ever voted — ever — straight Democrat,” he said.
This is a blue area. In 2020, Biden won the precinct by more than 50 points. However, it’s right between an even bluer (and on average, wealthier) area to the north, and a less blue area to the south. Some precincts in the Pennsport area voted for Trump in 2020.
It’s a dynamic Sima has noticed.
“I think the majority south of here is Trumper,” he estimated. “Just like myself, there are people who are dyed-in-the-wool Republicans who really don’t hear the issues. They just hear what they want to hear.”
The other two abortion voters, roommates Mike Stavrakos, 30, and Garrett Quigley, 29, said they voted straight tickets.
“Roe v. Wade,” Stavrakos said when asked what brought them out. Quigley assented, adding, “Not having him in office again would be pretty cool.”
The two work in sales and product management and are both from the suburbs outside Philadelphia. Quigley is a consistent Democratic voter. Stavrakos said he used to flip back and forth a bit, but that during the Trump era, that changed.
“Things have gotten too crazy,” he said. —Katie Meyer, Spotlight PA
Trump says it’s an ‘absolute outrage’ that it may take a few days for Pa.’s election results
1:57 p.m.
After casting his vote in Florida, former President Donald Trump told reporters it’s an “absolute outrage” that Pennsylvania may not have unofficial results for a few days.
There are several reasons for that. Under state law, election workers could not begin processing mail ballots until this morning. Officials have stressed that they are focusing on accuracy rather than speed.
When media outlets including the Associated Press can call races depends largely on the margin. Learn more about how the AP calls races here. —Sarah Anne Hughes, Spotlight PA
Mail ballot challenges withdrawn in Centre County
1:56 p.m.
State Sen. Cris Dush (R., Jefferson) told the Centre County Board of Elections during a packed hearing on Tuesday afternoon that he’d withdraw his challenges against overseas mail ballot applications.
According to the Centre Daily Times, 124 ballots were challenged in the county on Monday, but there were duplicates and only 77 identified unique voters.
Several of the overseas voters attended the hearing by Zoom, with some saying the effort was an attempt to disenfranchise their vote. Dush apologized for the inconvenience of bringing together county staff, attorneys, and the commissioners, who are administering Tuesday’s election. However, he said he wouldn’t apologize for making sure the “system is secure.”
Voters who live abroad are able to cast a ballot in federal contests, like the presidential race, the CDT reported.
Dush said Tuesday at the public hearing that a friend, who he declined to name, paid for the challenges. According to the CDT, each one required a deposit of $10.
He added that he intended to reimburse the friend with his campaign funds.
“Thank you citizens for your votes and thank you county for your efforts and thank you all for being here to support the democratic process,” State College Borough Mayor Ezra Nanes said at the hearing.
Centre County isn’t the only county in Pennsylvania that had challenges to mail ballots.
Votebeat reported Monday that thousands of mail ballot applications across the state had been challenged.
“Throughout the day on Friday, several bad-faith mass challenges were filed in a coordinated effort in counties across the Commonwealth to question the qualifications of thousands of registered Pennsylvania voters who applied to vote by mail ballot,” said Amy Gulli, spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of State. “These challenges are based on theories that courts have repeatedly rejected.” —Marley Parish and Sarah Rafacz, Spotlight PA
‘It’s like a sporting event’
1:37 p.m.
State Sen. Devlin Robinson (R., Allegheny) has spent his Election Day visiting polling places in his district.
Robinson is a candidate in one of a handful of competitive races in the state Senate, running against Democratic candidate Nicole Ruscitto. He was first elected to the seat in 2020, in a district that has flipped back and forth between parties multiple times since 2012.
According to the last campaign finance reports, candidates have spent about $5 million on the race since the primary.
For his part, Robinson said that voters have mostly spoken to him about the state of the economy, wanting lower gas and grocery prices — something that transcends party affiliation.
He added that his community “definitely likes our hometown people,” when choosing who to vote for.
Robinson says he’s already hit polling places in the North Hills and Bridgeville neighborhoods, and will be heading out to the next polling place outside of Sewickley soon.
“It’s like a sporting event,” Robinson said of his competitive race. “I can really only take care of myself … and kind of let the chips fall where they may.” —Kate Huangpu, Spotlight PA
U.S. Senate candidates vote
1:21 p.m.
