On Election Day, Nov. 5, Philadelphians and Temple students will vote on 35 federal, state and local representatives with different views on abortion, immigration, student debt relief, climate change and the economy.
Below, The Temple News has compiled a comprehensive guide including everything Temple students and North Central community members need to know before voting in the 2024 general election.
In this year’s election, voters will choose a new United States President, U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative, Attorney General, Auditor General and State Treasurer.
Voters have the option to vote in person or by mail and can find out where to vote in person or how to fill out an application for a mail-in ballot here.
With multiple options to vote and information available about the races and candidates, if you do decide to vote on Nov. 5 or earlier, use this as one of many resources when making your decision.
Jump to a section
How to cast a ballot in the 2024 general election
Who can vote
Most American citizens above the age of 18 on Election Day can cast a ballot for the 2024 general election in Philadelphia as long as they have resided in the county for at least 30 days. Voters must have registered to vote in Pennsylvania by Oct. 21 for their ballot to be counted.
Temple students who have lived in Philadelphia for 30 days but are currently living elsewhere can still vote and submit a mail-in ballot to a Philadelphia election office as long as they intend to return to the county.
Where to vote in person
On Nov. 5, registered Philadelphians can cast their vote for the next President of the United States.
Polls will open starting at 7 a.m. and remain open until 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Voters should expect to vote for the president and a Pennsylvania U.S. Senator for their candidates. Voters can also cast votes for state candidates running in this election for the Attorney General, Auditor General, Treasurer and Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
First-time voters should be prepared to show ID on arrival. Approved forms of photo identification include a Pennsylvania driver’s license, an ID issued by any Commonwealth agency or the U.S. Government, a student ID or an employee ID. If voters do not have a photo ID, they can present a non-photo ID that contains their name and address.
When voters enter their designated polling location, they will first check in. From there, a poll worker will help guide them to a voting station to get started. Voters will then make their selections on the touch screen. The candidate they select will be highlighted in green.
After they make their selection, voters are encouraged by the PA Government website to double check that their preferred candidate is highlighted and that they have voted for all contests they wish to. Voters are not required to vote for every contest.
When voters are finished casting their vote, click ‘print’ on the screen. The printed paper ballot will show up in a window to the right of the screen. Voters can ensure that all selections are accurate and then click ‘cast’ to submit the ballot. A confirmation screen will appear after the ballot has been submitted.
Polling places will vary by address. Voters can look up their poll on Pennsylvania’s voter services website. The following polling locations are local to Temple:
Amos Recreation Center
1817 N 16th St.
Beckett Gardens Community Center
1410 N 16th St.
Bright Hope Baptist Church
1601 N 12th St.
Carver High School for Engineering and Science
1600 W Norris St.
Norris Homes
809 W Berks St.
Duckrey School
1501 W Diamond St.
Yorktown Arms
1300 W Jefferson St.
Midtown Parish United Methodist Church
700-18 W Norris St.
Penrose Recreation Center
1101 W Susquehanna Ave.
Meade School
1606 N 18th St.
North Philadelphia Seventh Day Adventist Church
1510 W Oxford St.
Where to vote by mail
In Pennsylvania, all registered voters are eligible to request a mail-in ballot, without needing to state a reason.
Voters can request a ballot by applying online at this link, by mail or at the local county election office. Voters can also vote in person with their mail-in ballot before Election Day once their county’s ballot is complete.
Voters must request their mail-in ballot by Oct. 29 at 5 p.m.
In order to complete the ballot, voters can follow the instructions below:
- Carefully read the instructions on the ballot and make voting selections.
- After voters mark their mail-in ballot, they must place their ballot in the yellow envelope labeled ‘official election ballot.’
- Then, place the sealed yellow envelope into the pre-addressed outer return envelope. Make sure to sign and write the current date on the voter’s declaration on the outside of the outer return envelope. The ballot will not be counted if this step is not completed.
- Finally, return the fully filled-out ballot to the county election board or another designated voting area.
Mail-in ballot voters can return their ballots through mail, at a drop box or another officially designated location.
Absentee and mail-in ballots must be turned in by 8 p.m. on Election Day to your county election board.
The Philadelphia County Board of Elections can be found at 1400 JFK Boulevard. The closest drop boxes to Temple are located at the following locations:
The Eastern State Penitentiary
2027 Fairmount Ave.
Engine 55 Fire Station
101 W. Luzerne St.
Independence Branch Library
18 S 7th St,
Strawberry Mansion Health Center
2840 W Dauphin St.
Shissler Rec Center
1800 Blair St.
Additional voting locations can searched for on the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s website.
