PA 2022 primary coverage - Oz wins GOP Senate primary 1st count by 922 votes. Recount coming

2 p.m. Wednesday: Oz wins first vote tabulation by 922 votes; recount triggered

Pennsylvania’s top election official said Wednesday that the margin between the top two candidates in last week’s Republican primary for U.S. Senate is tight enough to trigger a statewide recount, dragging the outcome into June.

The state’s acting secretary of state, Leigh Chapman, said in a statement that the vote totals for the top two finishers — celebrity heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz and former hedge fund CEO David McCormick — fall within the margin in state law for a mandatory recount.

Oz, who is endorsed by former President Donald Trump, led McCormick by 922 votes, or 0.07 percentage points, out of 1,343,643 ballots reported by the state as of Wednesday.

Under Pennsylvania’s recount law, the separation between the candidates must be inside the law’s 0.5% margin. The Associated Press will not declare a winner in the race until the recount is complete. That could take until June 8.

Chapman’s recount order is mandatory — unless the losing candidate requests that it not be carried out. McCormick’s campaign has said it has no plans to decline a recount.

Counties will begin the recount next week and have until June 7 to finish and another day to report results to the state.

-- AP

7:21 a.m. Wednesday: McCormick ask PA Supreme Court to intervene

Former hedge fund CEO David McCormick went to Pennsylvania’s highest court Tuesday in an eleventh-hour bid to help him close the gap in votes with celebrity heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania’s neck-and-neck Republican primary contest for U.S. Senate.

McCormick’s request for the state Supreme Court’s intervention came less than four hours before Tuesday’s 5 p.m. deadline for counties to report their unofficial results to the state elections office.

A separate court battle could go to the U.S. Supreme Court, with the candidates separated by fewer than 1,000 votes.

Even so, counties will continue counting hundreds of ballots after the deadline — including provisional, military and overseas absentee ballots — and the contest is almost certainly headed for a recount that will drag into June.

In the filing with the state Supreme Court, McCormick asked justices to order counties to obey a brand-new federal appeals court decision and promptly count mail-in ballots that lack a required handwritten date on the return envelope.

There are hundreds — if not thousands — of such ballots sitting in county offices across the state, as McCormick scrapes for enough votes to overtake Oz. The justices ordered counties to respond by 4 p.m. Thursday.

-- AP

5:30 p.m. Tuesday: News conference on recount set for Wednesday

Acting Pennsylvania Secretary of State Leigh M. Chapman will hold an in-person press conference at 2:00 p.m Wednesday to provide an update on the need for a recount in the U.S. Senate Republican primary election race, according to a news release from the Pennsylvania State Department.

As of 6 p.m. Tuesday, Mehmet Oz led Dave McCormick by 985 votes.

-- Scott Fisher

3:16 p.m. Tuesday: Mastriano allowed back into closed Senate GOP meetings

GOP gubernatorial nominee Sen. Doug Mastriano was allowed back inside the state Senate Republican caucus’ closed-door meetings Monday. Mastriano, R-Franklin, had been kicked out last year after leaders concluded he had shared information that was supposed to be confidential.

“It was a leadership decision,” said Jason Thompson, spokesperson for President Pro Tempore Jake Corman, R-Centre, who had sought the nomination against Mastriano, who won the GOP nomination with nearly 44% in a nine-person field. “There are members of the caucus that requested that he be added back to caucus discussions. We evaluated that, our leadership team evaluated that, and made the decision to add him back.”

Thompson said Mastriano was made aware of the decision several weeks ago, but Monday was the first caucus to be held since then. A message seeking comment from Mastriano was left Tuesday with his Capitol staff.

-- AP

2:10 p.m. Tuesday: Most PA counties listed in McCormick mail ballot suit

About 60 of 67 county boards of elections are listed in a lawsuit filed by Republican Senate candidate Dave McCormick yesterday to compel officials to count mail-in and absentee ballots missing dates.

Voters using mail ballots put their completed ballot into one envelope, which is then put into another “secrecy envelope” they must sign and date before returning their ballots.

The lawsuit, filed late Monday in Commonwealth Court, says the ballots not being counted were “indisputably submitted on time” based on when the counties reported receiving them.

“The Boards’ only basis for disenfranchising these voters is a technical error that is immaterial under both state and federal law,” the lawsuit argues.

As of Monday, the lawsuit claims only Armstrong, Erie, Greene, Philadelphia, Schuylkill, Susquehanna and York counties have agreed to count ballots without a handwritten date.

Today is the deadline for counties to submit their early primary results, as an automatic recount is nearly certain given the razor thin margin between McCormick and celebrity heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz.

As of 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oz, who has 418,709 votes leads McCormick, 417,712, by just 997 ballots.

Meanwhile, the national and state Republican parties are taking the same side as celebrity heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania’s neck-and-neck GOP primary contest for U.S. Senate and opposing a lawsuit that could help former hedge fund CEO David McCormick close the gap in votes.

The court battle could go to the U.S. Supreme Court. McCormick’s lawsuit was filed late Monday, less than 24 hours before Tuesday’s 5 p.m. deadline for counties to report their unofficial results to the state.

In it, McCormick asked the state Commonwealth Court to require counties to obey a brand-new federal appeals court decision and promptly count mail-in ballots that lack a required handwritten date on the return envelope.

Oz, who is endorsed by former President Donald Trump, has pressed counties not to count the ballots and the Republican National Committee and state GOP said they would go to court to oppose McCormick.

In a statement, the RNC’s chief counsel, Matt Raymer, said “election laws are meant to be followed, and changing the rules when ballots are already being counted harms the integrity of our elections.”

McCormick is doing better than Oz in mail-in ballots and has insisted that “every Republican vote should count.” McCormick’s campaign chair, James Schultz, lashed out at the state party chairman, Lawrence Tabas, saying Tabas “cares so little” about Republicans who voted for McCormick.

Tabas is supposed to “grow GOP voters and bring the party together, not to cast them aside and drive wedges,” Schultz said.

Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration issued guidance Tuesday to counties saying that any ballots without dates must be counted, citing the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision from Friday.

But it also said counties should keep those ballots separate — an acknowledgment that lawyers for defendants in the federal appeals court case said they will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

McCormick’s lawsuit is the first — but likely not the last — lawsuit in the contest between Oz and McCormick.

-- Chris Ullery and AP

12:30 p.m. Tuesday: Oz lead now under 1,000

Mehmet Oz had about 418,689 votes to Dave McCormick's 417,691 votes in Pennsylvania's Republican Senate primary, a margin of just 998 ballots.

About 11% of McCormick's votes were from mail ballots, which includes absentee and no-excuse mail-in ballots, while Oz had about 7.87% of his votes from mail ballots.

-- Chris Ullery

8 p.m. Monday: McCormick sues over counting mail ballots in Pa. Senate race

David McCormick's campaign is suing in a Pennsylvania court over his neck-and-neck Republican primary contest for the U.S. Senate against celebrity heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz. McCormick is trying to ensure counties obey a brand-new federal appeals court decision.

His lawsuit, filed late Monday, asks the state's Commonwealth Court to require counties to promptly count mail-in ballots that lack a required handwritten date on the return envelope.

Oz, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, led McCormick by 992 votes, or 0.07 percentage points, out of more than 1.3 million ballots reported to the state as of Monday night. The race is close enough to trigger Pennsylvania's automatic recount law.

-- AP

3 p.m. Sunday: Fetterman released from hospital

Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, the Democratic nominee in the state’s high-profile U.S. Senate contest, has been released from the hospital after a stay of more than a week following a stroke, his wife and his campaign said Sunday.

Fetterman, 52, won the Democratic nomination while in the hospital, easily beating U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb, just hours after undergoing surgery to implant a pacemaker with a defibrillator to help him recover. Fetterman has said the stroke was caused by a heart condition called atrial fibrillation.

