President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are gearing up for Pennsylvania’s presidential primaries, which are seen as a prelude to the general election in November. Both candidates have been campaigning in the state, focusing more on the upcoming general election than on the primary. Pennsylvania is a key battleground state with 19 electoral votes that played a critical role in the 2016 and 2020 elections.
In addition to the presidential primary, voters in Pennsylvania will also select nominees in competitive primaries for Congress, the state legislature, and three statewide offices. Democrats will decide on candidates for state attorney general, treasurer, and auditor general, while Republicans will have their own primary for the attorney general position. There are several competitive races to watch, including challenges to incumbent representatives and the race to control the closely divided Congress.
The primary day in Pennsylvania will see the Democratic and Republican presidential primaries, with Biden and Trump as the presumptive nominees. Voters will also have the opportunity to write in a candidate. The state has a closed primary system, meaning only registered party members can participate in their primary. Delegate allocation rules differ for each party, with Democrats allocating delegates based on the vote results and Republicans having a winner-takes-all approach for at-large delegates.
Turnout and advance voting have been significant in Pennsylvania, with over 8.7 million registered voters as of April 15. In the previous midterm primary, turnout was around 15% of registered voters in both Democratic and Republican primaries. Voting before election day has been a popular choice, with a significant portion of ballots already cast before the primary day.
Vote counting typically takes a few hours after polls close, with results being reported shortly after. The AP will cover the primaries and declare winners based on the available data and scenarios. Races with a narrow margin may be subject to an automatic recount, but the AP will only declare a winner if the lead is too significant for a recount to change the outcome. As the primary day progresses, all eyes will be on Pennsylvania as the candidates head towards the November general election.
