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In Pennsylvania, independents don’t vote in the primary.

Pennsylvania voters went to the polls in the state primary on Tuesday, but the turnout was low in many precincts, with many uncontested races on some ballots. Some voters took the opportunity to pick up campaign yard signs that they will put in their yards to promote their favored candidate during the coming election season. Party members often sit near the door of polling places, show voters the ballot, advocate for certin candidates, and sometimes hand out yard signs.

The presidential race was a foregone conclusion, with President Joe Biden taking most of the Democrat votes and former President Donald Trump getting the Republican nod. Also still on the ballot in Pennsylvania were Democrat Dean Phillips and Republican Nikki Haley, although both have left the race.

Some voters mistakenly assume that if a name appears on a ballot, the candidate is a viable option. This is the state that, in 2022, elected former Democratic State Rep. Anthony DeLuca, 85, a month after he died—because his name was on the ballot. So, his challenger lost to a dead man.

Independents do not get to vote in the Pennsylvania primary. There has been some past legislative action to change that, but as it stands, voters must be registered with a party to vote on that party’s ballot. Candidates can usually count on support from reliable voters who register with a major party and vote in low-turnout elections. They really want to win over Pennsylvania’s 1,326,386 unaffiliated voters.

With 3,894,977 registered Democrats and 3,498,954 registered Republicans, the difference between the two major parties is only 396,023 voters, according to most recent Department of State numbers. That is what makes Pennsylvania such an attractive swing state for candidates—any party could win if they convince enough unaffiliated voters.

Counties start to tally mail-in ballots on election morning, and those results are posted shortly after the polls close. In-person votes take longer to count, so mail-in results don’t tell the entire story.

Congressional Races

Long-time Democrat Sen. Bob Casey will face Republican Dave McCormick in the general election. Neither was challenged by other party members. They have been making some moves around the state, waiting out the primary, but that campaign, like all the others, is about to ramp up for the main event.

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In the 10th Congressional District, Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Scott Perry was unchallenged, but there were six Democrats vying for the chance to represent their party in the general election.

The Democrat hopefuls were Mike O’Brien, a retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel and F-35 Stealth Fighter pilot; Janelle Stelson, a former central Pennsylvania television news anchor; Rick Coplen, a West Point graduate, parachute combat veteran, teacher, and school board member; Blake Lynch, who previously worked as a community relations director; Shamaine Daniels, a Harrisburg City Council member and immigration attorney who ran against Mr. Perry in 2022; and entrepreneur and businessman John Broadhurst.

In Pennsylvania’s District 7, unchallenged incumbent Democrat, U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, had three Republicans trying to take her seat. They were Kevin Dellicker, a small business owner, veteran, and former environmental policy adviser to Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge; State Rep. Ryan MacKenzie; and Maria Montero, an attorney and former executive director of the State Commission on Women.

State Races

Pennsylvania also had some important state races.

When Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, won the governorship, he vacated the state attorney general position. Republicans put up two options: Dave Sunday of York County and Craig Williams of Delaware County. Democrats had five: Jack Stollsteimer of Delaware County, Eugene DePasquale of Allegheny County, Joe Khan of Bucks County, Keir Bradford-Grey of Philadelphia County, and Jared Solomon of Philadelphia County.

For Auditor General, two Democrat candidates, Malcolm Kenyatta of Philadelphia County and Mark Pinsley of Lehigh County, were looking to unseat unchallenged Republican Tim DeFoor of Dauphin County.

And State Treasurer Stacy Garrity of Bradford County, a Republican, is being challenged by a couple of Democrats in the General Election—Ryan Bizzarro of Erie County and Erin McClelland of Allegheny County.