“João is headed home — time to rest and recover (and annoy me)!” tweeted his wife, Gisele Fetterman, who was born in Brazil and often refers to her husband with the Portuguese translation of John. “I’m so grateful for the amazing staff at Lancaster General for taking such good care of him from start to finish.”

Fetterman said in a statement he was returning home to Braddock and “could not be happier to finally be heading home to be with my family.”

-- AP

10:51 a.m. Saturday: Oz clings to vote lead

Mehmet Oz was clinging to a 1,078-vote lead over Dave McCormick in Pennsylvania's Republican U.S. Senate primary as of Saturday morning.

The race as it stands is close enough to trigger Pennsylvania’s automatic recount law.

-- Scott Fisher

10:48 a.m. Saturday: Court ruling on mail ballots could affect Senate race

A federal court ruled Friday that mail-in ballots without a required date on the return envelope must be allowed in a 2021 Pennsylvania county judge race, a decision that could complicate the ongoing process of vote counting in the state’s neck-and-neck U.S. Senate Republican primary.

Elections officials, lawyers and candidates are scrambling to understand and respond to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision, which was issued late in the day without a written opinion laying out its rationale.

It had an immediate effect in Pennsylvania’s too-close-to-call Republican primary contest for U.S. Senate, where counties are still adding up votes in the race between celebrity heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz and former hedge fund executive David McCormick.

McCormick has been doing better than Oz among mail-in ballots and McCormick’s campaign quickly wrote to the state’s 67 counties to advise them of the decision and request a hearing if they won’t count the ballots in question.

-- AP

2:53 p.m. Friday: Oz and McCormick lawyer up for recount

Locked in a near tie Friday, celebrity heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz and former hedge fund CEO David McCormick began staffing up their campaigns with recount specialists as vote counting entered a fourth day in Pennsylvania’s Republican primary for an open U.S. Senate seat.

Both campaigns have hired Washington-based lawyers to lead their recount efforts, and both have hired Philadelphia-based campaign strategists who helped lead the operation to observe vote-counting on Election Day for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign in 2020.

The two campaigns already had dozens of lawyers and volunteers fanned out around the presidential battleground state as election workers and election boards toiled through the remaining ballots.

A recount would mean that the outcome of the race might not be known until June 8, the deadline for counties to report their results to the state.

The race remained close enough to trigger Pennsylvania’s automatic recount law, with the separation between the candidates inside the law’s 0.5% margin.

-- AP

More primary coverage:Marion, Pa. Democrat given GOP ballot, was told Democratic primary was on a different day

2:15 p.m. Friday: McCormick inches closer to Oz in Senate race

A senior Dave McCormick campaign official’s optimism yesterday about the former Bridgewater CEO’s victory seems to be holding up as the gap behind Mehmet Oz continued to close Friday afternoon.

As of 2 p.m., the statewide election results website had Oz at 417,881 votes to McCormick’s 416,812 votes, a margin of just 1,069 votes. That margin was 23 votes larger two hours prior and almost 60 votes larger compared to results reported at about 8:30 a.m. Friday.

While every vote brings McCormick closer to overtaking Oz, it also increases the chances that the state will issue an automatic recount.

The state election code requires the Secretary of State to order all of the county boards of elections to conduct a recount if a candidate in a statewide election was defeated by one-half of one percent or less of the votes cast for the office.

In order to avoid an automatic recount in this race, either candidate would need to have several thousand more votes than the other to be over 0.5% of the more than nearly 1.34 million votes tallied so far.

-- Chris Ullery

12 p.m. Friday: Oz's lead over McCormick slowly shrinking

Dave McCormick continued to close the gap with Mehmet Oz in the GOP Senate primary Friday, trailing behind the Montgomery County resident by about 1,092 as of noon Friday, a lead that shrank by about 35 votes since earlier in the morning.

Oz had about 31.22% of the GOP ballots, or 417,849 votes, to McCormick's 31.14%, or 416,757 ballots.

Oz led McCormick by as much as 2,101 votes almost 24 hours ago.

A Department of State official said in an email Friday that, as of 11 a.m., there were about 8,300 Republican absentee and mail ballots uncounted across the state. About 19,500 Democratic absentee and mail ballots were also uncounted so far.

Counties have until 5 p.m. on May 24 to report unofficial results for statewide races.

-- Chris Ullery

8:30 a.m. Friday: OZ lead over McCormick shrunk slightly overnight

The former TV host Mehmet Oz leads former hedge fund CEO Dave McCormick by to 1,127 as of 8:30 a.m. Vote counting in several counties resumes this morning. Stay tuned for updates.

More: In tight GOP Senate race in PA, count will resume Friday as Oz holds slight lead over McCormick

3:50 p.m. Thursday: Oz leads McCormick by 1,245 votes

McCormick trails Oz by a razor-thin margin of just 1,245 votes, a gap a McCormick campaign official said they expect to close as more in-person, mail-in and absentee ballots are counted in over 60 precincts across the state.

As of 3 p.m. Thursday, Oz had about 31.23% of the GOP ballots, or 417,446 votes, to McCormick's 31.14%, or 416,201 ballots.

A Department of State official confirmed that as of 10 a.m. Thursday there were about 51,000 mail-in and absentee ballots yet to be counted, about 34,000 of those belonging to Democrats and 17,000 to Republicans.

Philadelphia had 30,000 ballots out; Delaware County had 4,800; Lancaster had about 3,800 ballots; Greene County had 1,777 ballots and Tioga County had 1,298 ballots uncounted.

As of now, a recount is still uncertain.

"At this point, it is still indeterminate," a Pennsylvania state department spokesperson told this news organization Thursday.

-- Chris Ullery

2:10 p.m. Thursday: 51,000 votes yet to be counted statewide

As of 2 p.m. Thursday, McCormick was behind Oz by about 1,369 votes, a margin well within the 0.5% of total votes that would trigger a recount in Pennsylvania.

Oz had about 31.24%, 416,704 votes, to McCormick’s 31.14%, 415,335 votes, in an update that came after a lull of no new updates on the state’s page for at least an hour before.

A senior campaign official with McCormick’s campaign told reporters on a press call that they were still optimistic for a win against Oz as the count continues.

The campaign official said there were still dozens of precincts across the state that had yet to report in, but added that the count had effectively ended for the day and would resume Friday.

The Department of State confirmed earlier this morning there were upwards of 51,000 votes yet to be counted in what might be the closest statewide primary in 60 years.

-- Chris Ullery

9:51 a.m. Thursday: Trump pushes Oz to declare victory in tight race

Former President Donald Trump has taken to his social media platform, Truth Social, and encouraged Dr. Mehmet Oz to declare victory in Pennsylvania as votes were still being counted Thursday morning.

CNN reported that Trump began casting aspersions on Pennsylvania's election process and repeating similar unfounded accusations of voter fraud as he did when he lost the state to President Joe Biden in 2020.

"Dr. Oz should declare victory," Trump wrote on the platform he helped create after his ban from Twitter shortly after the Jan. 6 attacks.

Trump had endorsed Oz weeks earlier for the GOP nomination in the race to replace retiring Republican Sen. Pat Toomey, but Trump's bump of support wasn't quite the boon for Oz as it was for other candidates with the former president's backing.

Some polls indicated Trump's endorsement didn't sway most voters in the Republican primary one way or another, and then came the meteoric rise of Kathy Barnette, a political commentator who surged to second place in popularity before Tuesday.

Oz has held a very slight lead of about 1,200 votes over former Bridgewater CEO Dave McCormick as of Thursday morning. Barnette is out of the running.

