April 15, 2026Matt Smith / For Spotlight PAPennsylvania county bans poll workers from using election prediction marketsby Carter Walker of VotebeatState law already prohibits poll workers from betting on elections, but prediction markets argue they are not betting operations.
April 15, 2026Matt Smith / For Spotlight PAPa. primary election 2026: How to serve as a poll worker on May 19by Kate Huangpu and Elizabeth Estrada of Spotlight PAPennsylvania poll workers help to make voting run smoothly on Election Day. Here’s how you can serve as one.
April 14, 2026Mark Schiefelbein / APCongress’ ultrarich think they can sell an affordability agendaby Emily Kennard of NOTUSMembers tasked with translating broad economic promises about affordability into law, while defending the results back home, are often many tax brackets removed from their constituents.
April 13, 2026Commonwealth Media ServicesGarrity hits Mar-a-Lago as she struggles to compete with Shapiro on fundraisingby Stephen Caruso and Jaxon White of Spotlight PAPennsylvania’s Republican gubernatorial candidate was outraised 10-to-1 by the incumbent.
April 13, 2026Matt Smith / For Spotlight PAPa. primary election 2026: Everything you need to know about requesting, filling out, and returning your mail ballotby Elizabeth Estrada of Spotlight PAPennsylvania has universal no-excuse mail voting. Here’s everything you need to know about the process ahead of the May 19 primary election.
April 10, 2026Marc Levy / APVulnerable midterm Republicans focus on tax cuts as opponents spotlight rising gas pricesby Avani Kalra of NOTUSOne of Republican Rep. Scott Perry’s Democratic opponents highlighted his support for Trump and the Iran war.
April 9, 2026George Walker IV / APCongressional, presidential campaign security costs soar in an increasingly hostile political environmentby Associated PressFederal political committees spent more than $40 million on expenses labeled as security during the 2023-24 campaign cycle, a report says.
April 9, 2026Commonwealth Media ServicesPennsylvania official who exposed noncitizen voting says threat is exaggeratedby Carter Walker of VotebeatAl Schmidt found that 100s of noncitizens had registered to vote and cast ballots in Philadelphia. Still, he says it’s very rare.
April 9, 2026Commonwealth Media ServicesPa. primary election 2026: Your complete guide to Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiroby Angela Couloumbis of Spotlight PAShapiro will be the only Democrat on the May 19 primary ballot, though he’s expected to face Republican state Treasurer Stacy Garrity during the general election in November.
April 9, 2026Commonwealth Media ServicesPa. primary election 2026: Your complete guide to Republican Stacy Garrity in the race for governorby Katie Meyer of Spotlight PAStacy Garrity will be the only Republican on the May 19 primary ballot for governor. Learn more about her with our guide.
April 8, 2026Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PAPa. election 2026: A guide to vetting primary candidatesby Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PAThe entire Pennsylvania House and half of the state Senate will be on the ballot in 2026. Learn more about how to research the candidates.
April 6, 2026Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PAHow Spotlight PA will cover Pennsylvania’s 2026 primary electionby Elizabeth Estrada of Spotlight PAOn May 19, Democrats and Republicans across Pennsylvania will vote for their parties’ candidates. Learn more about how Spotlight PA will cover this election.
April 3, 2026Matt Smith / For Spotlight PAShapiro, other Democratic officials sue Trump admin over mail voting executive orderby Carter Walker of VotebeatThe lawsuit says Trump’s order violates the U.S. Constitution by usurping the states’ power to administer their own elections.
March 31, 2026Commonwealth Media ServicesAs Shapiro opposes ICE detention centers, his GOP opponent for Pa. governor stays vagueby Jaxon White of Spotlight PAGarrity’s campaign for Pa. governor notes she commanded an Iraq internment camp, accuses Shapiro of “grandstanding” in opposing ICE detention
March 30, 2026Matt Smith / For Spotlight PATrump administration remains open to placing federal agents at polls during midtermsby Adora Brown and Manuela Silva of NOTUSElection officials and lawmakers are alarmed that the administration hasn’t been clear about the circumstances under which it would send federal agents to the polls in November.
