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Pennsylvania State Senate elections, 2020
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| 2020 Pennsylvania Senate Elections | |
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| General | November 3, 2020 |
| Primary | June 2, 2020 |
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| 2020 Elections | |
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Elections for the office of Pennsylvania State Senate took place in 2020. The general election was held on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for June 2, 2020. The filing deadline was February 18, 2020.
The Pennsylvania State Senate was one of 86 state legislative chambers holding elections in 2020. There are 99 chambers throughout the country. In 2018, 87 out of 99 legislative chambers held elections.
Candidates
Process to become a candidate
Generally speaking, there are two types of petition forms that prospective candidates may need to file in order to gain access to the ballot.
- Nomination petitions: These are the petition forms used by political party candidates.
- Nomination papers: These are the petition forms used by independent and political party designation candidates.
For party candidates
See statutes: Pennsylvania Election Code, Chapter 14, Article 9
Party candidates for state office must file nomination petitions with the Pennsylvania Secretary of State. Signature requirements are summarized below (for more information regarding nomination petitions, see "Nomination petitions" below).[1]
| Nomination petition signature requirements in Pennsylvania | ||
|---|---|---|
| Office sought | Required signatures | |
| U.S. Senator | 2,000 | |
| U.S. House Representative | 1,000 | |
| Governor | 2,000 (with at least 100 from a minimum of 10 counties) | |
| Lt. Governor | 1,000 (with at least 100 from a minimum of five counties) | |
| State senator | 500 | |
| State representative | 300 | |
Each candidate must file a candidate affidavit with his or her nomination petition. The affidavit must include the candidate's address, election district, the name of the office being sought, a statement verifying the candidate's eligibility for said office, and a statement verifying that the candidate will not "knowingly violate any provision of this act [i.e., the election code], or of any law regulating and limiting nomination and election expenses and prohibiting corrupt practices in connection therewith."[2]
The candidate must also pay a filing fee. Filing fees must be submitted with nomination petitions. Fees are summarized in the table below.[3]
| Filing fees in Pennsylvania | ||
|---|---|---|
| Office sought | Fee | |
| United States Senator, governor, lieutenant governor, treasurer, auditor general, attorney general | $200 | |
| United States Representative | $150 | |
| State legislator | $100 | |
In addition, a candidate for state office must file a statement of financial interests with the state ethics commission. A copy of this statement must be attached to the nomination petition submitted to the Pennsylvania Secretary of State, as well.
For other candidates
See statutes: Article 9, Part (b) of the Pennsylvania Election Code
Like party candidates participating in the primary, independent, minor political party, and political body candidates for state office (including the Pennsylvania General Assembly) must submit candidate affidavits and statements of financial interests to the Pennsylvania Secretary of State. Candidates must also pay the same filing fees as primary candidates. Independent, minor party, and political body candidates must also file nomination papers (not to be confused with the nomination petitions party candidates participating in the primary must complete). Candidates filing nomination papers for office elected by district must obtain signatures from electors of the district equal to at least 2 percent of the largest entire vote cast for an elected candidate in the last election within the district.[4] Candidates filing nomination papers for most statewide offices must gather 2,500 signatures. For President of the United States, U.S. Senate, and governor, candidates must gather 5,000 signatures.[4][5]
For write-in candidates
Pennsylvania does not require write-in candidates to file paperwork in order to have their votes tallied.
Qualifications
Under Article II of the Pennsylvania Constitution, Senators shall be at least twenty-five years of age and Representatives twenty-one years of age. They shall have been citizens and inhabitants of their respective districts one year next before their election (unless absent on the public business of the United States or of this State) and shall reside in their respective districts during their terms of service.
Salaries and per diem
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
| State legislative salaries, 2025[6] | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $110,015.54/year | $198/day |
When sworn in
Template:PA sworn in
Open seats
The table below shows the number of open seats in each election held between 2010 and 2020.
| Open Seats in Pennsylvania State Senate elections: 2010 - 2020 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Total seats | Open seats | Seats with incumbents running for re-election |
| 2020 | 25 | 2 (8 percent) | 23 (92 percent) |
| 2018 | 25 | 4 (16 percent) | 21 (84 percent) |
| 2016 | 25 | 4 (16 percent) | 21 (84 percent) |
| 2014 | 25 | 5 (20 percent) | 20 (80 percent) |
| 2012 | 25 | 4 (16 percent) | 21 (84 percent) |
| 2010 | 25 | 3 (12 percent) | 22 (88 percent) |
Pennsylvania political history
Party control
| As of December 2025 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Members | |
| Democratic | 23 | |
| Republican | 27 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 50 | |
Trifectas
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.