Pennsylvania laws trigger an automatic recount if the margin between two candidates is less than 0.5% of the total votes cast. With about 1.33 million votes cast so far, the margin between Oz and McCormick is currently just 0.09% of the votes.

Trump also blamed the current state of the GOP race on the Club for Growth, a conservative PAC that made a last-minute investment in Barnette as she became a serious contender in the primary, CNN reported.

Barnette faced a flurry of criticisms and questions over past comments about the LGBTQ and Muslim communities which may have hurt her chances at an upset victory.

-- Chris Ullery

9:44 a.m. Thursday: How mailed ballots slow results in Pennsylvania

Counting of mailed ballots in Pennsylvania is drawing renewed scrutiny amid a too-close-to-call U.S. Senate primary between Republicans David McCormick and Dr. Mehmet Oz.

Former President Donald Trump blasted the state’s elections procedures on social media Wednesday even though there are no indications of any wrongdoing with those ballots other than a printing error that was slowing the tally in one county. He has relentlessly criticized the state’s voting procedures since his loss in Pennsylvania two years ago, when it took several days to tally the results from all mailed ballots.

The head of the state association of county commissioners, the local officials who oversee the nuts-and-bolts of Pennsylvania voting, described Tuesday’s primary as “a very smooth election day” but acknowledged that the state’s 2019 law expanding the use of mailed ballots could be improved.

Until 2019, Pennsylvania allowed only limited voting using mailed ballots. Voters could receive an absentee ballot only if they could show a medical problem, planned travel or some other complication that would prevent them from voting in-person on Election Day.

A legislative deal that year put an end to straight-ticket voting, a priority of Republicans, in exchange for allowing anyone to request a ballot in the mail, a change sought by Democrats.

The mailed ballot expansion left in place the longstanding procedures for absentee ballots. But the pandemic brought much wider use of mailed ballots than anyone had anticipated, as voters sought alternatives to casting a ballot inside crowded precincts.

The state Supreme Court in 2020 allowed more ballot collection boxes and extended the period when mailed ballots would be accepted to three days after the election as long as they were mailed by Election Day. Those changes, which were temporary, fueled Trump’s claim that mailed ballots provided an opening for widespread fraud, but there is no evidence that occurred.

County officials throughout the state have been calling for changes to the 2019 law. One major problem is that it does not allow counties to begin processing mailed ballots before Election Day. Getting a head-start would allow local election workers to identify errors ahead of time and get the properly marked ballots ready to be tallied.

Not allowing that early processing creates a huge backlog of ballots to process just as local election officials have to turn their attention to Election Day voting. That creates a delay of several days — or longer — for counting mailed ballots.

Both parties generally agree the law should be amended to allow early processing of those ballots. That hasn’t happened, in part because of disagreements between the Republican-controlled Legislature and Gov. Tom Wolf, a Democrat. How much time should be allowed to receive ballots and how to address issues such as signature verification and drop boxes are among the contested changes.

Republican lawmakers have proposed linking early canvassing to a host of other election law revisions they want, including tougher voter ID requirements, changes Democrats do not support.

-- AP

5:21 p.m. Barnette blames Sean Hannity for primary loss: "flat out lies"

Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Kathy Barnette addressed her primary loss in two Twitter posts Wednesday afternoon, putting the blame almost entirely on Fox News host Sean Hannity.

Hannity was one of many prominent Republicans who raised questions about Barnette’s past as she soared ahead of McCormick in polls last week.

“Oz and I agree on this one. NEVER forget, PA, how @seanhannity intentionally interfered in our election sowing lies and disinformation,” Barnette said in a post that included a video of Oz thanking Hannity Tuesday night for his support.

In a separate video of her own, Barnette thanked the over 300,000 voters who cast a ballot for her on Tuesday, telling voters again to “never forget” Hannity’s alleged role in her loss through November.

“We have a battle. We have a battle in front of us. I will be here every step of the way, holding your hands, praying for our state and for our nation,” Barnette said. “Almost single handedly, Sean Hannity sowed deep seeds of disinformation, flat out lies every night for the past five days and that was just extremely hard to overcome, apparently.”

-- Chris Ullery

3:37 Wednesday: Oz would need about 6,556 votes more than McCormick to avoid recount

By about 3:30 Wednesday, McCormick managed to shave off about 417 votes of Oz’s lead to leave the margin between the two at just 1,684 votes.

At the most recent count, Oz had 410,501 votes to McCormick’s 408,817 votes.

Only about seven counties had not reported any mail-in ballots counted on the state’s election results webpage, leaving at least several thousand requested GOP mail-in ballots still in play.

With about 1.31 million Republican ballots cast in the GOP race for the Senate, the margin between Oz and McCormick still remains well within the threshold to trigger an automatic recount under Pennsylvania law.

If the margin between two candidates is 0.5% or less than the total votes cast in a race, a recount is triggered unless the losing candidate cedes the race. Based on the total ballots counted so far, Oz would need about 6,556 votes more than McCormick to avoid a recount.

-- Chris Ullery

3:35 p.m. Wednesday: PA's automatic recount rule has been triggered 6 times since 2004

The state election code requires the Secretary of State to order all of the county boards of elections to conduct a recount if a candidate in a statewide election was defeated by one-half of one percent or less of the votes cast for the office.

That applies unless it is waived by all the defeated candidates, according to the Pennsylvania Department of State.

The order would need to be issued by 5 p.m. of the second Thursday after the election. In this case, it would be by 5 p.m. on May 26.

The recount provision, enacted under Act 97 of 2004, has been triggered six times, with three recounts carried out, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of State said. All three recounts yielded the same result.

During a recount, the board of elections would need to use a different method to tabulate the results. It could be by hand or using a different mechanical or electronic device.

The recount is done transparently, the Pennsylvania Department of State said. The affected candidates entitled to be present or be represented by an attorney to observe the recount proceedings.

If a recount is not waived, the Secretary of State will issue the order and the department would assist each of the counties to ensure a smooth and timely process, the spokesperson said.

-- Teresa Boeckel

3:27 p.m. Wednesday: Fetterman will return as lieutenant governor May 23

Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, who suffered a stroke last week and had a pacemaker surgery the same day he won the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, said he will resume his duties on May 23.

He had temporarily passed his duties to Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman while recovering. The Wolf administration issued the following statement:

"Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman today submitted his declaration to the General Assembly that he is again able to discharge the powers and duties of the office of lieutenant governor. With this declaration, he will be able to resume the powers and duties of the office of lieutenant governor, at the expiration of four days, on May 23, 2022. Until that time, President Pro Tempore of the Senate Jake Corman will continue temporarily to assume the duties of acting lieutenant governor, per a standard process under Pennsylvania law."

-- Scott Fisher

1:29 p.m. Wednesday: Oz's lead over McCormick increases with 9K+ GOP votes yet to be tallied

As of about 1:15 Wednesday afternoon, Oz increased his lead over McCormick to about 2,101 votes, according to the state's official results site.

Oz's 409,257 votes to McCormick's 407,156 votes still puts the former TV host just fractions of a percentage point ahead of the former Bridgewater CEO.

Despite the jump in numbers, there still remain about a dozen counties without mail ballot totals reported, leaving likely well over 9,000 GOP votes yet to be tallied.

There have been approximately 1,305,979 votes cast in the Republican primary for the Senate so far. Under state laws, an automatic recount is triggered if the margin between two candidates is equal or less than 0.5% of the total votes cast.

The margin between Oz and McCormick as of 1:15 would be about 0.16% of all votes.

-- Chris Ullery

12:36 p.m. Wednesday: Worst-case recount scenario: No PA Senate winner until June 7

As of noon Wednesday, Oz’s lead over McCormick changed slightly from 1,391 votes to 1,395.