Both of Pennsylvania’s major-party candidates for U.S. Senate have cast their ballots.
Republican Dave McCormick did so in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, while Democratic incumbent Bob Casey voted in Scranton.
The race, which polls indicate may be close, will help determine control of the U.S. Senate. Learn more about the candidates. —Sarah Anne Hughes, Spotlight PA
Immigration is a motivating factor for daughter of an immigrant
12:51 p.m.
The main polling place in Palmerton, a small Rust Belt borough nestled about 20 miles north of Allentown, is bustling before noon.
Lisa Snell Kern — the judge of elections for one of the two precincts jammed into a Czech fraternal organization’s meeting hall — said turnout is on track for 2020’s turnout, which is the highest she’s seen in her 20-plus years as a judge.
One of those voters was Marianne, a retired accountant in her 80s who declined to give her last name.
She told Spotlight PA that she voted in person “because it’s traditional” and that she never intends to vote by mail.
She added that she voted straight Republican, citing immigration and the economy.
On the former, she hasn’t seen her small borough impacted by the issue. Still, she wants to see a crackdown on illegal entries to the United States.
“My father was an immigrant” from Czechoslovakia, she said. “He did it the right way.”
As for abortion, which has motivated many other women to vote for Democrats, she said “I just don’t worry about it.”
“It’s an individual decision,” Marianne said. —Stephen Caruso, Spotlight PA
‘It’s about time’ for a woman president
12:13 p.m.
Anika Bhawalkar, 19, is excited to cast her first ballot for Kamala Harris.
“It’s about time we had a woman president,” Bhawalkar told Spotlight PA. “In 2016, it felt out of my hands.”
Bhawalkar, a sophomore at Carnegie Mellon University who is studying physics, was accompanied by her friends and fellow CMU students.
She described her top priorities as protecting womens’ rights and climate change.
A native of Boston, Bhawalkar described her hometown as an “echo chamber,” saying that most of the residents there were “strongly blue.”
In Pennsylvania, however, Bhawalkar felt that her vote had a tangible impact.
Quincy Mangi, 21, added that their concerns also extended to First Amendment issues. Former President Donald Trump, they said, has spoken out repeatedly about restricting free speech on campus and punishing political enemies, which concerns them.
The friends told Spotlight PA that they would be “overjoyed” to see Harris win the election, but are holding their breath. —Kate Huangpu, Spotlight PA
New machines in use in Philadelphia
11:55 a.m.
In Philadelphia, election officials are using new machines to open mail ballot envelopes that they hope will contribute to a speedier count. As of Tuesday morning, 185,255 mail ballots had been returned in the city. —Sarah Anne Hughes, Spotlight PA
Here is a look at the new envelope openers we recently wrote about. https://t.co/iyfoGBD8zn pic.twitter.com/XErbc65XHJ
— Carter Walker (@ByCarterWalker) November 5, 2024
Cambria County polls will stay open until 10 p.m. per court ruling
11:20 a.m.
Polls in Cambria County will remain open until 10 p.m. under a court ruling, WJAC reports. Voting machines there are experiencing software issues, though officials stressed that “all completed ballots will be accepted, secured, and counted by the Board of Elections.”
In a statement, the Pennsylvania Department of State said it was in contact with the county: “Voters are continuing to vote by paper ballot, in accordance with normal operations, while the county resolves the issue with in-precinct scanning. We are working with the County to resolve this technical matter and remain committed to ensuring a free, fair, safe, and secure election.”
A county commissioner told WJAC the issue was ballot printing, not the machines themselves. —Sarah Anne Hughes, Spotlight PA
Attorney general candidates near the finish line
10:55 a.m.
Eugene DePasquale, the Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania attorney general, cast his vote Tuesday morning at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Pittsburgh’s Hill District.
He told reporters the rest of his Election Day would include calls, texts, and coffee.
He said his primary goal today is to encourage people to vote. DePasquale said that he’s not expecting violence at polling places, nor does he believe that most candidates will refuse to accept the results of the election, save for former President Donald Trump.
“I believe we have a safe system, a secure system. Again, it's because of a lot of the good people behind us that make sure it's that way,” DePasquale said.
Should he win, DePasquale said he’s prepared to deal with any election lawsuits that are still pending after he’s sworn in. His No. 1 priority if elected would be to ensure that “whoever the voters want as president, that’s who gets ratified.”
