HARRISBURG — On Nov. 4, voters across Pennsylvania will elect candidates to fill various municipal offices and statewide judicial roles.
While the local races on your ballot will vary depending on where you live, voters statewide will consider candidates to fill a vacancy each on Commonwealth and Superior Courts, and weigh in on whether to retain three justices on the state Supreme Court.
To help you prepare for the 2025 election in Pennsylvania, we’ve answered some of your most frequently asked questions below:
When is the 2025 Election Day in Pennsylvania?
Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. Mark your calendar!
When do polls open for Pennsylvania’s 2025 election?
Polls open at 7 a.m and close at 8 p.m. As long as you are in line to vote by 8 p.m., you are entitled to cast a ballot.
When is the last day to register to vote?
The last day to register is Oct. 20.
You can register online, or submit a registration form in person or through the mail to your county election office by the same date.
Online voter registration applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. that day. Your county board of elections must receive mail and in-person applications by 5 p.m.
How can I check my voter registration?
You can check your registration online. You can search using your name, county, ZIP code, and birthday, or by entering your driver’s license or PennDOT identification card numbers.
How do I change parties?
To change your party affiliation, fill out the state’s voter registration form.
On the form, select the box that says “change of party.” If you do this less than 15 days before the election (Oct. 20), the party change will not take place until the next election cycle.
I’m a registered independent. Can I vote on Nov. 4?
Yes, independent, third-party, and unaffiliated voters who are registered are able to vote in the municipal election on Nov. 4.
In Pennsylvania, if you are registered as an independent or with a third party, you cannot vote for candidates in the primary election, which has already passed. This is due to the state’s closed primary system, which limits participation to registered Democrats and Republicans.
How do I find my polling place?
You can find your polling place here by entering your address.
What else do I need to know to vote in person?
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 be 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 here.
Can I still request a mail ballot?
You can apply for a mail ballot until Oct. 28, either online or through the mail. However, your complete application must be received by your county’s election office by 5 p.m. that day.
Here’s the application. You’ll need to provide your name, date of birth, proof of identification, and signature.
How do I vote absentee?
The process to request an absentee ballot is similar to that for requesting a mail ballot. You can apply online or download the form and send it to your county election office. However, the application requires you to list a reason for your absence, unlike a mail ballot. You can find the application here.
Applications are due Oct. 28 by 5 p.m. and must be received by your county office by that time.
If you miss the Oct. 28 deadline, you can still request an emergency absentee ballot from your county election office if you experience an unexpected illness, disability, or last-minute absence. You can request one here.
I applied but still haven’t gotten my absentee or mail ballot. What should I do?
You can check the status of your absentee or mail ballot here. If you’re worried your ballot won’t arrive in time to be returned, you can call your county election office for advice on how to proceed.
You can also go to your county election office to request a ballot and fill it out on the spot, or go to your polling place and vote in person on Election Day — though if you applied for a mail ballot and don’t have it in hand, you may need to vote in person using a provisional ballot.
I’ve received my absentee or mail ballot. How do I return it?
First, make sure you’ve filled it out completely and followed all instructions, including dating the ballot envelope properly. Otherwise, your ballot may not be counted.
Everyone can return their ballot through the mail or by dropping it off at their county election office. Some counties also have drop boxes available. Find county contact information here.
Your county election office must receive your ballot by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Postmarks do not count.
If you have a disability that prevents you from returning your own ballot, you may fill out a form to designate someone else to return it for you. You must turn in the form with your mail ballot application, and the designee must have a copy on hand when they return your ballot.
Otherwise, you must return your own ballot.
Which races will I be voting on?
The local races on your ballot will be determined by where you live, and may include contests for mayor, school board, local finance positions, city council, judge of elections, various judicial offices, sheriff, district attorney, and more.
Statewide, every voter will weigh in on races to fill a vacancy on both Commonwealth and Superior Courts, and consider retention questions for Pennsylvania Supreme, Superior, and Commonwealth Courts on their ballot.
Commonwealth Court
Commonwealth Court is one of two intermediate appellate courts in the state and is made up of nine judges. Its judges preside specifically over civil actions brought against the commonwealth, including state and local governments, and with regulatory agencies. When lawsuits are filed by or against Pennsylvania, Commonwealth Court also acts as a trial court.