Oz now has 402,891 votes to McCormick’s 401,496 votes, with approximately 12 counties yet to report mail-in numbers for any Senate candidate on either side of the aisle.

This race might be the closest statewide primary in Pennsylvania in nearly 60 years, according to veteran political analyst Terry Madonna.

“Another close Pennsylvania one: in 1964 Genevieve Blatt defeated Michael Musmanno in the Democratic primary by around 500 votes. She lost the general election to Senator Hugh Scott,” Madonna posted to his Twitter account Wednesday morning.

Madonna told this news organization Wednesday that he thinks its too early yet to say whether a recount is a certainty given that thousands of mail-in ballots remain to be counted.

About 12 counties have not reported any mail ballots for candidates on either side of the aisle in the race for the Senate.

Pennsylvania Department of State data reported yesterday morning that approximately 142,725 Republicans had returned their mail-in ballots to their respective county boards of elections.

About 9,827 of those ballots were in those 12 counties that have yet to report, and more ballots may have been returned before the polls closed at 8 Tuesday night.

Madonna added that the losing candidate can refuse an automated recount in Pennsylvania, but said that if a recount does happen, state laws would mean a winner might not be declared until a June 7 recount deadline.

-- Chris Ullery

10:58 a.m. Wednesday: Oz lead over McCormick increases slightly - then dips

Mehmet Oz's razor-thin lead over Dave McCormick rose to 1,526, with the TV doctor garnering 402,700 votes to 401,174 for the former hedge fund CEO in Pennsylvania's GOP Senate primary. But by 11:08 a.m., Oz's lead had dipped again, to 1,395, with counties averaging just a 20 vote difference in Oz’s favor. Both candidates have about 31% of the Republican ballots cast.

Kathy Barnette is now at 86,154 votes behind McCormick, gaining few if any votes over the past few hours this morning..

-- Chris Ullery

9:27 a.m. Wednesday: How PA Senate race recount would be conducted

With the neck-and-neck U.S. Senate race on the Republican ticket, a potential recount comes into question.

In Pennsylvania, a mandatory recount occurs if the margin of victory is 0.5% of the vote or closer.

Currently, Mehmet Oz is slightly ahead of David McCormick. Oz has 402,629 votes. McCormick has 401,133 votes.

If a recount would occur, all county boards of election would conduct it. All ballots must be counted using manual, mechanical or electronic devices of a different type that was used for the specific election.

Paper ballots could be counted by hand.

-- Teresa Boeckel

9:21 a.m. Wednesday Large GOP turnout for PA primary

Republican turnout in Pennsylvania's primary Tuesday exceeded 37%, the highest midterm primary turnout in at least two decades, juiced by more than $70 million in spending on the GOP primary alone.

-- AP

9:08 a.m. Wednesday: Barnette likely led to Oz/McCormick dead heat: pundit

Political strategist Sam Chen, a founder of Allentown-based The Liddle Group, said McCormick's lead late into to Tuesday night was probably due to Kathy Barnette's recent meteoric rise in popularity.

Voters who would have otherwise hesitantly voted for Oz over McCormick suddenly had a third option as Barnette pulled ahead of McCormick in recent polls. Donald Trump's endorsement only seemed to "stabilize" Oz's chances in the primary rather than solidifying a victory as it has done in other races.

Collectively, all of those forces together have helped make an already tight race even tighter.

-- Chris Ullery

6:47 a.m. Wednesday: Is the PA Senate race headed for a recount?

Probably.

The statistical dead heat is almost certain to prompt an automatic recount, which is triggered when the margin for a statewide office less is than or equal to 0.5% of the total vote. In this election, that would equate to about 6,300 votes.

Late mail ballot counts will be a big factor in the ultimate margin of victory for either leading candidate, Mehmet Oz or Dave McCormick.

-- John Anastasi

Analysis: With Doug Mastriano's primary win, Pennsylvania GOP rejects the old guard, veers right

Mehmet Oz, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, speaks to supporters at a primary night election gathering in Newtown, Tuesday, May 17, 2022.
Mehmet Oz, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, speaks to supporters at a primary night election gathering in Newtown, Tuesday, May 17, 2022.

6:00 a.m. Wednesday: Oz now leads McCormick

In the wee hours, Dr. Mehmet Oz took the lead in the U.S. Senate Republican primary and now leads Dave McCormick by 1,496 votes. Oz has 402,629 votes to McCormick's 401,133. Those numbers are sure to change as mail ballots are counted today.

-- Scott Fisher

1:30 a.m. Wednesday: McCormick leads Oz by 32 votes

Votes continued to be counted into Wednesday morning and, if he was still awake, Dave McCormick saw his lead over Mehmet Oz in the race for U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania reduced to just 32 votes. For a contest that produced more than 1.2 million ballots, that's an incredibly thin margin.

11:49 p.m. Oz and McCormick: No result tonight

At his campaign event in Newtown, Mehmet Oz told supporters, "We are not going to have a result tonight. When all the votes are tallied, I'm confident we will win. We are making a ferocious charge. But when it's this close, what do you expect? Everything about this campaign has been tight."

He thanked "45" - President Trump. "God bless you, sir, for putting so much effort in this race."

And he also thanked Fox News host Sean Hannity, who he said was "like a brother to me," giving him advice "behind the scenes" in late-night conversations.

"We have the ability in Pennsylvania to fight for the soul of this country," Oz said.

Dave McCormick, speaking to a crowd of supporters in Pittsburgh, said, "There’s been a huge outpouring of support. We knew it. We felt it on the ground. We knew it was working. We knew our message to take back this country - we knew our message was resonating with the voters of Pennsylvania and they showed it today and we are so incredibly grateful.

"We’re going to win this campaign. And tomorrow, right now we have tens of thousands of mail-in ballots that have not been counted that are going to need to be counted beginning tomorrow. Unfortunately, we’re not going to have resolution tonight, but we can see the path ahead. We can see victory ahead and it’s all because of you, so thank you, Pennsylvania."

-- Scott Fisher and Chris Ullery

11:19 p.m. Senate race tightening: Oz vs. McCormick

In a late push, Mehmet Oz pulled to about 5,000 votes of David McCormick late Tuesday night in the Republican U.S. Senate race. McCormick had led the GOP Senate race since the polls closed. But about 18 counties were still reporting zero mail-in ballots

Oz took much of the Pocono region and performed well in Philadelphia, where he took 38% of the vote to McCormick's 25%.

Political strategist Sam Chen, a founder of Allentown-based The Liddle Group, said McCormick's lead late into to Tuesday night was probably due to Kathy Barnette's recent meteoric rise in popularity.

Voters who would have otherwise hesitantly voted for Oz over McCormick suddenly had a third option as Barnette pulled ahead of McCormick in recent polls. Donald Trump's endorsement only seemed to "stabilize" Oz's chances in the primary rather than solidifying a victory as it has done in other races.

Collectively, all of those forces together have helped make an already tight race even tighter.

-- John Anastasi and Chris Ullery

11:03 p.m. AP: Austin Davis wins Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor

Pennsylvania Democrats gave their nominee for governor his choice for second-in-command on Tuesday, selecting state Rep. Austin Davis to be their lieutenant governor candidate in the fall election.

Attorney General Josh Shapiro, the Democrats’ choice for governor, had endorsed Davis over state Rep. Brian Sims, who ran an energetic campaign but trailed well behind Davis.

In the nine-candidate Republican contest for lieutenant governor, state Rep. Carrie Lewis DelRosso of Allegheny County jumped to a lead as votes were still being counted.

Davis, a resident of McKeesport, has been a state representative since 2018 and is a former executive assistant to Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, a prominent elected Democrat.

In Pennsylvania, candidates for governor and lieutenant governor are not paired on the primary ballot, but do run as a ticket in the fall.