Hundreds of miles away in York County, Republican AG candidate Dave Sunday voted with his family in Spring Garden Township. “I feel great … It’s Election Day. This is one of the greatest days in America,” he told reporters, via the York Dispatch. If elected, he says he plans to “get to work.”
“I’m looking forward to going right to work and doing everything I can to help keep our communities safe.” —Kate Huangpu and Sarah Anne Hughes, Spotlight PA
>>READ MORE: Pa. election 2024: A complete guide to the candidates for attorney general
‘Morality is at an all-time low’
10:47 a.m.
It's voters like Duane Summers that make this Cumberland County precinct one to watch.
The precinct in Lower Allen Township is a microcosm of Pennsylvania's closely divided election this year — one widely expected to decide the presidential election.
In 2020, the precinct went to Trump — but only by just under 200 votes.
Summers showed up today at the polling station inside Christian Life Assembly to make sure the precinct again favors the former president.
Summers, a registered Republican who voted for Trump in 2020, believes the country has been "spiraling downhill, morally and ethically" over the past four years. Harris' track record, he believes, demonstrates she is "a two-faced liar" who has changed her position on issues as political winds have shifted.
"Morality is at an all-time low," said Summers, adding: "I believe his policies will correct that."
Though he is not a one-issue voter, he said illegal immigration is his biggest concern. He believes it is the driving force for many of the country's problems, including an economy that has hurt working and middle-class voters.
When someone tells him Trump is unstable, selfish, and dangerous, he said: "I actually just put a prayer on them, and ask them to find the light, to find real common sense." —Angela Couloumbis, Spotlight PA
‘Tomorrow will determine where our country will be heading’
10:45 a.m.
Glenn Grayson Jr., 38, cast his ballot at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Pittsburgh’s Hill District with his daughter in his arms.
Grayson, who works at a real estate nonprofit, brought his son and daughter with him when he went to cast his ballot. He wanted them to see him exercising his rights and impress upon them the importance of participating in democracy.
“My grandparents couldn’t vote,” Grayson told Spotlight PA. “I wanted to expose them to it, no matter how they end up voting.”
Grayson says that he typically tries to vote based on the character of a candidate rather than their party affiliation. But this election cycle, he was most excited to hopefully help elect the first Black female president.
He added that this was the first time he felt like the presidential race would have a direct impact on his everyday life, pointing to issues like abortion access and education funding.
“Tomorrow will determine where our country will be heading,” Grayson said of the results of the election.
At the same polling location, Joyce Booker, 70, said she likes the atmosphere of voting in person.
Even though her husband voted by mail, she said that she preferred walking to the polling place and casting her ballot on Election Day.
Booker, a retired cast technician, said that the main issue that brought her out today was women’s health. The overturning of Roe v. Wade, she said, caused women to die.
She also said that she feared that Trump would act as a dictator if reelected.
Booker was more hopeful that Harris would try to create positive change, though she acknowledged Harris’ efforts may be blocked by Congress.
“We are all going to suffer,” said Booker of potential Trump’s reelection. —Kate Huangpu, Spotlight PA
College Democrats, Republicans make their final cases
10:15 a.m.
Voters at Penn State’s University Park campus slowly filed into the HUB-Robeson Center, asking PSU Votes — a nonpartisan university-run organization — for help finding their polling place or where to return their mail ballot.
Meanwhile, students operating tables for the campus Democrats and Republicans promoted their respective political parties and candidates.
Ryan Klein, 21, serves as president of the Penn State College Republicans and voted in person for former President Donald Trump early Tuesday morning. This is the first presidential election Klein, who grew up in Reading, has voted in, and he said the economy motivated his decision to support Republicans — including Dave McCormick for U.S. Senate and U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson — down the ballot.
“Prices are extremely high. Rent, gas, groceries — these things are essential to everyday American life,” Klein said. “They’re higher than they were under the Trump administration, and I think it’s a direct result of bad policy. I feel it’s really important to get the right people in the right offices.”
Nearby, 22-year-old Baybars Charkas, president of the Penn State College Democrats, was stationed at a table promoting their candidates and passing out merch.
Charkas was fourth in line to vote at his downtown polling place Tuesday morning. He planned to attend a campaign event for state Rep. Paul Takac tonight, but first, he had to finish an essay due this afternoon.
“You don’t stop being a student,” he said.
