Penn State Harrisburg Social Sciences Librarians
Most majors, including Education, Health, HDFS, Kinesiology, Nursing, Psychology, and Sociology:
Bernadette Lear
(BAL19@psu.edu or 717-948-6360)
Communications:
Heidi Abbey Moyer
(HNA2@psu.edu or 717-948-6056)
Criminal Justice, Political Science, and Public Policy:
Emily Reed
(emilyreed@psu.edu or 717-948-6373)
In Partnership With:
Welcome!
Our next general election is Tuesday, November 3, 2020.
Use the navigation tabs to:
- Check if you're registered to vote
- Register to vote
- Learn how to vote in-person or by mail or absentee ballot
- Find reliable info about candidates and issues
- Know your rights
Questions? Contact Penn State Harrisburg Librarian Emily Reed (emilyreed@psu.edu) or Ask a Librarian (https://libraries.psu.edu/ask).
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Voter Check-UpUse this editable document to record information you will want for voting, such as where your polling place is, which congressional districts you belong to, which candidates are running, and how you should vote.
What Offices are on the Ballot in the 2020 General Election?
Why don't I vote for the same offices in every election?
- Because state and local elections often occur in different years than national ones.
- The "terms" (length) of offices vary.
- When there are 2 or more officials representing the same jurisdiction (such as U.S. Senators, or Pennsylvania Supreme Court judges) terms are "staggered" so that only half of the seats are open during each election.
About the General Election
- A general election is when a resident can vote for who they would like to win an elected office.
- General elections are held nationally every four years in November.
- You do not need to be affiliated with a political party to vote.
- To vote, you must be a U.S. citizen and be 18 years of age or older.
Offices on the PA Ballot
Here is the list of offices that people in Pennsylvania elect. The ones listed on the ballot for the general election on November 3, 2020 are in red:
- U.S. President -- every 4 years -- next general election is November 3, 2020
- U.S. Senators -- every 6 years
- Next election for "class 1" (Sen. Bob Casey's seat) is 2024
- Next election for "class 2" (Sen. Pat Toomey's seat) is in 2022
- U.S. Representatives -- every 2 years -- next general election is November 3, 2020
- Pennsylvania Governor and Lieutenant Governor -- every 4 years -- next election is in 2022
- Pennsylvania State Senator -- elected in "even" years -- next general election is November 3, 2020
- Pennsylvania State Representative -- elected every 2 years -- next general election is November 3, 2020
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court Judges -- elected for 10-year terms as needed in "odd" years -- next election likely is in 2023
- Other Pennsylvania Court Judges -- elected in "odd" years -- next election is in 2021
- Pennsylvania Auditor General -- elected in presidential election years -- next general election is November 3, 2020
- Attorney General of Pennsylvania -- elected in presidential election years -- next general election is November 3, 2020
- Pennsylvania Treasurer -- elected -- elected in presidential election years -- next general election is November 3, 2020
- County Commissioners and other county officials -- elected in "odd" years -- next election is in 2021
- Local Mayors, Supervisors, Councilors, and other officials -- elected in "odd" years -- next election is in 2021
- Local School Board Directors -- elected in "odd" years -- next election is in 2021
Other states have different schedules for state, county, and local elections. To find them, start with Ballotpedia's Election Calendar. These ballots are not always complete, especially for local offices, but it's a quick way to do a look-up.