Everything you need to know for the May 21, 2019 Primary Election in PA
The 2019 Pennsylvania primary elections will take place on Tuesday, May 21, 2019. Primary elections are held by political parties to nominate the candidates who will compete in the general election in November. Pennsylvania primary elections are closed, meaning you can only vote in a political party’s primary if you are registered as a member of that party. Voters who are unaffiliated with a party will not be eligible to vote in a party’s primary elections, but some districts will have special elections, ballot questions, or other non-party affiliated races.
We hope you find the resources and information here helpful as you prepare to head to the polls on May 21!
Voting Resources
- Voter registration deadline: Mon. April 22, 2019
- Check your registration status
- Register to vote
- Learn how to update your registration if you moved, want to change your party affiliation, or need to change it for another reason
- Absentee Ballot application deadline: May 14, 2019. If you’re planning to be out of town on Election Day or unable to make it to your registered polling location, you may still be eligible to vote through an Absentee Ballot. Learn about the requirements for eligibility and ballot deadlines.
- Find your polling place.
- Polling place hours: 7 AM-8 PM in Pennsylvania
- Know your rights:
- Votes PA Guide (Official PA Government website)
- Election Protection
- Voting with a Criminal Conviction (via the ACLU of PA)
Get to know the candidates and the issues:
You can view a sample ballot via the Allegheny County website or the League of Women Voters to see which candidates will be on your ballot.
Vote School Board First
PUMP is part of the Vote School Board First! PGH Coalition to increase voter engagement and participation in these important elections! School board members are elected volunteers who represent students, families, and taxpayers. Yet only 1 in 5 registered voters casts votes for school board. Help us change this: learn more about why these elections matter and get tons of resources on the election here.
- City-wide School Board Candidate Forum – Wed. April 24, 2019 – 6 PM-8 PM
- This event has passed. News coverage: WESA.
- Volunteer with us to inform more voters.
Meet the candidates and learn about the issues
Pittsburgh City Council Candidate Events and Guides:
- The People’s Forum: Candidates for City Council Districts 7 + 9 – Mon. April 15 – 5 PM-7:30 PM
- This event has passed
- The People’s Forum: Candidates for City Council Districts 1 + 3 – Thurs. April 18 – 5:30 PM-8 PM
- This event has passed
- District 9 Environmental Justice Candidate Forum – Mon. April 29 – 5:30 PM-8 PM
- This event has passed
- Black Political Empowerment Project (B-PEP) Candidate Forum, Districts 7 + 9 – Tues. April 30 – 6 PM-8 PM, Homewood Community Engagement Center
- This event has passed
- PublicSource Q&A with City Council District 7 Candidates
Allegheny County District Attorney Candidate Events and Guides:
- Conversations with Allegheny County District Attorney Candidates on Criminal Justice Reform – Mon. April 15 – 6:30 PM-8:30 PM
- This event has passed: view full video from event.
- Campaign for Smart Justice District Attorney Candidate Forum – Thurs. May 9 – 7 PM
- This event has passed
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette News Coverage of District Attorney Race
Other Candidate Events and Guides:
- City-wide School Board Candidate Forum – Wed. April 24, 2019 – 6 PM-8 PM
- This event has passed. News coverage: WESA.
- Pittsburgh School Board Candidate Forum – Tues. April 9, 2019
- This event has passed. News coverage: WESA.
- African American Chamber of Commerce of Western Pennsylvania for Allegheny County Council, District Attorney, and Pittsburgh City Council – Candidates will answer questions that will impact businesses – Thurs. May 9 – 4:30 PM-6 PM
- This event has passed.
- Candidates Forum for Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas and Allegheny County Council Member At-Large – Wed. May 15 – 6:30 PM-8:30 PM
- Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas Race: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette News Coverage
- The Incline’s Procrastinator’s Guide to Pittsburgh’s May 21 Primary
We will be updating this voter guide through the May 21 election as we learn of new resources and opportunities. If you know of something we missed, please let us know! Contact katie@pump.org.