Ready to do your civic duty on May 20? Below is a breakdown of your ballot ⬇️
⏰ Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Find your polling place here.
✅ If you're voting at a new polling place, you may need to provide an accepted form of ID. If you are a returning voter, you don’t need an ID. (These rules could change in the future, as PA considers new election laws.)
📬 If you’re voting by mail, your application for a mail-in or absentee ballot must be received by the county election office by 5 p.m. May 13. Once you receive and complete your ballot, it must be received by election officials when polls close at 8 p.m. May 20.
- Send your ballot by USPS or drop it off at the Allegheny County Office Building or these satellite locations during their designated dates and times.
- Want to make sure your ballot was received? Track it here.
🔴 🔵 Reminder: PA is one of 10 states with a closed primary system, meaning only registered Democrats and Republicans get to vote in their respective parties’ spring primaries. Independents and third-party voters can, however, vote on ballot measures.
- 🎧 SpotlightPA reporter Kate Huangpu shares how this rule disenfranchises more than a million voters across the state.
🗳️ Pittsburgh Mayor
Pittsburgh’s mayor, elected every four years, serves as chief executive, oversees day-to-day operations, represents the city, proposes budgets, signs legislation, and appoints department leaders.
The Democratic primary race between incumbent Ed Gainey and Allegheny County Controller Corey O’Connor has been highly contested and filled with heated debate. (Watch on KDKA and WTAE.)
The Republican primary ticket includes retired Pittsburgh police detective Tony Moreno and Lawrenceville business owner Thomas West.
What’s at stake? City Controller Rachel Heisler says Pittsburgh’s finances are concerning — the city’s expenditures are vastly exceeding our ability to pay, tax revenue is down, and overtime payroll costs are increasing.
🎧 Read on and listen to our interviews with:
🗳️ Ballot Measures
You’ll see three questions on your ballot — all proposed amendments to the Home Rule Charter by City Council. Two potential amendments respond to recent efforts to get the city to divest from Israel — a referendum that did not make it onto the ballot. The other would prevent the city’s water and sewer system from being sold and privatized.
❓ Ballot Question 1: Non-Discrimination in City Business
The question asks you whether the city charter should prohibit business discrimination on the basis of protected classes, plus association or affiliation with any nation or foreign state.
- If Pittsburgh votes yes, the city can't be forced to divest from companies because of their ties to other countries. No leaves things the way they are now.
❓ Ballot Question 2: Ownership of City's Water & Sewer System
The question asks you if the charter should "restrict the lease and/or sale of the city's water and sewer system to private entities?"
- If Pittsburgh votes yes, the city’s water and sewer system will remain under a public authority. No means it could get privatized in the future.
❓ Ballot Question 3: Lawful Scope of the City's Authority
The question asks you whether our charter should be amended to “add duties or obligations beyond the lawful scope of the city’s authority.”
- If Pittsburgh votes yes, drafters of future ballot questions will have to prove they're asking the city to do something it has the legal authority to do. No means Pittsburghers can keep trying to propose ballot questions, and if something ultimately needs to be struck down, it will happen exactly as it does now.
👀 Read on: 90.5 WESA, City Paper, TribLive, TribLive
🗳️ City Council
Voters choose City Council representatives every four years. Councilors propose, debate, and vote on legislation, as well as approve all city budgets.
➡️ This year, races are limited to even districts:
- District 2: Incumbent Theresa Kail-Smith is retiring. This race is between her chief of staff, Democrat Kim Salinetro, and Republican Erin Koper. Democrat Amanda Neatrour is running as a write-in candidate.
- District 4: Incumbent Democrat Anthony Coghill and Republican Tracy Larger
- District 6: Council President, Democrat Daniel Lavelle, and Republican Jacob Dumont
- District 8: Incumbent Democrat Erika Strassburger is unopposed
🗳️ School Board
Five of nine seats are up for election, but only four have contested races. All candidates are Democrats, so whoever wins the primary ultimately wins in November. A group of five candidates, including a couple current board members, are running together as a slate focused on improving outcomes for Black students.
What’s at stake? Pittsburgh Public Schools is considering a massive overhaul, including school closures and consolidations, and whoever is on the board will be responsible for reshaping the district, as well as programming, charter school petitions, and more.
➡️ See where candidates stand:
- District 1: Tawana Cook Purnell and Carlos Thomas [90.5 WESA / City Paper]
- District 3: Tonya Fores and Erikka Grayson [90.5 WESA / City Paper]
- District 5: Incumbent Tracey Reed, unopposed
- District 7: Mahdi Bey and Eva Diodati [90.5 WESA / City Paper]
- District 9: Allie Petonic and incumbent school board president Gene Walker [90.5 WESA / City Paper]
🗳️ County Council
There are 15 seats in Allegheny County Council — six are up for grabs, and District 13 will be chosen after the primary. Retirements are bringing fresh faces to races in District 1 and 9. Council works with County Executive Sara Innamorato to create, amend, and approve county ordinances; they also appoint board positions and approve budgets and tax increases.
What’s at stake? The next slate of councilors could decide whether to pursue a countywide property reassessment, which would make your property taxes better reflect the current state of your home.
➡️ Here’s who’s on the ballot:
- District 1: Democrats Kathleen Madonna-Emmerling and Carl Villella are running to face Republican Mary Jo Wise in November [City Paper / 90.5 WESA]
- District 3: Democrats Lissa Geiger Shulman and Kenneth Aquiline are running to face Republican W. Christopher Lochner in November [90.5 WESA]
- District 4: Incumbent Democrat Patrick Catena and Republican Bob Doddato
- District 8: Incumbent Democrat Michelle Naccarati-Chapkis and Republican Michael Dell
- District 9: Democrats Aaron Adams, Dylan Altemara, and Kellianne Frketic are all vying to appear on the November ballot; no Republicans will appear [City Paper / 90.5 WESA]
- District 12: Incumbent Democrat Bob Palmosina is unopposed
🗳️ Local Judges
Judges elected to the Allegheny Court of Common Pleas get assigned to four divisions: civil, criminal, family, and orphans’ court. There are 22 candidates running for eight seats. Note: some are running as both Democrats and Republicans, as the position is considered nonpartisan.
The Allegheny County Bar Association has a list of recommended judges. 1Hood Power, Alliance for Police Accountability, PA Working Families Party, and other progressive groups endorsed a "Slate of 8" that they say are committed to criminal justice reform.
👀 Read on: 90.5 WESA
🗳️ State Judges
The Commonwealth Court deals with civil cases involving the state government. There are nine members; one seat is open. The current makeup is five Republicans and three Democrats. One Democrat and two Republicans are running.
The Superior Court handles appeals from the Court of Common Pleas for civil, criminal, or family cases. There are 15 members; one seat is open. The makeup is currently eight Democrats and six Republicans. One Democrat and two Republicans are running.
👀 Read on: SpotlighPA