Recent rulings from the court include a 2024 decision that mail ballots in the commonwealth shouldn’t be rejected for missing dates (which was later overturned by the state Supreme Court), and a 2023 ruling that found the way Pennsylvania funds its public schools is unconstitutionally inequitable.
The court currently has five judges who were elected as Republicans and three elected as Democrats. There is one seat open on Commonwealth Court and two candidates are vying to fill the vacancy, Democrat Stella Tsai and Republican Matthew Wolford.
Commonwealth Court judges get their seats in partisan elections and serve an initial 10-year term. After that, they face a nonpartisan retention vote every 10 years, which they very rarely lose.
You can read more about the two candidates for Commonwealth Court in our candidate guide.
In addition to filling a vacancy, voters will also decide whether Judge Michael Wojcik should have another term on Commonwealth Court.
Superior Court
Superior Court is made up of 15 judges and handles criminal, civil, and family cases that are appealed from lower courts, like Courts of Common Pleas. Covering cases involving child custody, probation, and parole, it is the appellate court that the average Pennsylvanian is most likely to interact with. In 2019, the court tossed out Philadelphia-born rapper Meek Mill’s decade-old weapon and drug charges.
The court currently has eight judges elected as Democrats and six Republicans. There is one seat open on the court and two candidates running to fill it: Democrat Brandon P. Neuman and Republican Maria Battista.
Superior Court judges get their seats in partisan elections and serve an initial 10-year term. After that, they face a nonpartisan retention vote every 10 years. Like Commonwealth Court judges, they almost never lose retention elections.
You can read more about the candidates for Superior Court in our candidate guide.
In addition to filling a vacancy, voters will also decide whether Judge Alice Dubow should have another term on Superior Court.
Supreme Court
Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court is made up of seven justices who primarily review appeals from the state’s two lower appellate panels, Commonwealth and Superior Courts. The court also has the power to intervene in any lower court case they choose. Decisions from this court shape law across the commonwealth, affecting Pennsylvanians in a multitude of ways.
In recent years, the court has weighed in on a variety of election-related cases. In September, its judges ruled that voters must be notified if their mail ballot is going to be rejected due to a mistake, like a missing signature or incorrect date. The state Supreme Court also ruled in 2024 that if a county rejects a voter’s mail ballot, voters must be given the chance to vote via a provisional ballot on Election Day.
In 2018, the court also struck down the state’s congressional map as an unconstitutional gerrymander that favored Republicans, then appointed an expert to draw a replacement when the legislature couldn’t agree on one. When the legislative and executive branches again could not agree on a new congressional map in 2021, the court selected a map drawn by an outside expert that met its criteria from the 2018 case.
During the coronavirus pandemic, the court ruled that the Pennsylvania legislature could not override then-Gov. Tom Wolf’s emergency powers, which allowed him to control travel throughout the state and regulate whether businesses could open. The court has also ruled that Pittsburgh can require employers to provide paid sick leave, and that juveniles cannot be sentenced to life without parole unless it is proven, without a reasonable doubt, that they are incapable of rehabilitation.
Pennsylvania Supreme Court justices get their seats in partisan elections and serve an initial 10-year term. After that, justices face a nonpartisan retention vote every 10 years, which, similar to Commonwealth and Superior Court judges, they very rarely lose.
Currently, there are five Democratic justices serving on the bench and two Republicans. Three justices — Christine Donohue, Kevin Dougherty, and David Wecht — all of whom were elected as Democrats, are up for retention.
This retention race has garnered significant spending from national groups, organizations and individuals, since it has the potential to either maintain or shift the political makeup of the court, which can influence state law for years to come.
You can read more about the candidates for state Supreme Court in our candidate guide.
What else will be on my ballot?
There are no statewide ballot measures this year, but some voters may see local questions.
Chester County, for instance, will have a question about whether to increase property taxes in order to fund and maintain the West Pikeland Township Police Department. Voters in Montgomery County’s Upper Frederick Township will see a ballot measure asking them to weigh in on a small tax increase to acquire and preserve parks and wildlife areas.
Check with your county election office to confirm races and questions, and to view a sample ballot.
Learn more here about how Spotlight PA is covering the 2025 election.