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Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, 2018 (May 15 Democratic primary)

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Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: March 6, 2018
Primary: May 15, 2018
General: November 6, 2018
Pre-election incumbent(s):
Gov. Tom Wolf (Democrat)
Lt. Gov. Mike Stack (Democrat)
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voting in Pennsylvania
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Likely Democratic
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Democratic
Inside Elections: Likely Democratic
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness
State executive elections in 2018
Impact of term limits in 2018
State government trifectas
State government triplexes
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
Pennsylvania
executive elections
Governor

Lieutenant governor

A Democratic Party primary election took place on May 15, 2018 in Pennsylvania to determine which candidate would run as the party's nominee in the state's November 6, 2018, gubernatorial election.

For more information about gubernatorial elections in 2018, click here.

SETTING THE STAGE
  • Heading into the 2018 election, the sitting governor was Tom Wolf (D), who was first elected in 2014. Wolf announced on March 7, 2017, that he would seek re-election in 2018.
  • In 2018, Pennsylvania was under divided government. It had held this status since Wolf took office in 2015. Pennsylvania was a Democratic triplex.
  • In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, Pennsylvania was won by the Democratic candidate in 2000, 2004, 2008, and 2012 and by the Republican candidate in 2016. The widest margin of victory was Barack Obama's ten percent margin in 2008 while the narrowest was Donald Trump's 0.72 percent margin in 2016.

    • Pennsylvania was one of 36 states that held an election for governor in 2018. Democrats gained seven previously Republican-held seats, and Republicans gained one previously independent-held seat. Heading into the 2018 elections, there were 16 Democratic governors, 33 Republican governors, and one independent governor. In 2018, 26 of the 33 states with a Republican governor held a gubernatorial election, while nine out of the 16 states with a Democratic governor held a gubernatorial election. Seventeen of the 36 seats up for election were open seats (four Democratic, 12 Republican, and one independent), meaning that the sitting governor was not seeking re-election. Click here for more information on other 2018 gubernatorial elections.

    Candidates and election results

    See also: Statistics on gubernatorial candidates, 2018

    Incumbent Tom Wolf advanced from the Democratic primary for Governor of Pennsylvania on May 15, 2018.

    Democratic primary election

    Democratic primary for Governor of Pennsylvania

    Candidate
    %
    Votes
    ✔
    Image of Tom Wolf
    		Tom Wolf
     
    100.0
     
    		749,812

    Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.

    		Total votes: 749,812
    Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
    If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

    Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

    Context of the 2018 election

    Past elections

    2014

    See also: Pennsylvania gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2014

    In the 2014 Democratic primary, Tom Wolf defeated Allyson Schwartz, Rob McCord, and Kate McGinty by a 40.3 percent margin.[1]

    Governor of Pennsylvania, Democratic Primary, 2014
    Candidate Vote % Votes
    Green check mark transparent.pngTom Wolf 57.9% 488,917
    Allyson Schwartz 17.6% 149,027
    Rob McCord 16.8% 142,311
    Kate McGinty 7.7% 64,754
    Total Votes 845,009
    Election results via Pennsylvania Department of State.


    Voter information

    How the primary works

    A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Pennsylvania utilizes a closed primary process. Voters are required to register with a political party to vote in the primary election.[2][3]

    For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

    Poll times

    In Pennsylvania, all polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[4]

    Registration requirements

    Check your voter registration status here.

    To register to vote in Pennsylvania, an applicant must be a citizen of the United States for at least one month before the next election, a resident of the district in which he or she is registering for at least 30 days before the next election, and at least 18 years old by the day of the next election.[5] The deadline for registering to vote is 15 days before the election.[5] Registration can be done online, in person, or by mail. Prospective voters can register in person at the county voter registration office or at a number of state agencies, including Pennsylvania Department of Transportation centers. The Pennsylvania voter registration application is available online and can be mailed to the county voter registration office.[6] On September 19, 2023, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) announced that the state had implemented automatic voter registration.[7]


    Automatic registration

    Pennsylvania practices automatic voter registration.[8]

    Online registration

    See also: Online voter registration

    Pennsylvania implemented an online voter registration system in 2015.[9] Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

    Same-day registration

    Pennsylvania does not allow same-day voter registration.

    Residency requirements

    Prospective voters must be residents of the district in which they are registering for at least 30 days before the next election.

    Verification of citizenship

    See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

    Pennsylvania does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.

    All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[10] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

    Verifying your registration

    The Pennsylvania Department of State allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website.

    Voter ID requirements

    Pennsylvania does not generally require voters to present identification while voting. However, a voter who is voting at a polling place for the first time must present identification.[11]

    Voters can present the following forms of identification. This list was current as of October 2024. Click here to ensure you have current information.

