Strong voter turnout reported across Pennsylvania on Election Day

The Keystone’s reporters were spread across the commonwealth on Election Day. Here’s a snapshot of what they witnessed through the afternoon.

Given the outsized role Pennsylvania will likely play in the 2024 presidential election—not to mention sunny skies and near record high temperatures in some parts of the state—it’s no surprise that voter turnout was fairly robust statewide on Election Day.

Our reporters fanned out across the state Tuesday, where they encountered mostly enthusiastic scenes at polls, though some voters admitted campaign fatigue and said they were happy to put the whole thing to bed.

And aside from a software malfunction that affected ballot-scanning machines in Cambria County, prompting a judge to allow polls there to remain open until 10 p.m., and another voting issue in Luzerne County where polls will remain open until 9:30 p.m., things seemed to go relatively smoothly.  

Here’s a quick glance around the state on Election Day, through the eyes of the Keystone staff.

Allegheny County

Turnout was reportedly very high in the morning in and around Pittsburgh, with many poll workers saying that they saw higher turnout than usual. 

Allegheny County Democratic Committee member Tracy Baton speculated that the county has been undercounted for years and that this year it will see a much higher recorded turnout. 

Berks County

There was a steady line of voters at the polling place on the campus of Kutztown University by early afternoon, with a mix of both students and local residents.

Central Pa.

According to our Harrisburg-based political reporter Sean Kitchen, voter enthusiasm and turnout in Central Pa. appears to be higher in this election than the 2020 election, particularly in Columbia County.

At Sean’s local polling place in Harrisburg’s Midtown neighborhood, he reported close to 40 people already in line minutes after polls opened.

Sean also visited a Carlisle polling location, where staffers estimated that they were well on their way to eclipsing their total 2020 turnout prior to lunch time.

Delaware County

Turnout was reportedly strong early in Radnor, with wait times of more than an hour when polls opened at 7 a.m.  

Lehigh Valley

Voters waited in line for as long as six hours to cast their ballots at the Banana Factory Arts Center in Bethlehem, near Lehigh University, according to Lehigh Valley Live. In an early afternoon Instagram post, City Councilwoman Hillary Kwiatek said more voting machines were added at the polling place to handle the overwhelming turnout.

Despite the long waits, a judge in Northampton County refused to extend voting hours past 8 p.m.

Turnout was strong even in rural Germansville where there was a line out the door at the local polling place.

Montgomery County

Long lines were reported in Conshohocken when polls opened at 7 a.m., with wait times of an hour or more. Staffers reportedly seemed overwhelmed with the amount of early voters, and the number of provisional ballots that needed to be used.

Philadelphia

Lines were reportedly very long at various polling locations on the University of Pennsylvania campus from morning through midday, not so much midday at other locations in Center City near Rittenhouse Square and City Hall.

Lines were also long at Temple University, with reported waits of up to two hours. Late in the day, two additional voting machines were added.