10 Tuesdays ‘Til The Election [2/10]

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Question: I think both parties suck. Do I have to pick one?

Answer: It’s totally understandable to feel like neither party perfectly represents you. But here’s the deal in Pennsylvania: if you want to vote in primary elections, you need to register with one of the major parties—Democratic or Republican. Pennsylvania has what’s called "closed primaries," which means only voters registered with a specific party can vote in that party’s primary.

So why does this matter? Primaries are where each party chooses their candidates for the general election. If you’re not registered with a party, you won’t be able to vote in those primary races, which means you don’t get a say in which candidates end up on the ballot in November.

If you don’t pick a party, you can still vote in the general election this November, but you’ll miss out on the chance to vote in the next primary and influence who the candidates will be in future elections.

If you’re really not into either party, you can always register as Independent or with a smaller party but just know that in Pennsylvania, that means sitting out the primaries. If you change your mind later, you can update your registration at any time at vote.pa.

Remember, your vote is your voice, and even if the parties don’t seem like a perfect fit, picking one for the primaries gives you more influence over who represents you in the end.