PITTSBURGH — Sometimes it can take a reminder or three – plus a looming deadline - to get a task checked off a to-do list.
When it comes to doing a civic duty, Pittsburgh-area voters who opt to vote by mail need no extra push this fall.
With more than two weeks to go before the 2026 midterm election, more than half of all early voters in Allegheny, Beaver and Butler counties have completed and returned their mail-in ballots, according to data from the state division of elections.
Statewide, 28 counties total were in the same boat as of Friday morning.
The early results also point to an enthusiasm gap between the two parties, which is not unexpected in a midterm season where a president has net-negative approval ratings.
While Democrats typically vote by mail in greater numbers than their GOP counterparts, they’re also returning ballots at higher rates so far this season, 41% to 37%.
During the presidential contest two years ago, the parties returned their ballots at near-equal rates.
Democrats are counting on that enthusiasm gap as they eye capturing control of the Pennsylvania Senate for the first time since 1993, giving that party a trifecta that lawmakers would use to advance some of their long-stalled priorities.
“I think a lot of people are struggling and there’s some uncertainty and that’s inspiring people to want to vote and look at candidates and pay attention to who the candidates are,” Shekinah Apedo theorized as she manned a table encouraging Pitt students to register to vote Friday.
It’s not clear if the uncertainty and struggles are behind another emerging trend: a declining number of Republicans in the state.
Since the start of the year, the number of Republicans has declined by more than 7,000 statewide, helped along by a 1,500 drop in Allegheny County, which has the largest number of Republican voters.
Meanwhile, Democrats have expanded the number of voters in their ranks by 49,000, while the number of independent voters has climbed by nearly 56,000.
Outside the county office building Friday, a group of senior Allegheny County Republican leaders said they were encouraged by early mail-in data, which has shown more of their members requesting mail-in ballots this fall and will help the party overcome deficits at the start of election day, which can be risky if the weather is poor or some other issue keeps people from going to the polls.
That included the leaders themselves. The county office building is acting as a satellite polling location until Election Day, and one of four locations that will be open this weekend to register voters and allow them to vote, along with CCAC Homewood and the North and South Park skating rinks. The four spoke to Channel 11 after casting their ballots.
They also addressed the registration decline, saying it was a reflection of voters not trusting either mainstream party.
“Republicans need to do a better job of messaging to those Republicans, letting them know we are here,” Russell Dryer said. “There is a large party here in Allegheny County.”
The deadline to register to vote for the midterm election is Monday. The deadline to request a mail-in ballot is October 27.
In addition to the four sites open this weekend and next weekend, the county will open nine satellite polling locations from October 30 to November 2.
The expanded locations are as follows:
- Allegheny County Emergency Services Building
- Avalon Public Library
- Boyce Park Four Seasons Lodge
- Carnegie Library Lawrenceville
- Carnegie Library Squirrel Hill
- CCAC Allegheny (Center for Education, Innovation and Training)
- CCAC Homewood
- Community Library of Allegheny Valley
- County Office Building
- Dormont Pool
- Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank
- North Park Ice Rink
- South Park Ice Rink
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