Mobilizing voters on Penn State’s University Park campus could be pivotal for both presidential campaigns, though students living on Penn State’s campus have consistently registered but not voted in recent election cycles.
Voters in Centre County’s Precinct 24 (located at Penn State’s HUB) had 36% turnout in the 2016 presidential election, 24% turnout in the 2020 presidential election, but just 15% turnout in the 2022 midterm elections, according to data from Centre County Elections. Registrations for this precinct more than doubled between 2016 and 2020.
As of Nov. 4, there were 21,629 registered voters between the ages of 18 and 24 in Centre County, according to data from the Pennsylvania Department of State. Of those, 9,635 were Democrats, and 6,628 were Republicans. —Marley Parish and Wyatt Massey, Spotlight PA
Plan B voting in Luzerne County
10:06 a.m.
Ann Marie Stiliha drove up to her polling place in Jenkins Township, Luzerne County, and her heart sank.
The line to vote was already dozens deep just a half hour after the polls opened, and the 74-year-old retired teacher has nerve damage from diabetes which impacts her mobility and vision.
“I’ll never be able to stand in line,” she said from her car window.
Stiliha told Spotlight PA that she had applied for a mail ballot three weeks ago. However, it didn’t arrive until this morning.
According to data collected by the Department of State, Luzerne County had among the lowest mail ballot return rates heading into Election Day. As of 8 a.m. this morning, 79% had been returned, the second lowest rate in the commonwealth. The statewide average return rate was at 85%.
Doing the mental math in her head, Stiliha told Spotlight PA she didn’t think she’d have time to fill it out, get to 10 a.m. doctor’s appointment for her sight, and drive herself to return her just-arrived ballot.
Luckily for her, poll watchers noticed her. After a brief wait, she was whisked inside ahead of the line and was able to cast her ballot.
That vote, she said, was for Harris.
“She has a new type of personality that could change the mood of the whole nation,” Stiliha. —Stephen Caruso, Spotlight PA
‘We need to save our country’
9:50 a.m.
Gregory Stoner, 68, showed up at his polling place at Christian Life Assembly in Lower Allen Township, Cumberland County, wearing a red fedora-style hat and one of his favorite T-shirts. It's emblazoned with the image of rock musician Alice Cooper against the backdrop of an American flag, and the quote: "History is made by those who show up. Register and Vote."
Stoner, who grew up in nearby Mechanicsburg, said he has been a registered Democrat for most of his adult life, but switched his registration this year to Republican because he no longer wants to be associated with the Democratic party.
His vote today, he said, is unapologetically for former President Donald Trump, as it was in 2020.
"We need to save our country from what's happened over the last four years," said Stoner.
He always considered himself a moderate Democrat, he said, but the party has become too focused on progressive issues he does not support. Transgender and LGBTQ rights, he said, top the list of those issues.
"I don't care what you do after the age of 18, but trying to teach transgenderism in our school systems to 5-year-old children … Walmart selling transgender clothing for children. This is just outright wrong," he said.
"I don't even want my name associated with the Democratic party," said Stoner, who works for the housekeeping department at the area mall.
He said he shows up to vote in person, even though he suffers from fibromyalgia, because he does not trust mail voting.
"As long as I have two hands that still work, and two legs that work, I will always do it in person," said Stoner. —Angela Couloumbis, Spotlight PA
Concerns about costs, rights
9:44 a.m.
In Jenkins Township, Luzerne County, Shahrooz Pourmonir, 66, cast a vote for Hillary Clinton in 2016. After Donald Trump won, he said he hasn't cast a vote since.
“Once Hillary won the popular vote and he became president, I thought ‘this is bogus.’”
But eight years later, he stood in a long line outside a Luzerne County firehall ready to vote for Kamala Harris for president at the urging of his three daughters.
All three are in the Coast Guard, and all three were concerned Donald Trump and Republicans would take away their right to an abortion. So, despite his misgivings, the retired bus ticket agent went to the polls.
Thoughts of children and their future dominated many voters' thoughts in this purple corner of Pennsylvania. Luzerne County has historically backed Democrats, but has increasingly voted for Republicans; it was one of three counties Trump flipped from Barack Obama in 2016 and he still won it in 2020 despite losing the state.
