Philadelphia's troubled turnout in past primaries

Context: Philly's turnout for primaries has historically been abysmal.

• Since 2010, turnout in primaries has averaged roughly 22%, per city data.

By the numbers: Philly now has 1,080,642 registered voters, with Democrats accounting for more than 774,000 of those.

The big picture: Primaries for governor, Congress, and Pennsylvania House and Senate seats are on the ballot today.

• Only registered Democrats and Republicans can take part in the state's closed primaries. However, independents can still vote on Philly-specific ballot questions.
• There are a handful of competitive races in the city, including the Democratic primaries for the 3rd Congressional District and the open state House seat in the 200th District.

Zoom out: Registered Democratic voters still outnumber their Republican counterparts statewide, per state data.

• Dems: 3.8 million registered voters — up roughly 20,000 from November 2025
• GOP: 3.6 million — a decline of 2,100
• Independents and others: 1.4 million — up around 30,000

Go deeper: Philadelphia's 2-minute guide to Tuesday's primary