Voter Guide 2020: Everything you need to know about voting in Pennsylvania

PHILADELPHIA - While the 2020 Presidential race will certainly be the highlight of Election Day in Pennsylvania on Nov. 3, a number of statewide races and local congressional races will also be watched closely.

In Philadelphia, voters will also have the opportunity to vote on four ballot measures. The city also opened 17 satellite election offices that offer a number of services to voters.

Experts say the Keystone State continues to change and has increasingly become known as a key battleground ahead of the 2020 presidential election.

LINK: FIND YOUR POLLING PLACE IN PENNSYLVANIA

FULL COVERAGE: 2020 ELECTION

Pennsylvania’s swing-state status, along with its ability to award 20 electoral votes of the 270 needed to win the presidency, has brought the state a great deal of attention during 2020's election cycle.

Here is what you need to know ahead of Election Day:

Important Dates

• Oct. 19 - Voter Registration deadline
• Oct. 27 - Mail-In/Absentee ballot application deadline 
• Nov. 3 - Election Day

Pennsylvania residents can CLICK HERE to register to vote, or CLICK HERE to apply for a mail-in/absentee ballot. 

In-Person/Mail-In Voting

Polls will be open for in-person voting from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Meanwhile, mail-in or civilian absentee ballots must be postmarked by 8 p.m. Nov. 3. Mailed ballots must be received before 5 p.m. Nov. 6 by your county election office.  

Mail-in and civilian absentee ballots can also be returned to your county board of elections office or other designated location or drop-box by 8 p.m. Nov. 3.

Statewide Races

President of the United States

• Donald Trump, Republican Party (incumbent)
• Joe Biden, Democratic Party
• Jo Jorgensen Libertarian Party

Note: In September, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled Howie Hawkins, the Green Party's candidate for president, did not strictly follow procedures for getting on Pennsylvania's ballot in the November election and cannot appear on it.

Auditor General:

• Nina Ahmad, Democratic Party
• Timothy DeFoor, Republican Party
• Olivia Faison, Green Party
• Jennifer Moore, Libertarian Party

Attorney General: 

• Josh Shapiro, Democratic Party (incumbent)
• Heather Heidelbaugh, Republican Party
• Richard Weiss, Green Party
• Daniel Wassmer, Libertarian Party

Treasurer: 

• Joseph Torsella, Democratic Party (incumbent)
• Stacy Garrity, Republican Party
• Timothy Runkle, Green Party
• Joseph Soloski, Libertarian Party

Pennsylvania U.S. House Elections

1st Congressional District 

• Brian Fitzpatrick, Republican Party (incumbent)
• Christina Finello, Democratic Party

2nd Congressional District

• Brendan Boyle, Democratic Party (incumbent)
• David Torres, Republican Party

3rd Congressional District

• Dwight Evans, Democratic Party (incumbent)
• Michael Harvey, Republican Party

4th Congressional District

• Madeleine Dean, Democratic Party (incumbent)
• Kathy Barnette, Republican Party

5th Congressional District

• Mary Gay Scanlon, Democratic Party (incumbent)
• Dasha Pruett, Republican Party

6th Congressional District

• Chrissy Houlahan, Democratic Party (incumbent)
• John Emmons, Republican Party

7th Congressional District

• Susan Wild, Democratic Party (incumbent)
• Lisa Scheller, Republican Party

8th Congressional District

• Matt Cartwright, Democratic Party (incumbent)
• Jim Bognet, Republican Party

9th Congressional District

• Dan Meuser, Republican Party (incumbent)
• Gary Wegman, Democratic Party

11th Congressional District

• Lloyd Smucker, Republican Party (incumbent)
• Sarah Hammond, Democratic Party

You can find out more about any of the candidates listed above at Ballotpedia.org.

Ballot Measures- Philadelphia

Philadelphia voters will have the opportunity to vote on four measures, including a controversial stop-and-frisk amendment, and an amendment regarding the Citizens Police Oversight Commission.

Question 1: Call on police to end unconstitutional stop-and-frisk

The first ballot measure would add language to the Philadelphia City Charter that calls on police to "eliminate the practice of unconstitutional stop and frisk, consistent with judicial precedent, meaning an officer must have reasonable suspicion that a person is engaged in criminal activity in order to stop that person, and, therefore, an officer cannot stop someone unlawfully because of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religious affiliation or expression, or other protected characteristic."

Question 2: Office of the Victim Advocate Amendment

The second measure would create an Office of the Victim Advocate, "to advocate for crime victims and to work with victim-services providers to coordinate, plan, train, educate, and investigate issues relating to crime victims?

Question 3: Citizens Police Oversight Commission Amendment

The third measure would create a Citizens Police Oversight Commission (CPOC), which would replace the Police Advisory Commission created by Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney in a 2017 executive order. The measure would also authorize City council to "determine composition, powers and duties of the Commission."

Question 4: Capital Municipal Bond Issue

The fourth measure would issue $134 million "to be spent for and toward capital purposes as follows: Transit; Streets and Sanitation; Municipal Buildings; Parks, Recreation and Museums; and Economic and Community Development."

You can find out more information about the Philadelphia Ballot measures, here.

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