Amy, a 47-year-old pharmacist who declined to give her last name, waited in line with her six-year-old daughter. She told Spotlight PA her biggest issues were the southern border and the economy, which is why she is voting for Trump.
She said she’s felt the impact of immigration in her community, although she didn’t specify how. As for prices, she’s said her household has paid more for nearly every consumer good in the past few years.
“I want some steps to help inflation and make things affordable for working people,” Amy said.
Turning to her daughter, she joked: “Your Cheetos got expensive.”
A registered Democrat, Amy added she planned to split her ticket, but she didn’t specify how.
Another mother, Amy Ditoto, a 38-year-old social worker, told Spotlight PA she was voting for Harris because of concerns for her four-year-old daughter.
A former Florida resident, she’s voted for Republicans before when they are good on immigration and education, naming as an example former Gov. and current U.S. Sen. Rick Scott.
But she’s voting a straight Democratic ticket in Pennsylvania, Ditoto said. She doesn’t want her daughter to “have less rights than I did.”
As for immigration, “I’m not personally affected by it anymore,” Ditoto said. —Stephen Caruso, Spotlight PA
Voting machine issues reported in Cambria County
9:05 a.m.
In Cambria County, voters are experiencing issues scanning their ballots.
County Solicitor Ron Repak told WJAC: “The Cambria County Board of Election learned early this morning that a software malfunction in the County’s Electronic Voting System has prevented voters from scanning their ballots. This should not discourage voters from voting at their voting precincts. The Board has filed a Court Order extending the time to vote within Cambria County.” —Sarah Anne Hughes, Spotlight PA
Outside money pours into state races
8:45 a.m.
State-level races have attracted at least $9 million in independent spending from national political groups, dark money nonprofits, and other well-heeled interests, according to Pennsylvania Department of State records accessed Monday afternoon.
That’s on track to break independent spending in 2020, which reached $9.4 million when the same offices — including Pennsylvania attorney general — were last on the ballot.
Unlike typical campaign giving — in which a political committee or individual donates money, goods, or services to a candidate — independent expenditures are not coordinated with the campaign the donor hopes to aid.
Anne Wakabayshi, a Lehigh Valley-based Democratic political consultant, says such spending is typically done to avoid campaign finance limits, which Pennsylvania does not place on individuals or political committees.
But independent spending has other perks. By not coordinating with a campaign, a political group can take money directly from a corporate or union treasury instead of having to use voluntary donations to a PAC.
Independent spending also makes it easy to hide the ultimate source of the spending, Wakabayshi said, as the spender’s name won’t appear on their favored candidate’s campaign finance report. And finally, it can give the independent spender more control over the message and delivery of the ads.
Still, “in a lot of situations, I don’t know why they do that,” Wakabayshi said.
The single biggest independent spender is Keystone Prosperity PAC, which spent $2.7 million on TV ads and mailers supporting Republican attorney general candidate Dave Sunday.
According to Pennsylvania campaign finance records, Keystone Prosperity has a single funder — the Republican Attorneys General Association, a Washington, D.C.-based political group. The group had given Keystone Prosperity at least $4.8 million as of Oct. 21.
In turn, RAGA’s money has come from a slew of sources, according to data collected by ProPublica. That includes $3.5 million this year from the Concord Fund, a conservative judicial advocacy group, as well as checks from a wide array of business interests, including big tech, fossil fuels, telecoms, and insurers.
Another big independent spender is the PA Chamber of Business and Industry, which has spent $1.6 million on digital ads, TV commercials, and mailers supporting Republican candidates or attacking Democratic candidates. A spokesperson for the chamber did not address questions about how the group spends political dollars, only saying that it supports “candidates who are committed to making Pennsylvania more competitive for businesses to grow, invest, and create jobs.”
Otherwise, independent spending mostly aided Democratic candidates, including from labor unions and environmental groups. The biggest boost came from the Pennsylvania Fund for Change, which spent at least $1.1 million on mailers, TV ads, and phone calls attacking Republicans or backing Democrats.
The group has been active in Pennsylvania legislative elections since at least 2018, and has received much of its past financial resources from PA Alliance Action, a 501(c)4 nonprofit that does not have to report its donors and has funded other Democratic-aligned dark money political spending.
At least 15 different groups reported $1.2 million on canvassing, door knocking, grassroots organizing, and other similar face-to-face voter engagement. Of that, all but $2,400 of the reported canvassing expenses was in favor of Democratic candidates.