A guide to 2024 candidates for Temple students and North Central voters
- U.S. President and Vice President
- U.S. Senate
- Attorney General
- Auditor General
- State Treasurer
- U.S. Congress: District 2
U.S. President and Vice President
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz (D)
Vice President Harris is running with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. She announced her candidacy in June after President Joe Biden dropped out of the race.
Her key issues include reducing child poverty, supporting labor unions, lowering the cost of healthcare and giving families more paid leave, according to Ballotpedia. She worked on voting reform during her tenure as vice president.
She has a bachelor’s degree in political science and economics from Howard University and a law degree from the University of California, Hastings. In 2010, she was elected as California’s Attorney General and held the position for six years. In 2016, she was elected to the U.S. Senate and held the position until 2021.
Chase Oliver and Mike ter Maat
Oliver, the chief executive officer of the Libertarian Party of Metro Atlanta, declared his candidacy in April 2023, according to Ballotpedia.
His key issues include lowering the cost of living and inflation, invigorating the immigration system and lowering foreign military intervention, according to his website.
He was a political activist in Georgia, mostly from his participation in the Libertarian party in the early 2010s. He would be the first openly gay man to be president.
Donald Trump and JD Vance (R)
Trump, the 45th President of the United States, is vying for presidency again with a new vice presidential candidate, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance.
Trump’s key issues include rebuilding the economy, increasing oil and natural gas production and increasing border control, according to his campaign website. He focused on immigration policies and corruption as president.
He has a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Pennsylvania. He had not held political office before he was elected president in 2016. He owns the Trump Organization, a conglomerate of his business ventures, previously owned by his father.
Jill Stein and Butch Ware
Stein, a Green Party activist who also ran for presidency in 2012 and 2016, selected Butch Ware, a professor at University of California Santa-Barbara, as her running mate. She received 0.36% of the popular vote in 2012 and 1.07% in 2016, according to the Federal Election Commission.
Her key issues include reducing climate change, transitioning out of using fossil fuels and decreasing U.S. foreign intervention and militarism, according to Ballotpedia.She has a degree from Harvard and a medical degree from Harvard Medical School. She was a practicing physician in internal medicine for more than 20 years.
U.S. Senate
Bob Casey (D-Incumbent)
Casey has held a seat in the U.S. Senate since 2007 and is the son of former Pennsylvania Gov. Bob Casey Sr.
Casey’s campaign advocates for protection of abortion rights under the U.S Supreme Court ruling of Roe v Wade. He aims to work toward achieving affordable higher education, fighting ‘greedflation,’ using renewable energy and preserving the rights of individuals.“
Corporations were engaged in price-gouging, taking advantage of the pandemic and the inflationary pressures,” Casey said in his second debate against McCormick. “I think we should do something about it, we should point it out like I have [and] issue reports on it. Second, we should pass price-gouging legislation to hold companies accountable.
Dave McCormick (R)
McCormick is a graduate of West Point and a veteran. McCormick has held jobs both in the private and public sector. He was a Deputy National Security Advisor for former President George W. Bush as well as former CEO of hedge fund Bridgewater Associates.
McCormick has been critical of Casey’s policies and tenure as U.S. Senator. He argues for a more strict and secure border and increased resources to the military.
McCormick has previously supported the Supreme Court’s decision in 2022 to overturn Roe v. Wade. He recently stated he supports voters in states choosing if they will or will not protect abortion rights.
He has been vocal about his disdain for inflation like Casey. McCormick states that excessive spending under the Biden administration has been the leading cause of inflation in the country.
John Thomas (Libertarian)
Thomas currently teaches at a charter school in Kittanning. Thomas’ campaign is focused on what he calls the three P’s – peace, prosperity and Pennsylvania.
His campaign is based on the Libertarian values he hopes to teach Pennsylvanians. Thomas believes in allowing Pennsylvanians to file bankruptcy on student loans, closing military bases in other countries, a secure border and a ban on abortions.
“My campaign focuses on peace, prosperity, and Pennsylvania,” Thomas wrote in a statement to The Temple News. “America sends resources away from Pennsylvania to countries throughout the world. This makes Pennsylvania less prosperous, while making the world less peaceful. We bring peace and prosperity to Pennsylvania by keeping those resources right here at home.”
Leila Hazou (Green)
Hazou worked on Wall Street after receiving her master’s in business administration from Loyola College. She changed her registration from Democrat to Green this year after becoming disappointed with Casey and the democratic party.
Hazou’s campaign focuses on a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and women’s, LGBTQ+ and worker’s rights as well as accessible healthcare, including abortion rights. Hazou ties her anti-war stances to her Palestinian heritage. Hazou also believes that student loans should be forgiven.
Marty Selker (Constitution)
Selker is a resident of Clarion County, working as a truck driver for the natural gas sector.
