Pennsylvania state executive official elections, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 9
- Early voting: N/A
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 2
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: No
- Voter ID: No
- Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
2020 →
← 2016
|
| Pennsylvania state executive official elections |
|---|
 |
| Election details |
| Filing deadline: March 6, 2018 |
| Primary: May 15, 2018 General: November 6, 2018 |
| How to vote |
| Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voting in Pennsylvania |
| Ballotpedia analysis |
| Federal and state primary competitiveness State executive elections in 2018 Impact of term limits in 2018 State government trifectas and triplexes |
| Other state executive elections |
The following state executive offices were up for election in Pennsylvania in 2018. Click on the following links to learn more about each race:
Candidates and election results
Governor
General election
General election for Governor of Pennsylvania
Incumbent Tom Wolf defeated Scott Wagner, Ken Krawchuk, and Paul Glover in the general election for Governor of Pennsylvania on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Tom Wolf (D) | 57.8 | 2,895,652 |
 | Scott Wagner (R) | 40.7 | 2,039,882 | |
 | Ken Krawchuk (L) | 1.0 | 49,229 | |
 | Paul Glover (G) | 0.6 | 27,792 | |
| Total votes: 5,012,555 (100.00% precincts reporting) | |||
 = 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. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Governor of Pennsylvania
Incumbent Tom Wolf advanced from the Democratic primary for Governor of Pennsylvania on May 15, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Tom Wolf | 100.0 | 749,812 |
| Total votes: 749,812 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Governor of Pennsylvania
Scott Wagner defeated Paul Mango and Laura Ellsworth in the Republican primary for Governor of Pennsylvania on May 15, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Scott Wagner | 44.3 | 326,612 |
 | Paul Mango | 36.9 | 271,857 | |
 | Laura Ellsworth | 18.8 | 138,843 | |
| Total votes: 737,312 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Lieutenant governor
General election
General election for Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania
John Fetterman defeated Jeff Bartos, Kathleen Smith, and Jocolyn Bowser-Bostick in the general election for Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | John Fetterman (D) | 58.7 | 2,895,652 |
 | Jeff Bartos (R) | 41.3 | 2,039,882 | |
 | Kathleen Smith (L) | 0.0 | 0 | |
 | Jocolyn Bowser-Bostick (G) | 0.0 | 0 | |
| Total votes: 4,935,534 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania
John Fetterman defeated Nina Ahmad, Kathi Cozzone, incumbent Mike Stack, and Ray Sosa in the Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania on May 15, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | John Fetterman | 37.5 | 290,719 |
 | Nina Ahmad | 23.8 | 184,429 | |
 | Kathi Cozzone | 18.5 | 143,849 | |
 | Mike Stack | 16.6 | 128,931 | |
 | Ray Sosa | 3.6 | 27,732 | |
| Total votes: 775,660 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Craig Lehman (D)
- Aryanna Berringer (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania
Jeff Bartos defeated Kathleen Coder, Diana Irey Vaughan, and Marguerite Luksik in the Republican primary for Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania on May 15, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jeff Bartos | 46.8 | 319,811 |
 | Kathleen Coder | 21.8 | 148,863 | |
 | Diana Irey Vaughan | 17.6 | 120,482 | |
 | Marguerite Luksik | 13.8 | 94,451 | |
| Total votes: 683,607 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Joe Gale (R)
Context of the 2018 elections
Party control in Pennsylvania
A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government. Democratic Governor Tom Wolf won election in 2014, moving Pennsylvania's state government to divided control. Prior to that, Republicans controlled a trifecta resulting from the 2010 elections.
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 | _ |
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.[1][2]
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.[3]
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.[4] The deadline for registering to vote is 15 days before the election.[4] 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.[5] On September 19, 2023, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) announced that the state had implemented automatic voter registration.[6]
Automatic registration
Pennsylvania practices automatic voter registration.[7]
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
Pennsylvania implemented an online voter registration system in 2015.[8] 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
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.[9] 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.[10]
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:
If you do not have a photo ID, you can use a non-photo identification that includes your name and address.
|
” |
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."[12] 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.[13][14]
Impact of term limits
Two state executive seats in Pennsylvania were up for election in 2018. In the 2018 elections, no officials were ineligible to run because of term limits.
Of the 283 state executives offices on the ballot in 2018, 131 of them were represented by incumbents who were subject to term limits. Of the 36 gubernatorial seats up for election in 2018, 13 governors—two Democrats and 11 Republicans—were term-limited and therefore unable to run for re-election. Of the 31 states with term limits that held state executives elections in 2018, some incumbents in 18 of the states were term-limited.
A total of 49 state executive officials were ineligible to run in the 2018 elections because of term limits. This represented 17 percent of the 283 total seats up for election in 2018.[15] Republicans had more than six times as many state executive officials term-limited in 2018 than Democrats. A total of seven Democrats were term-limited, while 40 Republicans were term-limited. The other two term-limited officials were nonpartisan.
Past elections
2016
The following elections took place in 2016.
- Pennsylvania Attorney General election, 2016
- Pennsylvania Treasurer election, 2016
- Pennsylvania Auditor election, 2016
2014
The following elections took place in 2014.
- Pennsylvania gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2014
- Pennsylvania state executive official elections, 2014
2012
The following elections took place in 2012.
- Pennsylvania down ballot state executive elections, 2012
- Pennsylvania state executive official elections, 2012
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Pennsylvania state executive election 2018. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
State profile
| Demographic data for Pennsylvania | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 12,791,904 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 44,743 | 3,531,905 |
| 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. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
Pennsylvania voted for the Democratic candidate in five out of the seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
Pivot Counties (2016)
Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, three are located in Pennsylvania, accounting for 1.46 percent of the total pivot counties.[16]
Pivot Counties (2020)
In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Pennsylvania had one Retained Pivot County and two Boomerang Pivot Counties, accounting for 0.55 and 8.00 percent of all Retained and Boomerang Pivot Counties, respectively.
More Pennsylvania coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in Pennsylvania
- United States congressional delegations from Pennsylvania
- Public policy in Pennsylvania
- Endorsers in Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania fact checks
- More...
See also
| Pennsylvania | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures Website, "State Primary Election Types," accessed September 24, 2024
- ↑ Casetext, "25 Pa. Stat. § 299," accessed September 24, 2024
- ↑ Department of State, “First Time Voters,” accessed March 21, 2023
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Department of State, “Voter Registration Application,” accessed March 21, 2023
- ↑ Department of State, “Contact Your Election Officials,” accessed March 21, 2023
- ↑ 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
- ↑ NBC, "Pennsylvania rolls out automatic voter registration," September 19, 2023
- ↑ The Patriot-News, “Thousands take advantage of new online voter registration in Pennsylvania,” September 2, 2015
- ↑ 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."
- ↑ Department of State, "First Time Voters," accessed March 21, 2023
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Janie Valentine, "Email communication with Amy Gulli," September 10, 2024
- ↑ PennLive, "Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf signs historic election reform bill into law," October 31, 2019
- ↑ Pennsylvania.gov, “Voting in Pennsylvania,” accessed October 1, 2019
- ↑ Some of the 49 state executive officials in 2018 may have resigned before their term ended. These state executive officials were still counted in the total number of term-limited state executives in 2018.
- ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