Finally, one third party also had a sizable boost from independent expenditures. Forward Party attorney general candidate Eric Settle received $160,000 in supportive text messages paid for by a newly registered group, PA Fulcrum PAC. —Stephen Caruso, Spotlight PA
Abortion access is motivating voters
8:32 a.m.
Shahrooz Pourmoni, 66, holds up a picture of his daughters, both in the Coast Guard, with former President Donald Trump. They begged him to vote for Harris because of abortion. Even though he swore off voting in 2016, he's here to vote for her. pic.twitter.com/fF6Wie2FOk
— Stephen Caruso (@StephenJ_Caruso) November 5, 2024
Nearly 2M mail ballots returned as of election morning
8:28 a.m.
Pennsylvania approved nearly 2.2 million applications for mail ballots. As of Tuesday morning, voters had returned 1.9 million — more than 80%. Of those, 55% were returned by Democrats, 33% by Republicans, and 12% by other voters. —Sarah Anne Hughes, Spotlight PA
A closely divided community
8:20 a.m.
Everett Hamilton was up early this morning, and his first task was to show up at the polling station at Faith Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Lower Paxton Township in Dauphin County.
Two precincts vote at this location, and they are both closely divided between Democrats and Republicans. In 2020, for instance, one of the precincts split 473 to 414 in favor of Joe Biden, according to Dauphin County's official returns. The other precinct went 905 to 898 — or just 7 votes — in favor of Biden.
The chair of the GOP committee in the township, Hamilton said most of his work ahead of the election was centered around engaging voters on the hotly contested race in the 10th Congressional District between Republican U.S. Rep. Scott Perry and Democratic challenger Janelle Stelson.
This morning, he said, he was there largely to watch the process. He is allowed to talk to voters, as long as he keeps a certain distance from the entrance — but he said he was "keeping my mouth shut."
No one, he said, wants a paper handout urging them to vote one way or another.
"Normally what happens is, we pass the stuff out, it goes in the trash can," he said. "Some of them are nice enough to bring it back and say, ‘Here, reuse it.’”
"But for the most part, people have made up their minds," said Hamilton. "I've said, anyone who doesn't know who they are going to vote for in this election is asleep." —Angela Couloumbis, Spotlight PA
A college student’s first presidential election
8:15 a.m.
A steady stream of voters trickled into the State College Municipal Building early this morning.
For Olivia Feliciano, a 21-year-old Penn State student, today’s election marked her first time voting for president. Joined by friends at a downtown polling place, she cast her ballot for Vice President Kamala Harris.
“I just think it’s really important to exercise your right to vote. I also am standing with the right to choose, reproductive rights,” she said. “I just feel very passionately about it, so I want to make my voice heard.”
Feliciano said she decided to vote in person because she felt “uneasy” about the mail-in system, citing concerns over ballots being set on fire in three states leading up to the election.
“I just wanted to make sure for my own ease, just to do it in person,” she said. —Marley Parish, Spotlight PA State College
Afraid for the future
7:58 a.m.
Hadley Ross, 15, is too young to vote. Still, she felt it was important to come to the polls this morning with her father, Rob Ross, to watch him cast his vote for Vice President Kamala Harris.
She said politics have always interested her, and has tagged along with her dad on Election Day since she was a young child.
But this year, she said, feels different. More urgent.
"I am just scared that if Trump wins, that rights might get taken away, especially abortion rights," said Hadley, who lives in Lower Paxton Township. "I don't know, I'm just really scared and anxious."
Her father Rob, a registered Democrat, said he came today to vote "his conscience."
"You could say it's a vote against Donald Trump, but the truth of the matter is, Kamala is a good person, has good ideas, and will take the country in a good direction," he said.
Abortion rights — preserving them for the next generation — was a top issue for him, as was "our standing in the world."
"I don't feel that the image that Donald Trump puts out is," he said, his voice trailing off as he searched for the right word.
His daughter finished his thought before he could: "American." —Angela Couloumbis, Spotlight PA
Processing 1000s of mail ballots in Allegheny County
7:47 a.m.
At 7 a.m., thousands of election workers at a Pittsburgh warehouse began precanvassing the more than 215,000 mail ballots returned in Allegheny County.
Sitting around long tables, the workers began opening envelopes, taking out ballots, and preparing them to be scanned through vote-counting machines.