Selker’s campaign priorities include national defense, foreign policy and defending families and “Pennsylvanians overall.” He believes that American resources should not be wasted in undeclared wars. He aims to bring down reckless spending, inflation and excessive taxes.
Attorney General
Eugene DePasquale (D)
DePasquale previously served in the Pennsylvania General Assembly and two terms as the state’s Auditor General from 2013-21. As Auditor General, he uncovered $103 million dollars of misused state funds and addressed 58,000 ignored calls from the Child Abuse Hotline, WHYY reported.
“When it comes to priorities, reproductive freedom is certainly a top priority of mine, and certainly safer communities is another critical part — and also consumer protection,” DePasquale told The Temple News.
Some of DePasquale’s other top issues include fighting price gouging in healthcare and pursuing predatory scams, according to his campaign website. He also plans to fight against corporate pollution and invest in opioid addiction treatment programs.
Dave Sunday (R)
Sunday, who currently serves as York County’s District Attorney, has been in office since 2018. Before his tenure, he was a leader in the formation of the Group Violence Initiative and the York Regional Opiate Collaborative, which reduced crime by 30% and equipped law enforcement with Narcan.
Sunday supports the current abortion laws in Pennsylvania and will defend the current legislation, he said in the Attorney General debate on Oct. 3. He also said he would model crime deterrence after York’s GVI, which encourages communication with block leaders and community members to hold offenders accountable.
Sunday’s campaign is most concerned with fighting the opioid epidemic and increasing consumer protections, according to his campaign website.
Eric Settle (Forward)
Settle previously served as Deputy General Counsel to former Gov. Tom Ridge and was a Policy Director for a democratic mayoral candidate, according to his campaign website.
The most important thing to his campaign is making voters aware of third party options, Settle told The Temple News.
“I say to people, ‘You’re not throwing away your vote when you vote for me,’” Settle said. “‘You’re actually sending a message that says we want more than two choices.’”
Richard Weiss (Green)
Weiss is a lawyer who has practiced both local and international law. Weiss feels most passionately about his opposition to United States military assistance in the Israel-Hamas War, he said.
“I have pledged that if elected, I will sue the federal government,” Weiss told The Temple News. “The foreign Systems Act does not allow providing any military assistance when humanitarian aid is restricted or impeded, and that’s what’s going on right now.”
Weiss’ other key stances include wanting to eliminate slave labor in prisons and pursue legal action against unregulated fracking wells and pursuing corrupt politicians.
Justin Magill (Constitution)
Magill is a U.S. Army veteran and currently practices estate planning in Erie, Pennsylvania, according to his website. He is currently the vice chairman of the Constitution Party of Pennsylvania.
Magill believes that the government should have no involvement in the free market and that abortion should be considered murder. Magill does not support any restrictions on firearms.
Rob Cowburn (Libertarian)
Cowburn is an attorney for Sommer Law Group in Pittsburgh. Cowburn’s top issues are fighting government corruption, expanding charter schools and eliminating business regulations, according to his campaign website.
He is also an advocate for state autonomy and rank-choice voting.
Auditor General
Tim DeFoor (R-Incumbent)
DeFoor said he is dedicated to ensuring Pennsylvania taxpayers are being treated fairly and with accuracy. If reelected, DeFoor’s first plan of action will be to unite the auditor general office and create career building opportunities for office members. He believes a foundation of strong leadership is crucial to conduct strong audits.
“What I’m proud of is that we changed the way that we do our audits and write our audits,” DeFoor told The Temple News. “As opposed to doing an audit, and if there’s a finding or an issue, as opposed to just placing blame, we came up with common sense solutions on how to fix a problem.”
Malcolm Kenyatta (D)
Kenyatta, a North Philadelphia native and the democratic nominee, will be DeFoor’s major party opponent in the upcoming election. He received a bachelor’s degree in public communication from Temple in 2012.
As an openly gay Black man from an under-resourced neighborhood in Philadelphia, it is Kenyatta’s mission to campaign for social justice and equality. If elected, he hopes to do this by protecting voter rights and abolishing government corruption, he said.
“We need to ensure that people understand that there is one person in state government whose entire job, day in and day out, is to ensure that the government is working for them,” Kenyatta told The Temple News.
Eric Anton (American Solidarity)
Eric Anton has been an American Solidarity member since 2017, and was elected to its national committee in 2018 and 2023. As the incumbent state coordinator, he is the ASP auditor general nominee, according to the party’s website.
ASP is based on the tradition of Christian Democracy and brands itself with three core principles: common good, common ground and common sense. Their policies oppose abortion, value economic security and emphasize a community-oriented society.
