Tuesday marks start of 2024 Pennsylvania primary season
Candidates can begin collecting signatures on nominating petitions
The 2024 Pennsylvania primary season begins Tuesday when candidates can begin collecting signatures on their nomination petitions.
This year will bring a host of contests in Pennsylvania, starting with primaries for president, Congress, state attorney general, auditor general (with Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley among three candidates seeking the Democratic nomination), treasurer, and the state Legislature.
The primary date is April 23, the fourth Tuesday in April, a departure from the customary third Tuesday in May because of the presidential primary this year. Candidates who wish to appear on the primary ballot have three weeks to circulate and file their nomination petitions by Feb. 13.
Having the election on April 23 prevents some Orthodox Jews from voting in person because of the date’s overlap with the observance of Passover. The state Legislature had considered changing the date, but lawmakers never managed to resolve the issue, according to Spotlight PA.
Legislators had considered moving the date to April 2, but deemed it too close to the Christian holiday of Easter and too taxing for counties to prepare for an election three weeks earlier than the original date. Pennsylvania is the only state to have an election on Passover.
This year, Pennsylvania will elect 17 candidates to the U.S. House and one to the Senate.
In the Senate primary, Democratic incumbent Bob Casey Jr. is facing Blaine Forkner. Republican candidates include Dave McCormick (who lost a close race for the GOP Senate nomination in 2022 to Mehmet Oz), Tariq Parvez, Joseph Vodvarka (who has challenged Casey in the past) and Cory Widmann. Independents, who will not be featured in the primary, include Hussein Tartour-Aguirre and write-in Quincy Magee.
In the Lehigh Valley, voters will fill a seat in the 7th Congressional District. (The district includes all of Northampton, Lehigh, Carbon and a small section of Monroe counties.)
The Lehigh Valley has 11 state House seats on the ballot, but none of the three state Senate seats for the region are up for election this year.
In the 7th, three-term incumbent Susan Wild has an opponent in the Democratic primary. Jenna Alwalah of Allentown filed her statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission on Jan. 11.
The Republican primary is more crowded, with Kevin Dellicker, Allen Issa, Ryan Mackenzie and Maria Montero announcing they will run. Lewis Shupe plans to run in November as an independent.
This will be Dellicker’s second time running, having lost the nomination to Lisa Scheller in 2022. He is the founder of a technology company and an armed services veteran. Law student Allen Issa has experience as a congressional aide. Mackenzie is a 12-year state representative from Lehigh County’s 187th District. Montero is a lawyer, supported by Scheller, with roots in the Carbon County coal regions.
Shupe lives in Allentown and works in computer support and malware analysis, running as an independent because of his belief that the system needs to be changed.
Voters in Northampton County will also decide whether to amend the Home Rule Charter to set a term limit on the district attorney (a maximum of four four-year-terms), in line with a similar amendment which passed in 2023, approving limits to county executive, controller and commissioners. Those offices are now limited to two consecutive four-year terms.
Pennsylvania is considered a battleground state for the 2024 presidential election with President Joe Biden already having visited the Lehigh Valley this month in line with his efforts to mount a reelection campaign. A December Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion poll reinforced the statistical closeness in desirability between Biden and former President Donald Trump.
And in Northampton County, mishaps from November’s election may draw extra attention to the primary.
Armchair Lehigh Valley will continue to cover the primary. Candidates may send announcements and photographs to armchairlehighvalley@gmail.com.
Pennsylvania’s 2024 election calendar
January
Jan 23: First day to circulate and file nomination petitions
February
Feb. 13: Last day to circulate and file nomination petition
Feb. 14: First day to circulate and file nomination papers for independent and minor party candidates
Feb. 20: Last day to file objections to nomination petitions
Feb. 21: Ballot lottery
Feb 28: Last day for withdrawal by candidates who filed nomination petitions
April
April 8: Last day to register to vote in the primary
April 16: Last day to apply for a mail-in or civilian absentee ballot
April 23: Last day for county boards of elections to receive voted mail-in and civilian absentee ballots (must be received by 8 p.m.)
April 23: General primary
April 30: Last day for county boards of elections to receive voted military and overseas absentee ballots (submitted for delivery no later than 11:59 p.m. on April 22)
August
Aug. 1: Last day to circulate and file nomination papers for independent and minor party candidates
Aug. 8: Last day to file objections to nomination papers
Aug. 8: Last day for withdrawal by candidates for independent and minor party candidates
Aug. 12: Last day for withdrawal by candidates nominated at the primary
October
Oct. 21: Last day to register to vote in the November election
Oct. 29: Last day to apply for a mail-in or civilian absentee ballot
November
Nov. 5: Last day for county boards of elections to receive voted mail-in and civilian absentee ballots (must be received by 8 p.m.)
Nov. 5: General election
Nov. 12: Last day for county boards of elections to receive voted military and overseas absentee ballots (submitted for delivery no later than 11:59 p.m. Nov. 4)
Note: Dates are subject to change without notice.
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