    “ Approved forms of photo identification include:
    • Pennsylvania driver’s license or PennDOT ID card
    • ID issued by any Commonwealth agency
    • ID issued by the U.S. Government
    • U.S. passport
    • U.S. Armed Forces ID
    • Student ID
    • Employee ID

    If you do not have a photo ID, you can use a non-photo identification that includes your name and address.

    • Confirmation issued by the County Voter Registration Office
    • Non-photo ID issued by the Commonwealth
    • Non-photo ID issued by the U.S. Government
    • Firearm permit
    • Current utility bill
    • Current bank statement
    • Current paycheck
    • Government check[12]
    		 ”

    Early voting

    Pennsylvania voters can cast mail ballots in person. According to the Pennsylvania Department of State's Office of Communications and Press, "Once a county’s ballots are finalized and printed, a registered voter can apply for their mail ballot in person at their county election office, complete it, then submit it all in one visit. Voters should check their county's website to see when they have final ballots available and what hours their election office is open."[13] For more information, visit this website.

    Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

    Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.

    Absentee voting

    Beginning with the April 28, 2020, primary election, all Pennsylvania voters are eligible to cast absentee ballots. The change came about as a result of SB421, an omnibus election law bill which Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf (D) signed into law on October 31, 2019.[14][15]

    State overview

    Partisan control

    This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Pennsylvania heading into the 2018 elections.

    Congressional delegation

    State executives

    • As of May 2018, Democrats held five of 11 state executive positions, while six were held by nonpartisan officials.
    • The governor of Pennsylvania was Democrat Tom Wolf.

    State legislature

    Trifecta status

    • Pennsylvania was under divided government, meaning that the two parties shared control of the state government. Tom Wolf (D) served as governor, while Republicans controlled the state legislature.

    2018 elections

    See also: Pennsylvania elections, 2018

    Pennsylvania held elections for the following positions in 2018:

    Demographics

    Demographic data for Pennsylvania
     PennsylvaniaU.S.
    Total population:12,791,904316,515,021
    Land area (sq mi):44,7433,531,905
    Race and ethnicity**
    White:81.6%73.6%
    Black/African American:11%12.6%
    Asian:3.1%5.1%
    Native American:0.2%0.8%
    Pacific Islander:0%0.2%
    Two or more:2.1%3%
    Hispanic/Latino:6.4%17.1%
    Education
    High school graduation rate:89.2%86.7%
    College graduation rate:28.6%29.8%
    Income
    Median household income:$53,599$53,889
    Persons below poverty level:15.9%11.3%
    Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
    Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Pennsylvania.
    **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

    As of July 2017, Pennsylvania had a population of approximately 12,800,000 people, with its three largest cities being Philadelphia (pop. est. 1.6 million), Pittsburgh (pop. est. 300,000), and Allentown (pop. est. 120,000).[16][17]

    State election history

    This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Pennsylvania from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the Pennsylvania Department of State.

    Historical elections

    Presidential elections, 2000-2016

    This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Pennsylvania every year from 2000 to 2016.

    Election results (President of the United States), Pennsylvania 2000-2016
    Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
    2016 Republican Party Donald Trump 48.6% Democratic Party Hillary Clinton 47.9% 0.7%
    2012 Democratic Party Barack Obama 52.1% Republican Party Mitt Romney 46.7% 5.4%
    2008 Democratic Party Barack Obama 54.7% Republican Party John McCain 44.3% 10.4%
    2004 Democratic Party John Kerry 51.0% Republican Party George Bush 48.5% 2.5%
    2000 Democratic Party Al Gore 50.6% Republican Party George Bush 46.4% 4.2%

    U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016

    This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Pennsylvania from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.

    Election results (U.S. Senator), Pennsylvania 2000-2016
    Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
    2016 Republican Party Patrick Toomey 48.8% Democratic Party Katie McGinty 47.3% 1.5%
    2012 Democratic Party Bob Casey 53.7% Republican Party Tom Smith 44.6% 9.1%
    2010 Republican Party Patrick Toomey 51.0% Democratic Party Joe Sestak 49.0% 2.0%
    2006 Democratic Party Bob Casey 58.7% Republican Party Rick Santorum 41.3% 17.4%
    2004 Republican Party Arlen Specter 52.6% Democratic Party Joseph Hoeffel 42.0% 10.6%
    2000 Republican Party Rick Santorum 52.4% Democratic Party Ron Klink 45.5% 6.9%

    Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016

    This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Pennsylvania.