The lieutenant governor is the chair of the Pardons Board and is the presiding officer during state Senate sessions.

Pennsylvania voters on Tuesday also cast ballots in primary contests for 17 congressional seats. The state’s delegation to the U.S. House had been 18 — nine Democrats and nine Republicans — before one delegate was lost because of 2020 Census numbers.

-- AP

9:50 p.m. AP: Doug Mastriano wins GOP primary for Pa. governor

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Doug Mastriano has won the Republican nomination for Pennsylvania governor, overcoming an eleventh-hour push by the state’s GOP political establishment to consolidate support around an alternative in the crowded primary.

Mastriano, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump and has promoted his lies about the 2020 election, will face Democratic state Attorney General Josh Shapiro in the November general election. The incumbent, Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf, is term-limited.

Some state GOP leaders have warned that Mastriano is too extreme to defeat Shapiro in the presidential battleground state. Mastriano, a state senator and retired U.S. Army colonel, built a devoted online following by leading opposition to state-ordered shutdowns during the pandemic and taking a prominent role in the unsuccessful effort to overturn Trump’s 2020 reelection defeat.

Mastriano’s primary campaign spent almost nothing on television — ads attacking him were much more visible. Instead, he connected with far-right GOP voters through appearances on conservative broadcasters and by a tireless ground campaign that has left the state dotted with his yard signs.

Mastriano, 58, represents a Senate district based in conservative Franklin County on Pennsylvania’s southern border with Maryland. In the campaign, he emphasized his military background and Christian beliefs and shunned traditional media while criticizing the party establishment. He overcame a number of better-funded rivals with stronger establishment connections, including former U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta, former U.S. Attorney Bill McSwain, businessman Dave White and others.

"Our next objective is to defeat Josh Shapiro so we can revive our economy, achieve energy independence, lower taxes, restore law and order, and reform our failing education system," Mastriano said in a prepared statement.

"God is good," were Mastriano's first words to the crowd gathered at his election party in Chambersburg. "All the time," answered the crowd.

Mastriano said it's the Democrats who as extreme, forcing people to wear masks, shutting down the state's businesses."We're going to open up our energy sector like you've never seen it before."

Mastriano promised a list of actions "on day one," such as dropping mask and vaccine mandates, requiring school transparency. "On Day One, CRT is over." Only biological females will be allowed to compete in female sports.

Mastriano says Shapiro would continue the "deadly and dangerous and extreme policies" of Wolf.

On stage with his wife Rebecca, Doug Mastriano said Shapiro's policies are not unlike East Germany. And Queen's "We Are the Champions" is blaring over the PA after Mastriano's remarks.

"We have a massive movement the length and width of Pennsylvania," Mastriano told supporters. "You converted thousands of Democrats in this movement here. Their party left them behind."

In a tweet, GOP gubernatorial candidate Bill McSwain wrote: "Congratulations to Doug Mastriano on his victory today - I wish him well in the general election."

Mastriano supporters Mark and Corie Moore of Harrisburg said they were excited Mastriano won.

"He's very conservative. And, you know, I guess from my perspective, for decades, I'm always voting for the lesser of two evils. So in this primary and this general election will actually to get the vote for somebody who has my values, Mark Moore said.

"I think Doug stands for freedom. You know, let people make the choice. You know, I don't want to be forced to take a vaccine if I feel it's right for my child or myself, then I should have the right to do that. ... I don't want lockdowns. I don't want mandates. I don't want the government to tell me what to do. The government should be listening to the people, what they want. And that's what I haven't seen in the Democratic Party for the past several decades."

Corie Moore said, "We are capable of making decisions. We are capable of accessing whatever information, whatever research, we need to know. "

-- AP and Mike Lewis

9:37 p.m. Primary successful, but some problems reported: Acting Secretary of State Leigh Chapman

Acting Secretary of State Leigh Chapman said Tuesday night the primary was successful with minimal issues.Unofficial results are being uploaded to the state's website.

"It may take a few days for unofficial results to be completed," she said.

The Pennsylvania Department of State fielded 1,200 calls to the voter hotline, which included complaints of polls opening late, precincts running low on ballots, electioneering too close to the polling place and potential voter

intimidation, which was referred to law enforcement authorities, she said.

Three counties reported problems: Allegheny, Berks, and Lancaster counties.

In Berks County, a problem arose with the new electronic poll books, she said. Some polls opened late, and about two dozen polling places had lines. The precincts worked from a backup paper book instead, and the local court ruled that polls would remain open until  9 p.m.

In Allegheny County, some polling places ran low on ballots. The county delivered ballots to those precincts and voting continued uninterrupted, Chapman said.

In Lancaster County, election officials found that many of the mail ballots had an incorrect code and could not be read by the scanner. Teams will hand mark new ballots. One will read off the original ballot and another will mark the new ballot. An observer will ensure that the remarked ballot is accurate, she said.

Isolated reports of voter intimidation came in from Philadelphia, Bucks, Mifflin, and Allegheny counties. She said they were addressed by the appropriate law enforcement agencies.

Chapman thanked many involved in the process, from the election directors to poll workers to voters.

-- Teresa Boeckel

9:18 p.m. Mastriano takes the lead in GOP governor's race

Republican Doug Mastriano has surged to the lead in the race for governor, with 15,000 more votes than William McSwain, whose second position is narrowing as Lou Barletta closes in.

-- John Anastasi

8:57 p.m. AP: John Fetterman wins Democratic primary for U.S. Senate

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman has won the state’s Democratic primary for U.S. Senate just days after suffering a stroke.

The 52-year-old Fetterman defeated U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb and state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta on Tuesday to advance to November’s general election. He will face the winner of a hotly contested Republican primary that includes Dr. Mehmet Oz, ex-hedge fund CEO David McCormick and community activist Kathy Barnette.

Fetterman suffered a stroke Friday, injecting uncertainty into the Democratic primary race that for weeks had been shaping up as a runaway. He said he is on his way to a “full recovery” but will remain in the hospital for a while.

Fetterman, a former mayor of Braddock, is a progressive who has vowed to be a reliable vote for organized labor and liberal causes in Washington. Democrats see the seat being vacated by retiring Republican U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey as among their best pickup opportunities in the country.

-- AP

8:34 p.m. McSwain takes early lead in GOP governor primary

For governor, Republican candidate William McSwain is leading with 8,125 votes followed by Melissa Hart with 5,249 votes.

-- Teresa Boeckel

8:24 p.m. Early returns: Fetterman and McCormick lead in Senate races

For the U.S. Senate race, on the Democratic ticket, John Fetterman is leading with 75,735 votes. Conor Lamb is trailing with 47,898. On the Republican ticket, David McCormick leads with 10,817 votes, followed by Mehmet Oz with 6,709. Kathy Barnette is running in third.

-- Teresa Boeckel

8:20 p.m. AP: Shapiro wins Dem primary for Pa. governor

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania Democrats have made their choice for governor official, handing the nomination to second-term state Attorney General Josh Shapiro.

Shapiro was unopposed for the Democratic nomination. The incumbent, Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf, is term-limited.

Shapiro, 48, from the Philadelphia suburb of Abington, spent the primary campaign season raising money and working to boost his pick for lieutenant governor ahead of what is expected to be a grueling fall campaign.

He is a former state lawmaker and county commissioner whose record as attorney general includes the production of a 2018 report into child sexual abuse among the state’s Catholic churches.

-- AP

7:20 p.m. Fetterman tweets after pacemaker surgery

After undergoing pacemaker surgery, Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, a Democrat running for U.S. Senate tweeted, “I just got out of a procedure to implant a pacemaker with a defibrillator in my heart.”

Fetterman said the procedure was “successful” and he is “on track for a full recovery.”

