Election Day 2026 is here, and Channel 11 has spent the past few weeks gathering information to help you feel prepared to vote.
Here’s an in-depth look at the midterm elections in our area and across Pennsylvania, how they are happening and the impact they’ll have.
Shapiro and Garrity face off in first and only Pennsylvania governor’s debate
In early October, incumbent Josh Shapiro and challenger Stacy Garrity faced off in a debate in Harrisburg. Channel 11’s Lisa Sylvester co-moderated the debate with WHTM’s Dennis Owens.
If you couldn’t watch it as it aired, here is the full video to help you decide who you want to vote for:
What Pennsylvania voters need to know for the midterm election
The 2026 midterm election is Tuesday, and voters will head to the polls to cast their ballots in a number of major races locally and statewide.
The biggest race to watch is the Pennsylvania governor’s race with incumbent Gov. Josh Shapiro and challenger Stacy Garrity.
Here’s what you need to know about voting in Pennsylvania.
WHAT ARE MY VOTING OPTIONS?
There are three ways left to cast your ballot on Election Day: voting in person, dropping off a mail-in ballot or casting a provisional ballot.
VOTING IN PERSON
All polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Anyone in line at 8 p.m. will be allowed to cast their vote.
Don’t know where your polling place is? Click here to find out.
When voting in person, you’ll check in with poll workers, then handmark a paper ballot or cast your vote using a machine. Every county has a video demonstration of the voting system they use. Click here to find yours.
All eyes on Harrisburg, Washington as candidates make their final pitches
Republican gubernatorial candidate Stacy Garrity crisscrossed Pennsylvania Monday, hitting almost every major media market in an attempt to get more Republicans to the polls when they open Tuesday morning.
“Pennsylvania deserves so much better than what we’ve had the last four years,” Garrity said, referencing her opponent, incumbent Josh Shapiro (D). “His administration. What do they want? More government, more spending, more regulations, more mandates.”
On the other side of the state, Shapiro took the stage in Montgomery County, on the outskirts of Philadelphia. He spoke for 18 minutes and didn’t name or reference Garrity once.
Instead, the man widely expected to be a 2028 presidential contender attacked President Trump and savored the possibility of Democrats seizing both chambers of the legislature in Washington and the Pennsylvania State Senate for the first time since 1993.
Nearly 50 polling places have moved in Allegheny County
Election officials in Allegheny County want voters to double-check where to go on Election Day.
That’s because nearly 50 polling places have moved since the Primary Election — including a last-minute change for Pittsburgh 14-13 due to a structural issue at the Westinghouse Park Building.
Election officials say that at all polling locations that moved since the Primary Election in May, signage will be posted at the former location on Election Day to refer voters to the new location.
Voters statewide can also check the locations of their polling place in advance online.
Pittsburgh community centers closing, free childcare on Tuesday
Although multiple community centers will be closed, the City of Pittsburgh is offering free childcare while Pittsburgh Public Schools are closed on Election Day.
These CitiParks Recreation Centers and Healthy Active Living Centers will be closed on Tuesday:
- Arlington Recreation Center
- Brookline Recreation Center
- Paulson Recreation Center
- Phillips Recreation Center
- Warrington Recreation Center
- West Penn Recreation Center
- Beechview Senior Healthy Active Living Center
- Greenfield Senior Healthy Active Living Center
- Hazelwood Senior Healthy Active Living Center
Key races in Pennsylvania that could sway power in the House of Representatives
Tuesday’s election could see big changes, with the House of Representatives shifting in power.
Democrats need to pick up a net of three seats to gain control. That could happen right here in Pennsylvania, with four big races in play.
Keeping a close eye on the First Congressional District, other side of state- Philly suburbs.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick is a moderate Republican. He’s been able to do well in blue territory. Kamala Harris carried the district in 2024.
He’s going up against Bob Harvie, a former teacher and Bucks County commissioner
Cook Political Report has this race as a toss-up.
The next three districts are all leaning Democrat
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Hundreds of mail-in ballots not printed in Fayette County due to database error
Hundreds of Fayette County voters who requested mail-in ballots never received them because of an error involving the state’s voter registration system, according to the county elections chief.
The Fayette County Election Bureau said Friday that ballots for 308 voters were never printed because the names were missing from the file in the state’s registration system.
Fayette County Election Director Marybeth Kuznik said they figured out there was an issue Thursday after a week of higher-than-usual calls about missing ballots and contacted the Department of State, which dug through the database.
She said the cause of the issue was under investigation. Her staff sent multiple robocalls to affected voters Friday and followed up by email if one was on file.
“We want every eligible voter to vote next Tuesday,” Kuznik said in a release. “The Election Bureau is doing everything we can to get the message out that we will replace the ballot of any voter who requested one and did not receive it.”