Alan Goodrich (Constitution)
As the Pennsylvania Constitution Party chairman, Alan Goodrich and his political party are dedicated to ensuring party officers and leaders will be held to high conduct standards in dealing with the public, donors, government officials and candidates, according to the party’s website.
The Constitution Party strongly emphasizes reducing corrupt government and strives to elect honorable politicians. Their standards for righteous leaders include obtaining the three pillars: integrity, liberty, and prosperity. Their principles include being pro-life, granting the right to own property and protecting American sovereignty.
Reece Smith (Libertarian)
An anti-major-party politician, libertarian Reece Smith strives to bring attention to an overlooked office, according to his website.
As auditor general, Smith hopes to audit the state government and politicians and oppose bipartisan corruption. As a libertarian, he does not have confidence a major party leader will suffice in an auditor general position.
State Treasurer
Stacy Garrity (R – Incumbent)
Garrity defeated former Treasurer Joe Torsella (D) in 2021 and became the first Republican to hold the position in 16 years.
Garrity has since expanded the 529 College and Career Savings Program, a program her campaign said aided 30,000 families in saving for their children’s future higher education costs.
She introduced a tax credit for employers who contributed to their employee’s savings and waived the fees for account holders each year. Garrity cites this initiative as saving families 11 million dollars in her first term.
Erin McClelland (D)
McClelland spent much of her career as a counselor for mental health and substance abuse before entering politics and learning logistics and policy work. She beat the Democratic Party’s endorsed candidate, Ryan Bizzarro, in the 2024 primaries.
She has not received Gov. Josh Shapiro’s endorsement, having stated she would fight against signing school vouchers — a way for public funding to be used to pay private school tuitions — in court if elected. She also later spoke against his potential vice presidency.
McClelland wants to use the power of the state treasurer to pressure companies to maintain an ethical workforce and supply chain, moving away from inhumane domestic and overseas working conditions.
Chris Foster (Forward)
Foster, a once lifelong democrat, started running this year as a candidate for the Forward Party, a party formed in 2021 by former presidential candidate Andrew Yang to promote centrism.
Foster’s priorities include government transparency in its finances and increasing Pennsylvanians’ financial literacy. He also believes in being apolitical through legislative or executive branch disputes and remaining neutral in social issues when controlling the treasury.
Nick Ciesielski (L)
Ciesielski, a mechanical engineer and current chairman for Westmoreland County’s Libertarian Party, believes that much of Pennsylvania’s day-to-day problems stem from the consequences of government overreach following the pandemic — rising inflation and the devaluation of the dollar.
“[We’re] in this spiral where something’s got to give and it’s not going to be pretty,” Ciesielski told The Temple News. “At least having this forethought and saying, ‘Hey, we’re going to be responsible and work with a plan for this for some of these eventualities here’ [will] set it up so that at the very least, hopefully, Pennsylvania is able to mitigate the negative consequences.”
Troy Bowman (Constitution)
Bowman currently serves as treasurer for Pennsylvania’s Constitution Party, a religious right-wing party dedicated to interpreting the Constitution as intended by the founding fathers, according to the party website.
While Bowman has run for local office before, this is his first run for state office — and he was meant to be a placeholder for the party’s spot on the ballot until they found someone who wanted to run, he told The Temple News.
Bowman hasn’t created any long-term plans for state treasurer or a campaign website. He wants to bring attention to his party instead, he said.
Representative in Congress District 2
Brendan Boyle (D-Incumbent)
Boyle has a long history in politics. In his undergraduate years at the University of Notre Dame, he worked as a mayoral campaign coordinator, then as a fundraiser for Bob Casey for Governor.
He later became a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He has been in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2015.
While in Congress, Boyle has worked within the Temple community. He proposed a bill in June to rename a Postal Office for Sgt. Christopher Fitzgerald, the former Temple police officer who was fatally shot in 2023. He also worked on helping Temple with federal funding for public safety, including funding for an upcoming gun detection system that the Department of Public Safety will implement in the coming months.
Aaron Bashir (R)
Bashir, a 2006 actuarial science Temple alumnus, is again running against Boyle. Bashir lost by more than 50 points in 2022, but is hoping for a more successful run this time. He emphasized the role of God in his life that has helped him on his campaign and in his life experiences, but that Temple helped him in his professional aspects.
“Safety and security for the Temple community is the top priority, reducing crime and making the city safer would be my top priority,” Bashir told The Temple News. “I would love to help with as much funding as possible for the good academic programs that Temple needs, however, I would make sure that it’s not just the liberal or left narrative that’s being promoted in the university.
Bashir said he wants to put the American agenda first, prioritizing issues that face the homeless, veterans, seniors, disabled people and working families.
Be the first to comment