Pennsylvania’s Governor Election 2020
HARRISBURG — In a battleground state, one candidate claims there was massive election fraud in 2020. That’s just part of the national story behind Pennsylvania’s gubernatorial race.
Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro is running against Republican Doug Mastriano. He has pushed cases against abusive Catholic priests and worked to end the opioid crisis and mass shootings.
How to Vote
As a swing state, Pennsylvania shapes national elections. Its next governor also has significant power over local election administration, and the two major party candidates plan to wield that authority differently. Shapiro has pledged to reshape the way election results are certified and oversight is carried out in the commonwealth, including putting more responsibility on county-level officials rather than the secretary of state. Mastriano has pushed to take certification authority away from the secretary of state and put it in the hands of a commission that would be appointed by the governor and the state House and Senate.
Both candidates have pledged to strengthen voter vetting, which requires people who request ballots to swear that they are American citizens and provide a driver’s license or state ID number or the last four digits of their Social Security number. They also have to provide proof of address and sign an affidavit affirming that they live where they say they do.
Voting Locations
Voting locations are assigned based on the address in your voter registration and can change between elections. This may be due to the population in your precinct changing, a building being closed for construction or a property owner no longer being willing or able to host voters. Before each election we recommend that you double check your registration via the Department of State’s online portal to ensure your name, party affiliation & address are all recorded correctly.
All polling places are open on election day from 7:00 AM until 8:00 PM and any eligible voter standing in line at the time of closing will be allowed to vote. The map below provides links to find your voting location based on where you live (York City, Borough or Township).
The 2023 Governor’s race is one of the most closely watched races in the country and has attracted tens of millions of dollars in donations from across the state. Help us continue our work to get results for Pennsylvania by making a donation today.
Early Voting
If you are unable to vote on Election Day, your county may offer the option of voting early. In most cases, this means visiting a polling location to cast your ballot. Each state has different rules about this, so you should check with your local election office for specific information.
Some counties offer a limited number of early voting locations. Typically, these centers are open in the weeks before the election. They are usually located in the county election commission offices and satellite locations, and they typically have a longer open-hours schedule than regular polling places.
The governor shapes election law and policy, and the 2024 race is no exception. One candidate, Republican state Senator Doug Mastriano, has centered his campaign around his belief that Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential race because of widespread fraud. He has also called for a series of changes to how the state handles its elections, including taking away certification power from the secretary of state and giving it to the legislature.
Voter Registration
Democrat Josh Shapiro is projected to win Pennsylvania’s governorship. He defeated Doug Mastriano and Matt Hackenburg in the Democratic primary. Shapiro, the state attorney general, campaigned on his experience fighting for civil rights, including in cases addressing sexual abuse in the Catholic Church and reaching settlements for student loan debt.
The winner will have the opportunity to reshape abortion laws, shape policy on gun control and take other steps that can influence national politics ahead of the 2024 presidential election. The winner also will be able to set a tone in Harrisburg by determining who controls the legislature.
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