Channel 11 sits down with Beaver, Butler County candidates
Channel 11’s Andrew Havranek covers Beaver and Butler counties. He spoke with several different candidates as he prepared to cover some of Pennsylvania’s biggest races.
Pennsylvania 12th House District Candidates (Butler County)
Incumbent Brandon Dukes
Challenger Scott Timko
Pennsylvania 16th House District Candidates (Beaver County)
Incumbent Robert Matzie
Challenger John Costanza
State House race rematch in Butler County expected to draw national attention
Democratic State Rep. Brandon Dukes and Republican candidate Scott Timko are competing for Pennsylvania’s 12th House District seat in Butler County. Dukes previously won the seat in an August special election by 88 votes.
Dukes said it was thanks to voters’ desire for change.
“I think it’s been 30 years since the last Democrat who held this seat here in the district. And I think our win showed that people were just tired of the chaos coming from the top. They wanted something different,” Dukes told Channel 11’s Andrew Havranek.
Key Western Pennsylvania races could help determine power in Harrisburg
A pair of state House races in Western Pennsylvania could help determine the balance of power in Harrisburg, where Democrats currently hold a narrow three-seat majority. Candidates in Butler and Beaver counties are competing in key districts that could decide control of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
In PA-12, centered in Cranberry, Democratic State Rep. Brandon Dukes faces Republican challenger Scott Timko. Dukes previously defeated Timko by 88 votes in an August special election in a district where Donald Trump won by 18 points in 2024 and Republicans held the seat since the 1990s.
State Rep. Dukes, a Democrat representing PA-12, has served in Harrisburg for 49 days following his special election victory.
Bartolotta, Borello offer different approaches in state Senate race
Republican state Sen. Camera Bartolotta is facing independent challenger Jodi Borello in a race that could have implications beyond southwestern Pennsylvania.
The candidates have different approaches to the cost of living, data center development and oil and gas regulation. With limited public polling available, the race’s competitiveness remains difficult to gauge.
Cost of living
Both candidates say they want to address the financial pressures facing Pennsylvania families, but they emphasize different solutions.
Bartolotta argues that energy production is important to the state’s economy and affordability.
“We need to take a look at what we can do to alleviate the pressure on the pocketbooks of Pennsylvanians, and that is not by allowing environmental extremists to take over the government and shut down energy production,” Bartolotta said.
Borello says raising the minimum wage should be part of the solution.
“Well, first and foremost, people are asking for the minimum wage to be raised, so that is something that needs to be done at the state level. That preemption needs to be removed so each community can decide what people should be getting paid for their jobs,” Borello said.
Nearly a dozen voting locations in Westmoreland County are moving; here’s where you need to go
Voters in Westmoreland County casting their ballots in person this November should double-check their polling location.
The county’s election bureau announced this week that some polling places have changed.
This impacts 11 locations, including:
- Latrobe Borough 4th Ward
- Voting moves from Latrobe Manor (1013 Jefferson Street) to Tree of Life Assembly of God (1005 Cedar Street)
- Lower Burrell 3-1
- Voting moves from Lower Burrell Manor (200 Sylvan Drive) to Trinity United Christian Church (232 Hillcrest Drive)
- Mount Pleasant Township – Spring Garden
- Voting moves from Mount Pleasant High School Field House (265 State Street) to Polish Falcon Club (33 Rumbaugh Avenue)
- New Kensington 4-2
- Voting moves from Kubrick Enterprises, LLC - AK Valley Park (600 Freeport Road) to Valley Jr-Sr High School – Auxiliary Gym (703 Stevenson Boulevard)
- Unity Township Marguerite
- Voting moves from Marguerite Volunteer Fire Dept (138 Continental Drive) to Dry Ridge Fire Department (116 White School Road)
- West Newton – 3rd Ward
- Voting moves from Keystone Rail House Event Center (115 S. Second Street) to Le Grande Banquet Facility (107 S. Second Street)
- Monessen 3-3
- Voting moves from Monessen Elementary Center (1275 Rostraver Street) to St. Paul Lutheran’s Church (1323 Grand Blvd.)
- Monessen 3-4
- Voting moves from Monessen Elementary Center (1275 Rostraver Street) to Resonate Yoga, Reiki & Wellness Center (1295 Grand Blvd #103)
- Monessen 4-3
- Voting moves from Monessen Middle/ Senior High School (1245 State Rd.) to the Epiphany of Our Lord Parish (44 Pennsylvania Blvd.)
- Irwin Borough 3rd & 4th Wards
- Voting moves from First United Methodist Church (310 Oak Street) to First Presbyterian Church of Irwin (617 Main Street)
Click here for more information on polling locations within Westmoreland County.
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