Last day to register to vote in May 19 primary is Monday
Monday is the final day to register to vote for the May 19 primary election, and there are several contested races in southwestern Pennsylvania.
People have until the end of the business day to register to vote at their county’s elections office, or they can register online directly through the state’s website at www.pavoterservices.pa.gov.
Only party-affiliated voters can participate in the primary, meaning independents won’t be able to vote in a variety of races as Democrats and Republicans pick their nominees, although they will be able to vote in the Nov. 3 general election.
In Fayette County, there are 41,293 registered Republicans, 29,625 Democrats and 8,662 independents or unaffiliated voters, as of Friday morning. In Washington County, there are 143,934 total registered voters as of Friday, with 72,197 of them Republicans and 52,333 registered as Democrats. No voter registration was available Friday for Greene County.
Both the Republican incumbent senators representing the tri-county area are facing challenges, giving GOP voters competitive races.
State Sen. Stefano, R-Bullskin, is facing a challenge from Republican Harry Young Cochran of Connellsville in the 32nd Senate District that includes all of Fayette, Somerset and Bedford counties. The winner of that Republican race will face Democrat Jacob Cecil of Somerset County in the general election on Nov. 3.
State Sen. Camera Bartolotta, R-Carroll, is being challenged by fellow Republican Al Buchtan of Cumberland Township in the 46th Senate District that includes all of Washington and Greene counties, along with the southern sliver of Beaver County. Evan Snyder of Nottingham Township is running unopposed in the Democratic primary.
State Rep. Bud Cook, R-West Pike Run, is being challenged in the Republican primary by Benjamin Humble of Waynesburg. The winner in that Republican race for the 50th House District, which includes all of Greene County and several Mon Valley communities in Washington, will then face Democrat Lois Bower-Bjornson of North Bethlehem Township in the general election.
Republican state Rep. Andrew Kuzma of Elizabeth Township has no challengers in his primary for his 39th House District seat that includes Mid-Mon Valley communities in Allegheny and Washington counties. But Kuzma will face a Democratic challenger in the general election as Elizabeth Township residents Kellianne Frketic and Dylan Altemara face off in that party’s primary, which is the only competitive Democratic race in the tri-county area.
Still, there are a variety of state House and Congressional races that will be competitive in the November primary.
In addition, there are numerous state party committee races in each county.
“There aren’t a lot of contested races in this primary,” Fayette County Elections Director MaryBeth Kuznik. “The thing that is garnering a lot of interest is the party offices for state committee and local committees.”
But Kuznik had a special request for anyone thinking about writing in names in any slots.
“There are a lot of blank (positions), so if you know someone who would be great, write them in,” Kuznik said. “But please don’t write in cartoon characters because it delays the results. Two human beings have to look at every one of those. It just takes more time.”
Voter registration information and each county’s elections office address can be found online at www.pavoterservices.pa.gov.