    Election results (Governor), Pennsylvania 2000-2016
    Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
    2014 Democratic Party Tom Wolf 54.9% Republican Party Thomas Corbett 45.1% 9.8%
    2010 Republican Party Thomas Corbett 54.5% Democratic Party Dan Onorato 45.5% 9.0%
    2006 Democratic Party Ed Rendell 60.4% Republican Party Lynn Swann 39.6% 20.8%
    2002 Democratic Party Ed Rendell 53.4% Republican Party Mike Fisher 44.3% 9.1%

    Congressional delegation, 2000-2016

    This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Pennsylvania in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.

    Congressional delegation, Pennsylvania 2000-2016
    Year Republicans Republicans (%) Democrats Democrats (%) Balance of power
    2016 Republican Party 13 72.2% Democratic Party 5 27.8% R+8
    2014 Republican Party 13 72.2% Democratic Party 5 27.8% R+8
    2012 Republican Party 13 72.2% Democratic Party 5 27.8% R+8
    2010 Republican Party 12 63.2% Democratic Party 7 36.8% R+5
    2008 Republican Party 7 36.8% Democratic Party 12 63.2% D+5
    2006 Republican Party 8 42.1% Democratic Party 11 57.9% D+3
    2004 Republican Party 12 63.2% Democratic Party 7 36.8% R+5
    2002 Republican Party 12 63.2% Democratic Party 7 36.8% R+5
    2000 Republican Party 11 52.4% Democratic Party 10 47.6% R+1

    Trifectas, 1992-2017

    A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.

    Pennsylvania Party Control: 1992-2025
    One year of a Democratic trifecta  •  Twelve years of Republican trifectas
    Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

    Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
    Governor D D D R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D R R R R D D D D D D D D D D D
    Senate R D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
    House D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R D D _


    Pivot Counties

    See also: Pivot Counties by state

    Three of 67 Pennsylvania counties—4.5 percent—are pivot counties. These are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 pivot counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

    Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
    County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
    Erie County, Pennsylvania 1.56% 16.03% 19.88%
    Luzerne County, Pennsylvania 19.31% 4.81% 8.41%
    Northampton County, Pennsylvania 3.78% 4.71% 12.30%

    In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Pennsylvania with 48.2 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 47.5 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Pennsylvania cast votes for the winning presidential candidate 76.7 percent of the time. In that same time frame, Pennsylvania supported Republican candidates for president more often than Democratic candidates, 53.3 to 43.3 percent. The state, however, favored Democrats in every presidential election between 2000 and 2012, but voted Republican in 2016.

    Presidential results by legislative district

    The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Pennsylvania. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[18][19]

    In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 89 out of 203 state House districts in Pennsylvania with an average margin of victory of 37.4 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 84 out of 203 state House districts in Pennsylvania with an average margin of victory of 37.3 points. Clinton won 19 districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.
    In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 114 out of 203 state House districts in Pennsylvania with an average margin of victory of 20 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 119 out of 203 state House districts in Pennsylvania with an average margin of victory of 28.2 points. Trump won 17 districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.

    Recent news

    The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Pennsylvania governor Democratic primary 2018. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

    Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, 2018 (May 15 Democratic primary) - Google News

    See also

    Pennsylvania government:

    Elections:

    Ballotpedia exclusives:

    External links

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "2014 General Primary Official Returns," accessed September 18, 2017
    2. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures Website, "State Primary Election Types," accessed September 24, 2024
    3. ↑ Casetext, "25 Pa. Stat. § 299," accessed September 24, 2024
    4. ↑ Department of State, “First Time Voters,” accessed March 21, 2023
    5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Department of State, “Voter Registration Application,” accessed March 21, 2023
    6. ↑ Department of State, “Contact Your Election Officials,” accessed March 21, 2023
    7. ↑ Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, "Governor Shapiro Implements Automatic Voter Registration in Pennsylvania, Joining Bipartisan Group of States That Have Taken Commonsense Step to Make Voter Registration More Streamlined and Secure," September 19, 2023
    8. ↑ NBC, "Pennsylvania rolls out automatic voter registration," September 19, 2023
    9. ↑ The Patriot-News, “Thousands take advantage of new online voter registration in Pennsylvania,” September 2, 2015
    10. ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
    11. ↑ Department of State, "First Time Voters," accessed March 21, 2023
    12. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
    13. ↑ Janie Valentine, "Email communication with Amy Gulli," September 10, 2024
    14. ↑ PennLive, "Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf signs historic election reform bill into law," October 31, 2019
    15. ↑ Pennsylvania.gov, “Voting in Pennsylvania,” accessed October 1, 2019
    16. ↑ United States Census Bureau, "Quick Facts - Pennsylvania," accessed January 3, 2018
    17. ↑ Pennsylvania Demographics, "Pennsylvania Cities by Population," accessed January 3, 2018
    18. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
    19. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
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