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 | D |
Presidential politics in Pennsylvania
2016 Presidential election results
| U.S. presidential election, Pennsylvania, 2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | Electoral votes | |
| Democratic | Hillary Clinton/Tim Kaine | 47.5% | 2,926,441 | 0 | |
| Republican |  Donald Trump/Mike Pence |
48.2% | 2,970,733 | 20 | |
| Libertarian | Gary Johnson/Bill Weld | 2.4% | 146,715 | 0 | |
| Green | Jill Stein/Ajamu Baraka | 0.8% | 49,941 | 0 | |
| Constitution | Darrell Castle/Scott Bradley | 0.3% | 21,572 | 0 | |
| - | Other/Write-in | 0.8% | 50,076 | 0 | |
| Total Votes | 6,165,478 | 20 | |||
| Election results via: Federal Election Commission | |||||
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.[7]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Poll times
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.[8][9] The deadline for registering to vote is 15 days before the election.[8][10]
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.[11] The Pennsylvania voter registration application is available online and can be mailed to the county voter registration office.[12] On September 19, 2023, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) announced that the state had implemented automatic voter registration.[13]
Automatic registration
- See also: Automatic voter registration
Pennsylvania practices automatic voter registration.[14] Eligible individuals applying for or renewing a driver's license or ID card are automatically registered to vote.[13]
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
Pennsylvania implemented an online voter registration system in 2015.[15] Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.
Same-day registration
- See also: Same-day voter registration
Pennsylvania does not allow same-day voter registration.[16]
Residency requirements
Prospective voters must be "a resident of Pennsylvania and your election district for at least 30 days before the next election," according to the Pennsylvania Department of State.[8]
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.[8]
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.[17] 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. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. 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
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."[18][19] 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
All Pennsylvania voters are eligible to cast mail-in ballots.[20] Voters who will be away from their municipality on Election Day or have a disability or illness that prevents them from going to the polls may request an absentee ballot, which requires an excuse.[21]
A voter's application for a mail-in or absentee ballot must be received by the county election office seven days before an election. If a voter encounters an emergency, such as an unexpected illness, disability, or last-minute absence, they may apply for an emergency absentee ballot after 5 p.m. on the Tuesday before the election. The deadline to apply for an emergency ballot is 8 p.m. on election night.[22]
A completed ballot must be returned by 8 p.m. on Election Day to be counted.[21]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Pennsylvania Election Code, "25 Pa. Stat. § 2872.1 (2022)," accessed May 30, 2023
- ↑ Pennsylvania Election Code, "25 P.S. § 2870," accessed April 25, 2025
- ↑ Pennsylvania Election Code, "25 P.S. § 2873," accessed April 25, 2025
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Pennsylvania Department of State, "Instructions for filing as a candidate of a political body 2025 municipal election," accessed April 25, 2025
- ↑ Pennsylvania Election Code, "25 Pa. Stat. § 2872.2 (2022)," accessed April 25, 2025
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2025 Legislator Compensation," December 2, 2025
- ↑ FindLaw, "Pa. Stat. tit. 25, § 299," accessed December 22, 2025
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Pennsylvania Department of State, “Voter Registration Application,” accessed December 22, 2025
- ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "Voter Registration Requirements," accessed December 22, 2025
- ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "Voter Registration," accessed December 22, 2025
- ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "Register to Vote," accessed December 22, 2025
- ↑ Department of State, “Contact Your Election Officials,” accessed December 22, 2025
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 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
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Same-day Voter Registration," accessed December 22, 2025
- ↑ 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."
- ↑ Janie Valentine, "Email communication with Amy Gulli," September 10, 2024
- ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "On-Demand Mail Ballot Voting," accessed December 22, 2025
- ↑ PennLive, "Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf signs historic election reform bill into law," October 31, 2019
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Department of State, “Voting by Absentee Ballot,” accessed December 22, 2025
- ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "Emergency Absentee Ballot," accessed December 22, 2025
