Secretary Urges May 4 Voter Registration Deadline for PA Primary

Secretary of the Commonwealth Reminds Eligible Pennsylvanians of May 4 Voter Registration Deadline Ahead of the May Primary Election

For information on how to register or to make a plan to vote, visit vote.pa.gov

April 06, 2026 Leer en español 用繁體中文閱讀
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Harrisburg, PA – Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt today reminded Pennsylvanians that the deadline to register to vote in the May 19 primary is just one month away.

“It takes only a few minutes to register, and I urge every eligible Pennsylvanian who is not yet registered to vote to do so before the May 4 deadline,” Schmidt said. “Once you are registered, you can then exercise your fundamental right to vote and let your voice be heard in the upcoming primary election.”

Because Pennsylvania has a closed primary, only registered Democrats and Republicans can vote for their party’s nominees in the primary election. However, all voters can vote on local ballot questions, when applicable, as well as in any special elections that run simultaneously to the primary. For example, all voters in York County’s 196th House District can participate in the May 19 special election to fill the vacant seat for their state representative.

Eligible Democratic and Republican voters will have the opportunity to cast a ballot for their parties’ nominees for U.S. House of Representatives, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, even-numbered state Senate districts, and all state House districts, as well as Democratic and Republican State Committee. The Department’s candidate database lists candidates who are running for office.

“Ensuring that our elections are conducted freely, fairly, and securely, and that every eligible voter can make their voice heard, remain top priorities of the Shapiro Administration,” Schmidt said.

To be eligible to vote in the May 19 primary, a person must be:

• A U.S. citizen for at least one month before the primary,
• A resident of the election district in which the person plans to register for at least 30 days before the primary, and
• At least 18 years old on or before May 19. Pennsylvanians who are already registered to vote can check their registration status online. They can also update their voter record with any name, address, or party affiliation changes.

Eligible Pennsylvanians can also get a voter registration application at the following locations:

• their county voter registration office,
• county assistance offices,
• Women, Infants & Children (WIC) program offices,
• 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, and
• Americans with Disabilities Act-mandated complementary paratransit providers. In 2023, all PennDOT driver and photo license centers began offering automatic voter registration, which provides eligible Pennsylvanians with a convenient way to apply to register to vote when they obtain a new driver's license or ID card or renew their existing identification. The Shapiro Administration launched the automatic registration initiative as part of its ongoing commitment to ensuring free, fair, and secure elections.

Registered voters can also request a mail ballot online. Mail ballot applications must be received by a voter’s county elections board by 5 p.m. May 12. Voted mail ballots must be received by county election offices by 8 p.m. May 19.

The Department’s voter information website, vote.pa.gov, is available in English, Spanish, and Chinese and offers a polling place locator and contact information for county elections offices. It also includes tips for first-time voters, mail-in and absentee voters, elderly and disabled voters, and members of the military.

Media Contacts

Matt Heckel

Press Secretary ra-st-press@pa.gov Department of State Media