Pennsylvania is one of a handful of states with widespread mail voting that doesn’t allow its election workers to begin processing those ballots until 7 a.m. on Election Day. The state’s precanvassing policy can contribute to a long wait for unofficial results, though Allegheny County officials previously said they expect to finish counting tonight.
As poll workers began their tasks, a group of partisan volunteers sat in an enclosed pen only a few yards away. These observers were picked by a political party or a candidate and approved by the county election’s office to watch the process. They are not allowed to interact with poll workers. —Kate Huangpu, Spotlight PA
Know your rights
7:30 a.m.
Whether you cast your ballot in person or by mail on Nov. 5, you want to make sure your vote counts. The best way to do that is to know your rights.
>> READ MORE: What you need to know about your Election Day voting rights in Pennsylvania
‘Affordability. Housing. Gas. Food.’
7:26 a.m.
For Brian Allen, 57, who lives in Lower Paxton Township, today’s election was his second time voting for president.
The first was in 2020, and today, he cast his vote for the same candidate as he did then: former President Donald Trump.
His vote, he said, was motivated by this: “A better America for my kids. Affordability. Housing. Gas. Food.”
“He [Trump] did it the first four years for us. We were in a better place,” said Allen.
Allen said he showed up in person to vote because he has no faith in voting by mail. He believes all voters, aside from those living or serving overseas or facing a disability, should be required to come to their polling station — with ID.
“There is better accountability,” he said. —Angela Couloumbis, Spotlight PA
‘Faith in humanity’
7:12 a.m.
By 6:47 a.m., the line outside Faith Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Lower Paxton Township in Dauphin County was more than 30 people deep.
By the time polls opened at 7 a.m., it had doubled in size, even as more cars rolled slowly into the already packed parking lot.
An election clerk, who only wanted to be identified by her first name — Rebecca — said turnout so early in the day this year has far surpassed what she experienced in the 2020 presidential election.
“It’s more and earlier,” she said. “It doesn’t surprise me … People are interested in the direction of the country.”
She wasn’t anticipating problems, even as the line continued to grow.
“I have a lot of faith in humanity,” she said. —Angela Couloumbis, Spotlight PA
The polls are open
7 a.m.
Polls across Pennsylvania opened at 7 a.m. and will remain open until 8 p.m. As long as you are in line to vote by 8 p.m., you are entitled to cast a ballot.
Here’s more of what you need to know to vote today. — Sarah Anne Hughes, Spotlight PA
‘What do I need to bring with me to vote?’
3 a.m.
If this is your first time voting or your first time voting since changing addresses, you’ll need to bring proof of identification. This can include any government-issued ID such as a driver’s license or U.S. passport, a utility bill or bank statement that includes your name and address, or a military or student ID. See the full list of options. — Sarah Anne Hughes, Spotlight PA
How to report a problem while voting or get voting info
3 a.m.
If you need last-minute voting information, you can seek official answers from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling 1-877-VOTESPA. The nonpartisan Election Protection coalition has its own hotline, as well: 866-OUR-VOTE.
If you need to lodge a complaint about something you experience while voting, you can call the state’s hotline (1-877-VOTESPA) or reach the department using this form.
Still preparing to cast your ballot? Read Spotlight PA’s complete coverage at our Election Center 2024 website. — Sarah Anne Hughes, Spotlight PA
What you need to know before heading to the polls
3 a.m.
For those of you heading out to the polls, here’s what you need to know:
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Double-check your polling place here.
In addition to nonpartisan poll workers, you may encounter partisan poll watchers who are sanctioned to observe polling places. Here’s what they can — and can’t — do.
Have a completed mail ballot? You can still drop it off today by 8 p.m. Some satellite offices and drop boxes will close before then, so make sure to look up your local details.
Have a mail ballot but want to vote in person? Bring all of the materials with you to your polling place.
Requested a mail ballot but it never came? You can still vote using a provisional ballot.
If you are facing a last-minute problem and can’t make it to the polls, you may qualify for an emergency absentee ballot. Read about those here.
Like in 2020, be prepared to exercise patience this week and beyond. Election officials can only begin processing mail and absentee ballots this morning, which means it may take days to report the full unofficial results.
Also, beware of mis- and disinformation about mail ballots, voting machines, and more. —Sarah Anne Hughes, Spotlight PA
