Pennsylvania absentee voting underway in some counties
Pennsylvania's 19 Electoral College votes are up for grabs in the 2024 presidential election with absentee voting in the Keystone State underway for some voters there.
Pennsylvania was one of three Rust Belt states that flipped from the Democrats to former President Trump and Republicans in 2016, then back to President Biden four years later. In each case, the margin was thin with less than 100,000 votes separating the main candidates.
The state has also been critical to each president’s pathway to victory. It has the largest population and the most Electoral College votes of the seven most competitive states in the Fox News Power Rankings.
A recent Fox News survey has the race tied, with Democrat nominee Vice President Harris and Trump each receiving support from 49% of likely voters.
The bulk of the Democrat vote comes from the "bookends" of the state, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, where Harris will likely perform well among Black and suburban voters.
Trump makes up for that with White rural and non-college-educated voters who live in the middle of the state. The former president has brought these voters out to the ballot box twice, and a Pennsylvania-heavy rally schedule shows he is looking to do that again.
Pennsylvania is ranked "Toss-Up" in the Fox News Power Rankings.
The Keystone State also has a U.S. Senate race on the ballot. Democrat Sen. Bob Casey has won three elections before, but securing a fourth will be more difficult with White working-class voters drifting away from his party. Republicans are hoping businessman Dave McCormick will connect with them. That race is ranked "Leans Dem."
Pennsylvania is also home to a handful of competitive U.S. House races led by:
This is a guide to registration and early voting. For comprehensive and up-to-date information on voter eligibility, processes and deadlines, please go to Vote.gov and the election website for Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania has what it describes as "On-Demand Mail Ballot Voting," which allows registered voters to apply for mail ballots while at their county election office or other designated locations and then complete and submit the ballots while there.
Mail ballots can be submitted in-person until 8 p.m. on Election Day, while the deadline to apply for one is 5 p.m. ET on Oct. 29.
Pennsylvania certified its official candidate list on Sept. 16, and counties are still "finalizing their ballots, proofreading them, and ordering printed ballots," the state said. Mail ballots are currently available in 15 of the state's 67 counties.
Counties were required to begin sending absentee ballots to military and overseas voters by Sept. 21.
Pennsylvania residents can register to vote online or by mail through Oct. 21.