Pennsylvania 2026 Election: What's on the Ballot, the Oct. 27 Mail Ballot Deadline and Voting in One Visit

Pennsylvania voters elect a governor and lieutenant governor on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, and the most important date before then is Tuesday, Oct. 27. That is the last day, by 5 p.m., to apply for a mail ballot, according to the Pennsylvania Department of State. Completed mail ballots must reach your county election office by 8 p.m. on Election Day; one that arrives later is not counted, whatever its postmark.

What’s on the ballot

Race	Seats
Governor and lieutenant governor (joint ticket)	1
U.S. House	All 17 districts
State Senate	25 of 50 seats
State House	All 203 seats

There is no U.S. Senate race in Pennsylvania this year; the state’s seats are next up in 2028 and 2030. There is also no statewide judicial election, because Pennsylvania elects and retains appellate judges in odd-numbered years; the last round was in November 2025. The attorney general, treasurer and auditor general are not on the 2026 ballot either.

The Department of State lists no statewide ballot question for Nov. 3. Many counties and municipalities have local questions, so check your county’s sample ballot. The Department of State publishes the certified candidate list for each race.

Key dates

Date	What
Mon., Oct. 19	Registration deadline (passed); Pennsylvania has no same-day registration
Tue., Oct. 27, 5 p.m.	Last day for your county to receive a mail ballot application
Tue., Nov. 3, 7 a.m.-8 p.m.	Election Day; mail ballots must be received by 8 p.m.

Vote early in one visit

Pennsylvania does not have early voting at polling places. What it does have is on-demand mail voting: until the Oct. 27 deadline, you can go to your county election office, apply for a mail ballot, receive it, fill it out and hand it back in the same visit. Hours vary by county, so check before you go.

If you already have a mail ballot:

• Put it in the inner secrecy envelope, then the outer return envelope.
• Sign and date the declaration on the outer envelope.
• Return it by mail early, or drop it off at your county election office or an official drop box where your county offers them, by 8 p.m. on Nov. 3.

You can track your ballot on the state’s Mail Ballot Status page. If you requested a mail ballot but want to vote in person, bring the ballot and both envelopes to your polling place so they can be voided; otherwise you will vote a provisional ballot.

ID rules

Pennsylvania asks for ID only from voters appearing at a polling place for the first time, including those voting for the first time after a move. Accepted photo IDs include a Pennsylvania driver’s license or PennDOT ID, a U.S. passport, a military ID, a student ID and an employee ID. Non-photo options include a voter registration card, a current utility bill, a bank statement, a paycheck or a government check, as long as they show your name and address. Mail ballot applications require your driver’s license number or the last four digits of your Social Security number.

Why results may take a while

State law does not let counties begin processing mail ballots until 7 a.m. on Election Day, so in-person votes are often counted first and mail ballots later. Polls close at 8 p.m. Eastern; see poll closing times by state. For other states’ rules, see mail ballot deadlines by state, and for a neighboring battleground, the Michigan ballot guide.

Look up your ballot with our sample ballot guide, print the Pennsylvania checklist below, and mark Oct. 27 on our October printable calendar and Nov. 3 on the November calendar.