Election 2022: Your guide to the Pennsylvania primary

Crissa Shoemaker DeBree and Teresa Boeckel, York Daily Record
·3 min read

All eyes are on Pennsylvania this election season, and voters will head to the polls in a few shorts weeks to choose their party's candidates for U.S Senate, governor, Congress and General Assembly.

The May 17 primary ballots are crowded at the top of the ticket, with 11 candidates vying for retiring Sen. Pat Toomey's seat — four Democrats, including current Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, and seven Republicans, including retired hedge fund CEO David McCormick, and celebrity Dr. Mehmet Oz.

For governor, nine Republicans are running for a chance to face Attorney General Josh Shapiro, the lone Democrat on the primary ticket, in the fall.

To help you make informed decisions at the polls, the York Daily Record, the Lebanon Daily News and other newspapers in the USA Today Network sent questionnaires to candidates running in the Pennsylvania primary, asking them their stances on issues from combating rising energy costs to immigration to police and education reform.

Read on to learn more.

Top issues in Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate race

With costs rising for everything from a gallon of gas to a cart full of groceries, inflation is among the top issues candidates for U.S. Senate are pledging to address.

U.S. Senate:Your guide to the race for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania

Crowded field for Pennsylvania governor, lieutenant governor

Pennsylvania chooses its governor and lieutenant governor nominees separately in the primary election, but the winning duos will run on a single ticket in the November election.

Voters will have a lot to choose from. Twelve candidates are running for lieutenant governor. Ten are running for governor, all but one of them a Republican.

Pennsylvania governor:Election 2022: Your guide to the primary election for Pennsylvania governor

Lieutenant governorElection 2022: Your guide to the primary election for Pennsylvania lieutenant governor

Two Democratic candidates to square off in 10th Congressional District

Two Democratic candidates − Rick Coplen and Shamaine Daniels − are running for the seat held by U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, an incumbent Republican.

Whoever wins will face Perry in the fall. He does not face a challenger on the Republican ticket in the primary.

Congressional race:Your guide to the 10th Congressional race

Who will represent York and Lebanon counties in the General Assembly?

Redistricting has shaken up the Pennsylvania Legislature, and some longtime incumbents are facing challengers in the primary. Voters also will see some newcomers.

47th district:Your guide to the 47th state House race

94th district:Here's who's running for the 94th state House seat

98th district:Three Republicans vye for 98th state House seat

169th districtTwo Republicans vying for 169th state House seat

How can I vote in the Pennsylvania primary?

Pennsylvania has a closed primary, meaning only voters registered as Democrats or Republicans can vote for their party's nominees on May 17.

To check your registration status, or update your address, party affiliation or other information, visit vote.pa.gov.

Not registered? You can do so online before May 2, or visit any county voter registration office, county assistance offices; Women, Infants & Children program offices; PennDOT photo and drivers’ license centers; Armed Forces recruitment centers; county clerk of orphans’ courts or marriage license offices; area agencies on aging; county mental health and intellectual disabilities offices; student disability services offices of the State System of Higher Education; offices of special education in high schools; and Americans with Disabilities Act-mandated complementary paratransit providers.

Can I vote by mail?

Despite a court challenge to Pennsylvania's mail-in ballot expansion, the opportunity to vote by mail still exists for the primary election.

Registered voters can request a mail-in or absentee ballot online. Applications must be received by a voter’s county election board by 5 p.m. May 10.

Voted mail ballots must be received by county election offices by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Postmarks do not count.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: PA Voters Guide 2022: Where the primary candidates stand