March 30, 2026Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PAThe 2026 primaries likely to shape the Pennsylvania House and Senateby Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PAWe talked to insiders, candidates, and more to build this list of the May primaries likeliest to shape the Pennsylvania House and Senate.
March 26, 2026Carter Walker / VotebeatEmbattled Chester County election director Karen Barsoum to resign after primaryby Carter Walker of VotebeatBarsoum faced criticism in recent months for her management of the department and a printing error that affected thousands of voters in the 2025 election.
March 26, 2026Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PAAutomatic voter registration is getting more Pennsylvanians on the rolls, but they don’t always voteby Carter Walker of VotebeatA Votebeat and Spotlight PA analysis found that rural counties got the biggest boosts from the state’s two-and-a-half-year-old program.
March 23, 2026Richard Drew / APShapiro parodies and chatbot phone banks — how AI is popping up in Pa. electionsby Kate Huangpu of Spotlight PAA bill pending in the Pa. Capitol would impose consequences for using AI to misrepresent candidates close to an election.
March 20, 2026Marc Levy / APDemocrats think they can finally defeat Scott Perry in 2026by Avani Kalra of NOTUSDemocrats plan to nominate Janelle Stelson, a former local news anchor who ran against Perry in 2024 and lost by about 1 percentage point.
March 17, 2026Commonwealth Media ServicesA $50 million push hopes to make child care a top issue in the midterm electionsby Associated PressThe campaign plans to pour support for Democrats into several Senate races and into House races in Iowa and Pennsylvania.
March 17, 2026Commonwealth Media ServicesTreasurer Garrity bought Israel Bonds. Candidate Garrity then campaigned at the firm’s gala.by Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PAGarrity was invited to a “thank you” gala for investing $45 million in Israel Bonds in her role as Pa. Treasurer. She reported the ticket as a campaign expense.
March 6, 2026Commonwealth Media ServicesPennsylvania elections chief answers lawmaker questions as midterm approachesby Carter Walker of VotebeatDepartment of State Secretary Al Schmidt addressed SURE upgrades, special elections, and AI at a state House budget hearing.
March 5, 2026Commonwealth Media ServicesJosh Shapiro has a 15-to-1 fundraising advantage over Republican Stacy Garrityby Stephen Caruso of Spotlight PAShapiro tapped billionaires, unions, and more to raise $23 million in 2025. Garrity relied more heavily on small donations and raised $1.5 million.
Feb. 24, 2026Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PAPennsylvania holds tons of special elections. That costs taxpayers millions.by Carter Walker of VotebeatThe state has held 47 special elections since 2017, more than any other state.
Feb. 16, 2026Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PAElection officials warn Trump-backed voting bill may be impossible to implement by 2026by Nathaniel Rakich of VotebeatThe SAVE America Act would require people who are registering to vote to provide proof of their U.S. citizenship.
Feb. 12, 2026Courtesy of the Philadelphia City CommissionersPennsylvania plans to test internet-connected pollbooks during the upcoming primaryby Carter Walker of VotebeatMany counties use or have tested e-pollbooks, but the state doesn’t currently allow those systems to be connected to the internet, limiting their utility.
Feb. 9, 2026Mariam Zuhaib / APA Pa. congressional candidate who opposes stock trading by reps. owns individual stocksby Dave Levinthal of NOTUSBob Brooks, who is running for a Lehigh Valley seat, would no longer own individual stocks if he won, a spokesperson said.
Feb. 9, 2026Alex Brandon / APWhat did Trump mean by ‘nationalize the voting’? No one is sure.by Nathaniel Rakich of VotebeatA federal takeover of elections would be an extraordinary challenge to the power of state and local governments to run their own voting.
Feb. 5, 2026Carter Walker / VotebeatChester County will add supervision, new accuracy checks after pollbook error forced 1000s to cast provisional ballotsby Carter Walker of VotebeatDespite promises to make changes, some are calling for the county’s election director to resign.