Primary vs. general election

The primary (May) decides which candidate from each party will appear on the November general election ballot. The general (November) is the real election: it decides who wins office.

Why PA's closed primary matters

Pennsylvania is one of nine states with fully closed primaries. That means:

• Only registered Democrats can vote in the Democratic primary.
• Only registered Republicans can vote in the Republican primary.
• Registered Independents and third-party voters CANNOT vote in either primary (except for ballot questions and judicial retention).
• You can change your party registration up to the voter-registration deadline before the primary (May 4, 2026).

This has real strategic implications: in safely-Democratic districts (most of Philly) or safely-Republican districts (much of rural PA), the primary is often the ‘real’ election: whoever wins it will win in November. Independent voters in those districts are effectively silenced unless they register with a party by the deadline.

All voters vote in the general

On November 3, every registered Pennsylvania voter — D, R, Independent, or third party — gets the same ballot and votes for the offices and candidates of their choice regardless of party.