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Beyond the federal and state-level races, there are multiple municipal races on ballots throughout the state next week. Ballotpedia is a great resource to learn about the races in your area.

You can also find a sample ballot for your area via Ballotpedia.

Other things you should know about headed into Election Day:

✅ If you’re voting by mail, your completed ballot must be received by your county election board office by 8 p.m. on Election Day. A postmark by 8 p.m. Nov. 3 is not sufficient. You can mail it in, drop it off in person at the county election board office or, if they’re available in your county, a designated drop box. Find your local office using this tool. 

✅ If you plan to vote in person and aren’t sure where to go, you can find your polling place here.

✅ You can check your voter registration status here and make sure all your information is accurate.

The race to build data centers, which power artificial intelligence and cloud computing, is a huge issue among Pennsylvania voters, for whom the cost of powering data centers has become deeply intertwined with concerns about the cost of living and quality of life.

Subsequently, it’s become a huge issue for candidates, some of whom are pivoting on data centers amid frustration from constituents who don't want to live near the massive warehouse campuses.

(L-R) Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity. (USA Today Network via Reuters Connect)

As Pennsylvania’s top elected official, the governor proposes state budgets, has the power to sign into law or veto bills passed by state legislators, approve congressional maps, and issue executive orders. In other words, it’s an extremely important position.

Shapiro defeated Donald Trump-endorsed Republican state Sen. Doug Mastriano by 15 points in 2022. Garrity, who has repeatedly questioned the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election results, also carries Trump’s stamp of approval.

A quick look at where the candidates stand on some of the big issues:

➡️ Data centers

➡️ Property taxes

➡️ Pennsylvania’s housing crisis

➡️ AI

Here’s more on where the candidates stand on other key issues, from their Oct. 7 debate.

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Retired firefighter Bob Brooks (R) is running against incumbent US Rep. Ryan Mackenzie to represent Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district. (Mackenzie photo: Matt Rourke / AP Photo; Brooks photo: Sean Kitchen / The Keystone)

The three seats that Democrats need for a majority in the US House of Representatives could very well come from Pennsylvania’s 7th, 8th, and 10th congressional districts, where the Republican incumbents are vulnerable.

Even if Republicans retain control of the US Senate, a Democratic majority in the House would have a significant impact on how Congress operates, particularly when it comes to oversight of President Trump’s agenda during the final two years of his term.

Let’s take a look at Pennsylvania’s three key US House races:

Pa. 7 – Bob Brooks (D) vs. US Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R-Lehigh)

Brooks, a retired Bethlehem firefighter with 20 years of service, is president of the Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association (PFFA), which represents nearly 7,000 firefighters and first responders throughout the commonwealth. 

Mackenzie, a freshman lawmaker in Congress, previously spent 12 years serving in the Pennsylvania House, where he supported over a dozen bills aimed at turning Pennsylvania into a right-to-work state, which would undermine the ability of workers to form unions in the commonwealth. 

Since taking office last year, Mackenzie has backed Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which cut Medicaid by close to $1 trillion and cut SNAP by $187 billion. 

Pa. 8 – Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti (D) vs. US Rep. Rob Bresnahan (R-Luzerne)

Dubbed “Paige Against the Machine” during her first campaign for Scranton mayor, Cognetti has earned a reputation for taking on, and defeating, the local Democratic Party. 

Since being elected in 2024, Bresnahan has found himself in a handful of scandals. With an estimated net worth of over $37 million, Bresnahan has become one of Congress’ most prolific stock traders, making over 640 trades valued at $8.43 million–since taking office last year. 

Pa. 10 - Janelle Stelson (D) vs. US Rep. Scott Perry (R-York)

This is a rematch of the 2024 congressional race, with Stelson, a former television news reporter and the daughter of a Pennsylvania state trooper, trying to prevent Perry from being elected to his eighth term in the House.

The campaign has taken a particularly ugly turn in recent weeks, with Perry, who played a key role in President Trump’s failed attempt at overturning the results of the 2020 election, levying unsubstantiated claims of public nudity against Stelson.

Here’s where the candidates stand on affordability, healthcare, infrastructure, and public safety.