-- Kaity Assaf

6:44 p.m. Jake Corman filling in as acting lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania

President Pro Tempore of the Senate Jake Corman will temporarily assume the duties of acting lieutenant governor, the Wolf administration announced Tuesday.

The news comes as Lt. Gov. John Fetterman will be undergoing a medical procedure. He will be getting a pacemaker after recently suffering a stroke.

"We continue to wish the lieutenant governor the very best as he continues to focus on his health and recovery. However, as the lieutenant governor undergoes a standard procedure, there is a process in place to ensure that our government remains fully operational," Gov. Tom Wolf said in a news release. "This is a short-term transfer of power, and we hope and expect the lieutenant governor to resume his duties very soon."

A declaration was sent this afternoon from a majority of the designated cabinet secretaries and the President Pro Tempore to the General Assembly stating that the lieutenant governor is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, according to the news release.

Fetterman can return to his job four days after a written declaration is sent by his office to the General Assembly noting that no disability exists, the release states.

-- Teresa Boeckel

4:20 p.m. Fetterman voters swing to Lamb due to stroke

While John Fetterman was still considered the frontrunner in the Democratic primary for Senate, his recent illness will cost him some votes. Fetterman was undergoing surgery to have a pacemaker put in to help with his irregular heartbeat on Tuesday, his campaign announced. His health was a deciding factor for one Bucks County couple.

Jake and Beverly Argenti said it's important to them to vote in every election. And because they follow the news, they shifted their vote for Fetterman to U. S. Rep. Conor Lamb, of suburban Pittsburgh. It was headlines a few days ago when Fetterman announced he had a stroke.

“That’s a shame because (Fetterman’s) a good guy,” Jake Argenti said. “But we need a guy who’s 100-percent up to the job. After something like that, I’m not sure anyone would be up for the job."

-- JD Mullane

3:50 p.m. Lancaster County mail ballot issue will delay primary results

It will take several days for Lancaster County to count all of the mail ballots because some of them will not scan, officials announced at a news conference Tuesday.

Elections officials found Tuesday morning that many of the mail ballots would not scan because they contained the wrong identification code, according to a news release. It's a similar problem that the county faced in the 2021 primary with a different mail ballot vendor, which the county fired.

Read more here.

-- Teresa Boeckel

3:17 p.m. Fetterman undergoes pacemaker surgery on primary day

Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, a Democrat running for U.S. Senate, is about to undergo a standard procedure to implant a pacemaker with a defibrillator following his stroke last week.

In a statement, Fetterman’s campaign said, “It should be a short procedure that will help protect his heart and address the underlying cause of his stroke, atrial fibrillation (A-fib), by regulating his heart rate and rhythm."

What is a pacemaker?

According to Stanford Health Care, a pacemaker is a small, battery-powered device that delivers mild electrical signals to the heart to help it beat at a normal rate and pump more effectively. When a pacemaker detects an abnormal heart rhythm, such as low heart rate, the device sends an electric pulse to the heart. The pulse stimulates the heart to beat faster, keeping its beat at a normal rate.

How dangerous is the surgery?

There is a risk of bleeding and bruising, damage to the artery, nerves and veins requiring surgery or transfusions, blood clots and swelling and infection.

According to Stanford Health Care, “there is a risk of damage to the lead so repetitive motion on the side of the pacemaker should be avoided long-term.”

Other possible risks of pacemaker insertion include, but are not limited to, bleeding from the incision site, damage to the vessel at the insertion site, infection of the incision site and pneumothorax – air becomes trapped in the pleural space causing the lung to collapse.

-- Kaity Assaf

2:44 p.m. What's the difference between a mail-in or absentee ballot?

Many Pa. voters are searching for info. on absentee ballots.

Here is the difference between the two terms:

No excuse is needed for a mail-in ballot, but an absentee one requires a reason, such as a disability, an illness or a vacation that will prevent a voter from being able to go to the polls on election day.

-- Kaity Assaf

2:10 p.m. In the Poconos, support for Zama

In the Poconos, the pandemic and new district boundaries were top of mind.

Campaigning for Republican Rosemary Brown outside the Lake Township polling place Tuesday morning, Chief of Staff Mackenzie Muller commented that many voters she'd spoken with were unaware their township was now part of the 40th. Brown is running to replace outgoing Senator Mario Scavello in the 40th Senatorial District, which was redrawn and now includes areas of Wayne and Lackawanna counties, in addition to all of Monroe.Ed Kuschner, a Monroe County voter who said that he supported the "America first" agenda, called Dr. Nche Zama the "most intelligent man" on the Republican ticket for governor. Zama is a cardiothoracic surgeon who previously worked at Pocono Medical Center.

"He's a critical thinker, a conservative and he can get things done. I love the fact that he is an outsider and can't be bought.  Most importantly, we need someone that can defeat Josh Shapiro." Kuschner said, adding that a Shapiro victory would equate to four more years of "radical left" agenda.

"I don't want to get locked down again. I built a business for 35 years and lost it to Tom Wolf." He said. "If I had my business in Florida, I would have been thriving. Instead, I had to shut down and lose all my employees."

-- David Mazzenga and Maria Francis

1:33 p.m. Low Erie County turnout doesn't worry Clerk of Elections

At the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center/Bayfront NATO, 312 Chestnut St., in Erie, which houses Erie's fourth ward, first precinct, fewer than 50 voters out of 715 registered at the precinct cast their ballots by 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

That's a turnout percentage of just under 7%. Johnnie Johnson isn't surprised.

"It's been like this for the last couple of years," said Johnson, majority inspector at the precinct. "They just don't come out to vote."

But Julie Slomski, Erie County's clerk of elections, said the sparse in-person turnout is on par with what she's seen in past primaries.

In the past two days, Slomski said the ballot drop-off box in front of the Erie County Courthouse has seen some heavy traffic.

"We feel like we’re right on point at this point, especially with these mail-in ballots coming in," Slomski said. "Sure, typical elections prior to 2020 were behind, but with the mail-in ballots, we’re pretty much right on track as expected."

As of 4 p.m., Albion Borough saw 16% of its voters, Erie's fourth ward, second precinct saw nearly 5% of voters and Millcreek's 20th district saw around 17% of its voters, a percentage that doubled in the past two hours. Other polling precincts saw similar turnout percentages by mid-afternoon.

As Slomski's team works through the mail-in ballots, she's confident polling numbers will play out as normal.

"Our pre-canvassing team has been working since 9 a.m. opening up all those ballots, scanning them and we’ll have those numbers ready after the polls close this evening," she said.

-- Baylee Demuth

1:15 p.m. Absentee, mail-in ballot canvassing livestreamed

Pike County election officials began livestreaming absentee and mail-in ballot canvassing at 8:30 a.m. on YouTube. During canvassing, workers open and process mailed ballots. 37 states allow for mailed ballot canvassing prior to election day. Pennsylvania permits the process to begin on election day, before polls close.

The Board of Elections broadcasted for over four hours in the Commissioners Meeting Room in Milford.

In-person turnout appeared light around midday in Stroudsburg at the Pocono Family YMCA and the Monroe County Administrative Center.

However, lots of voters were dropping off mail ballots at the administrative center, said Linda Schwartz, a longtime volunteer with the Monroe County Democratic Party.

Voters can drop off mail ballots anywhere in the county, she noted, so it may have been a convenient drop-off location for more than just the borough’s residents.

Candidate for Democratic State Committee Jacob Pride was at a polling location in Middle Smithfield Township volunteering for his party.

"It's been a relatively slow day, but we expect things to pick up." Pride told reporters Tuesday morning. "There's a lot of mail-in ballots that are in."

-- Ashley Fontones, Kathryne Rubright and Maria Francis

12:40 p.m. Trump looms large for PA GOP primary voters

While former President Donald Trump wasn't on the ballot Tuesday, he still loomed large over the primary. He was definitely on the mind of some voters.

While turnout was far from overwhelming in the early hours after the polls opened, GOP voters were out in Bucks County, outside of Philadelphia.

“Republicans, mostly,” said a poll worker at Manor Elementary School in Falls. About half-dozen Republicans there said they were voting for candidates they believe will fully support and implement former President Trump’s “Make America Great Again” agenda, from taking on China, to improving the economy and taming inflation, especially gas and food.

More:Pa. Election: Donald Trump gives thoughts on Oz, McCormick, Mastriano and fraud

Among them was Cathy Poapst, who said she cast votes for Doug Mastriano for governor and Dave McCormick for U.S. Senate. She said Kathy Barnette, the breakthrough MAGA candidate for Senate running against McCormick, doesn’t sit right with her.

“I didn’t like the things I’ve heard about (Barnette) in the last few weeks,” Poapst said, citing Barnette’s criticisms of former President Trump.

“I stand with Trump because our (southern) border is wide open, it’s a security threat,” she said. “I know Trump isn’t perfect, but we need to make our country great for everyone.”

-- JD Mullane

12:05 p.m. Voter on Dr. Oz: "He just seems wishy-washy."

Nick Zarnowski, a 78-year-old retired truck driver from Windsor Township, York County, said he liked where Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kathy Barnette stood on the issues, but he thought she was too extreme to win a general election.

"If it just came down to issues, I'd vote for her," he said. "But if she can't get elected, that's a big one."

He voted for McCormick because of that. And for another reason. "I couldn't handle Dr. Oz. He's not even American. And I wanted a veteran in there, and McCormick's a veteran," said Zarnowski, who served in the Army from 1965 to 1967.

Calvin Itzaina, a 65-year-old retired fire truck mechanic who just moved back home to Windsor Township from Napa, California, also supported McCormick, echoing the concerns of a lot of GOP voters that Barnette could not win the general election.

"It seems like she has a lot of history out there," he said. "I do like her, though.

As for Oz, he said he doesn't trust the TV doctor.

"I don't know that he's got a lot of (convictions)," he said. "He just seems wishy-washy. I know Trump endorsed him, but I don't always do what he says."

Trump's endorsement led Brendan Richardson, a 33-year-old facilities manager, away from Oz.

"When Trump endorsed Oz, it turned him into a wrecking ball or a leper," he said. "I think (McCormick) has a better chance with moderate Republican voters in the general election."

11:55 a.m. Cambria County House primary in focus

In increasingly red Cambria County, the primary could impact whether Pennsylvania's 72nd Legislative District seat remains blue.

Moderate Democrat state Rep. Frank Burns, East Taylor Township, faces a test today from Michael Cashaw, a Black political newcomer who serves as president of Johnstown Rotary Club and has the backing of the city's business and civic community. Burns became immersed in local controversy this year when he criticized an unadvertised plan by nonprofit leaders to bring Afghan refugees to Johnstown.

The campaign has been notably negative. Cashaw has characterized Burns as anti-immigrant, while Burns has made backhanded reference to Cashaw's admission of a 2002 child endangerment charge by touting his support for a bill that would bar those convicted of domestic violence from running for office.

Ranae Billow — another political newcomer who works in health care, has organized anti-vaccine mandate rallies, and characterizes herself as anti-abortion and pro-Second Amendment — is unopposed in the GOP primary.

Republicans in Cambria County outnumber Democrats by approximately 7,000 voters. The county had been solidly blue for decades before tilting in the GOP's favor in 2020.

-- Bruce Siwy

11:06 a.m. Anti-incumbent sentiment in York County state House race

Wendy Fink spent the morning handing out literature and greeting voters at Emanuel Lutheran Church at the intersection of Freysville and Windsor roads in Windsor Township, York County. She was feeling confident. She said her campaign had 80 volunteers manning every polling place in the district. She said, "People are eager for a change."

The race, the first challenge Republican state Rep. Stan Saylor, has faced in years, was steeped in some dirty politics. Nick Zarnowski, a 78-year-old retired truck driver, said he got robo-calls from the Saylor campaign that asserted that Fink was being backed by "a left-wing millionaire from Philadelphia."

Zarnowski wasn't buying it. He voted for Fink. If Saylor was counting on his seniority in Harrisburg - now in his 14th two-year term in office, he's a member of the GOP leadership in the House and chairs the powerful appropriations committee - that may have worked against him among voters who supported Fink.

"He's been promising things for 28 years," said Zarnowski, standing outside the polling place at Grace Baptist Church on East Prospect Road, where Fink's husband Jason was handing out campaign literature. "He promises, and promises, and promises. It's time for Stan (to go). The thing people don't understand is we're not his employees; he's our employee, and we hire him in places like this."

Brendan Richardson, a 33-year-old facilities manager, said he believes Saylor has been in office too long and has become complacent. As he left the polls at Emanuel Church, he said he believed the state House needed "new blood." He said, "I don't consider myself very Trumpy, but that was one thing I liked about him."

-- Mike Argento

10:41 a.m. Bucks County in-person voter, 80: "Mail in is a bunch of bull"

In Bucks County, residents wanted a voice at the polls, and more than 60,000 had requested mail-ballots ahead of Tuesday, but at least one long-term voter isn't convinced she likes Pennsylvania's relatively new no-excuse, mail-in balloting.

At 80, Marguerite Butler bragged at her 50-plus year in-person voting history. Even with a bad hip and a walk assisted with a cane, she said she would never consider casting a mail-in ballot, as her friend suggested.

“If I can’t go to that poll, I don’t vote,” she said. “Mail in is a bunch of bull.”

Stephanie Inselberg, a Republican state committee candidate with Trump-aligned “America First” organization manned a table promoting candidates backed by the group, including GOP gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano, who she called the Ron DeSantis of Pennsylvania.

In her door-knocking campaign, Inselberg said that she is hearing people feel the GOP party needs a change in leadership.

“They’re interested in themselves,” she said. “We the people are pissed.”

-- Jo Ciavaglia

9:57 a.m. Montgomery County voters focused on civil liberties

Civil liberties, human rights, and the state of democracy were on the ballot for many voters in Abington on Tuesday morning.

Marie Siroli, of Abington, said the election came down to a “love of humanity.”

“I am very frightened for the state of our democracy,” said Siroli. “Women’s rights are hanging by a thread. I will do what I can to defend the rights of women.”

Amy Hart, of Abington, said it was critical to secure Pennsylvania’s second U.S. Senate seat for Democrats.

“We need to turn that seat blue because basic human rights are at stake,” said Hart.

And she was not thrilled with any of the Republican candidates for U.S. Senate or governor of Pennsylvania. “We don’t want to be talking anymore about how crazy our politicians are.”

Joe Conahan, of Abington, echoed those sentiments. “There are claims about voter fraud and it’s really hurting our country,” he said.

For Conahan, any move to restrict the reproductive rights of women would be just a stepping stone to actions against other groups. “If they take away the rights of women, what’s next?” he said.  “Are we going to see them going after the LGBT community and minority groups.”

-- James McGinnis

8:49 a.m. Josh Shapiro tests positive for COVID-19

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Josh Shapiro has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a statement from his campaign:

"On Monday evening, after taking a precautionary test ahead of his trip to Johnstown and Pittsburgh, Attorney General Josh Shapiro tested positive for COVID-19. Attorney General Shapiro is currently experiencing mild symptoms, and he plans to continue his work of serving the people of Pennsylvania as he isolates at home. Attorney General Shapiro will be back on the campaign trail next week and will kick off the general election campaign in Johnstown.”

Shapiro was due in Abington, Montgomery County, to vote around 9:30. His announcement came out about his COVID diagnosis about an hour before.

Shapiro is now the second statewide candidate who won't be able to attend an election night party because of illness, as Democratic U.S. Senate candidate John Fetterman suffered a stroke last week and is recovering in Lancaster General Hospital. His wife, Gisele, will attend his election night party in Pittsburgh.

-- Scott Fisher

What you need to know about voting today

Pennsylvania's primary election is being held today. Voters will be nominating candidates for top seats in the state, including U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor and lieutenant governor, as well as the state General Assembly.

Here's what you need to know:

Teresa Costa, of Ivyland, fills out her ballot, as voters go to the polls during the primary elections, in Northampton, on Tuesday, May 17, 2022.
Teresa Costa, of Ivyland, fills out her ballot, as voters go to the polls during the primary elections, in Northampton, on Tuesday, May 17, 2022.

Polls: They will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. statewide. Many counties also offer drop boxes where voters can take their completed mail-in ballots. You can also return your mail ballots to the elections office in your county. Check your county website for locations and times.

Where do you vote? The state has a website that helps voters find their polling place. Begin by typing the county of residence and city in the dropdown menus. Then enter the street name, the house number and ZIP code.

Election 2022: Your guide to the Pennsylvania primary

Voting in Pa.:You have primary questions? We have answers

Who is on the ballot statewide?

U.S. Senate: It's a crowded field on both major party tickets to fill the seat being vacated by the retiring Republican Sen. Pat Toomey.

The Democratic candidates are:

  • John Fetterman

  • Conor Lamb

  • Malcolm Kenyatta

  • Alex Khalil

The Republican candidates are:

  • Kathy Barnette

  • Jeff Bartos

  • George Bochetto

  • Sean Gale

  • Dave McCormick

  • Mehmet Oz

  • Carla Sands

Governor: This is another hotly contested race, as Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf's second term ends this year.

Just one Democratic candidate is running for the position: Josh Shapiro.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro is the lone candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor in the May 17 primary.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro is the lone candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor in the May 17 primary.

The Republican candidates are:

  • Lou Barletta

  • Jake Corman (he is still on the ballot but has dropped out of the race)

  • Joe Gale

  • Charlie Gerow

  • Melissa Hart (she is still on the ballot but has dropped out of the race)

  • Douglas V. Mastriano

  • Bill McSwain

  • Jason Richey

  • Dave White

  • Nche Zama

Lieutenant governor

The Democratic candidates are:

  • Austin Davis

  • Brian Sims

  • Ray Sosa

The Republican candidates are:

  • John Brown

  • Jeff Coleman

  • Teddy Daniels

  • Carrie Lewis DelRosso

  • Russ Diamond

  • Chris Frye

  • James Earl Jones

  • Rick Saccone

  • Clarice Schillinger

-- Kaity Assaf

2022 Pennsylvania Elections: Profiles of the leading candidates for Pa. governor and U.S. Senate

Election results

There are many ways to find results on election night, including the Pennsylvania Department of State website, your county elections office and, of course, your USA Today Network newspaper website.

-- Kaity Assaf

Know your voting rights

Can I drop off a completed mail-in ballot at my polling place? No.

Can I take a selfie in the voting booth? Pennsylvania allows people to take selfies in the voting booth, and photos both inside and outside your polling place, but the state strongly discourages photos of other people voting, according to the Pennsylvania Secretary of State. It is also recommended that you wait until you've left a polling place before posting photos on social media.

Do I need to show ID at my polling place? Only if you are voting for the first time at a new polling place. Otherwise, voters are not required to show identification. There have been efforts by state Republicans to require Pennsylvania voters to show ID every time they vote, but no changes have been made to the state's election law.

Voting questions: Should Pa. voters show ID every time they vote? Two Republican lawmakers want a referendum

What do I do if someone tries to challenge my right to vote? The only people allowed to challenge a voter's qualifications to vote are poll workers and poll watchers, who must direct any good-faith challenges to an elector's "identity, continued residence in the election district, or qualifications as an eligible voter" to the judge of elections only, not the voter. The decision ultimately rests with the judge of elections. But, in most cases, a voter would be provided a provisional ballot and permitted to vote. Election workers would later determine if the voter is indeed registered to vote and, depending on their decision, either include or exclude the ballot in the official count. Poll workers include inspectors, clerks and election judges. Poll watchers are people appointed by a candidate or political party to observe the voting process. Poll watchers cannot, however, engage or intimidate a voter, especially in an effort to influence how they vote. Poll watchers are not permitted near the space where a voter casts their ballot. If you are the victim of or witness any type of voter intimidation, report it immediately to the Board of Elections or the district attorney.

A voter walks into the York city polling place at the Yorktown Park Center on Kelly Drive,
A voter walks into the York city polling place at the Yorktown Park Center on Kelly Drive,

What is considered voter intimidation or discriminatory conduct? The Secretary of State's Office lists the following:

  • Aggressive or threatening behavior inside or outside the polling place.

  • Blocking or interfering with access to the entrance or exit to the polling place; accessible accommodations for voters with disabilities; voter sign-in tables or voting booths/voting machines.

  • Direct confrontation or questioning of voters, including asking voters for documentation or proof of eligibility, when none is required.

  • Disrupting voting lines inside or outside of the polling place.

  • Disseminating false or misleading election information, including information on voting eligibility, polling place procedures, polling place hours or voting methods.

  • Election workers treating a voter differently in any way based on race, ethnicity, national origin, language, disability or religion.

  • Aggressive or threatening brandishing of weapons.

  • Photographing or videotaping voters to intimidate them.

  • Posting signs in the polling place to intimidate voters or drive support for a candidate.

  • Routine and frivolous challenges to voter's eligibility by election workers or private citizens that are made without a stated good-faith basis.

  • Questioning voters about citizenship, criminal record or political choices.

  • Using raised voices, screaming, yelling or shouting; use of insulting, offensive or threatening language; chanting taunts, or threatening songs inside the polling place.

  • Vandalism of polling places or polling place equipment/materials.

  • Verbal or physical confrontation of voters by persons dressed in official-looking uniforms.

  • Falsely representing oneself as an election official or law enforcement authority.

  • Violence or using the threat of violence to interfere with a person's right to vote.

  • Interfering with or violating a voter's right to a secret ballot at any point in the process.

-- Matt Rink

Check out this USA Today Network 2022 campaign coverage:

‘Reprehensible’: Dr. Oz condemns GOP opponent Kathy Barnette’s tweet on Islam

Who is Kathy Barnette? Questions rising amid popularity in Senate race

On the PA campaign trail: Trump crowd gives Oz lukewarm reception; Barnette gaining traction

PA Senate candidate Sands: She voted by mail twice in 2021 but now wants mail-in ballots outlawed

Trump endorses: Mastriano gets Trump bump in Pennsylvania gubernatorial primary

Debate: The PA Republican US Senate candidates debated twice this week: Here's what we learned

On the campaign trail: Highlights from the race for U.S. Senate, Pennsylvania governor

Breaking: Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, Pa. Democrat running for Senate, suffered stroke

Stroke:What do we know about Senate candidate John Fetterman's diagnosis?

Testy debate: On PA campaign trail: GOP Senate candidates get nasty, Fetterman a solid frontrunner

Jake Corman: He dropped out of PA governor race, endorsed Lou Barletta to stop Mastriano

Celebrities? Outsiders? Oz, Fetterman (and Trump) put fame to the test in Pennsylvania primary

Spotlight PA: Pa.'s richest person has spent at least $18 million on the primary - mostly to influence one issue

More:Fairview businessman declares victory, set to take on GOP incumbent Mike Kelly for House seat

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Live updates: Pennsylvania primary 2022 coverage