🥞 Rise and shine, Monday!

⛅ Partly cloudy with a high temp around 66, low 44.

Today’s newsletter is 1,030 words — a 4-minute read.

Welcome to your Election Day cheat sheet.

Why it matters: Control of Pennsylvania's state government is on the line tomorrow and Philly is poised to send a progressive to Congress.

🏆 Top of the ticket: The gubernatorial election is the premier race on the ballot.

• Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro is seeking a second term and is challenged by Republican Stacy Garrity and Libertarian Ken Krawchuk.
• Yes, but: Shapiro has held significant leads in both fundraising and polls throughout the campaign.

📌 State races: All 203 seats in the state House are on the ballot and half of the 50 state Senate seats (those in even-numbered districts).

• Dems currently hold a majority in the House while the GOP maintains control of the Senate.

👀 Between the lines: Democrats see a potential opening to flip the Senate and win a trifecta in state government — control of the House, Senate and governor's mansion.

🌆 In Philly: The city proper has a pair of ballot questions for voters:

1. Whether to give small businesses preferences for city contracts.
2. Whether to establish Creative Philadelphia, an office that promotes arts and culture, as an official city agency.

🏛️ Congress: All members of the U.S. House are also up for election.

• That includes Philly's 3rd Congressional District, where Democrat and progressive Chris Rabb is very likely to prevail against an independent challenger in the deeply blue district.
• Rabb has drawn national attention as moderate and progressive Dems battle for the future of the party.

⚖️ Plus: A handful of congressional races across Pennsylvania will likely help determine the balance of power in Congress.

• 1 race to watch: Republican Brian Fitzpatrick in the 1st Congressional District, who's held the seat since 2017 in Bucks County.
• Fitzpatrick is seen as a bellwether for the GOP's fortunes in deep purple Pennsylvania and is perennially targeted by Dems.
• He's taking on Democrat Bob Harvie, a Bucks County commissioner.

🗳️ How to vote: Polls are open Tuesday between 7am-8pm. Find your polling place here.

• Mail-in ballots must be received by election boards no later than 8pm on Election Day.
• In Philly, voters can return mail-in ballots at election offices and drop boxes throughout the city.

👀 What we're watching: Whether voters will turn out across the state.

• The last midterm election with the governor on the ballot in 2022 drew 54% of eligible voters.

Worth noting: Voting complaints can be reported to the district attorney's election task force hotline at 215-686-9641.

• Voting issues can also be reported to the nonpartisan Election Protection group's hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683).

Before the polls open tomorrow, at least 1 million voters had already cast mail-in and absentee ballots as of last Friday, per the Department of State's website.

• Registered Democrats accounted for the majority of those early votes (65%).

Zoom in: Allegheny County, which includes Pittsburgh, cast the most early votes (~121,000).

• Philly was second with more than 89,800.

🪓 Comcast plans to lay off 634 employees in Philly at its Center City headquarters, the telecommunications giant tells state regulators.

• The cost cutting comes after Comcast said this year it will split the company in two by spinning off its media and entertainment assets.

🔑 New tenant protections are now in effect in Philly. The laws include expanding so-called good cause rules requiring landlords have a legitimate reason for ending a lease. (WHYY)

Four of America's biggest sportsbooks have poured more than $80 million into a political operation seeking to influence state elections ahead of the midterms, according to Federal Election Commission data reviewed by Axios.

Why it matters: Sportsbooks are ramping up their political spending as they seek broader legalization and navigate a growing rivalry with prediction markets.

By the numbers: DraftKings, FanDuel, Fanatics and British-owned bet365 contributed a net $80.65 million to the Win for America super PAC from November 2025 through September 2026, according to its FEC filings.

• The federally registered super PAC channels money to Republican- and Democratic-aligned committees that seek to influence state races.
• Win for America is targeting state legislative races to expand legal sports betting and influence state laws governing the industry, including taxes and restrictions on wagering.

Zoom in: While sports betting is already legal in Pennsylvania, industry-backed PACs have spent millions supporting lawmakers who opposed efforts to raise taxes on sportsbooks.

Between the lines: The sports betting industry's political spending underscores how much is at stake in statehouses across the country.

• In addition to deciding whether to legalize online sportsbooks, state lawmakers also set tax rates that determine how much betting revenue flows to public budgets versus how much operators keep.

Go deeper

Axios readers are a mix of emotions going into Tuesday's election.

Context: More than 151 readers took our poll about what they're feeling before the votes are tallied.

• People weighed in from across Pennsylvania — Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Downingtown, Allentown, Radnor, Phoenixville, Duquesne and Salisbury.
• The vast majority of respondents said they were Democrats — 93%.

By the numbers: Optimism was the top feeling among respondents — appearing more than 65 times.

• Yes, but: Many hedged by noting they were were cautiously optimistic (at least 19).
• Nervousness was the second most used word, which appeared in 50+ responses.

What you're saying: Here are some of the most notable responses from readers.

• 🌊 Tzanis Z.: I'm hopeful to see a blue wave, relieved to be free of campaign advertising.
• 🥲 Nancy H.: Depressed and yet strangely excited: I am depressed because the same idiots that voted for the current agenda will be doing it again, but excited that Zoomers could step up and participate.
• ⚖️ Mark P.: Nervous yet optimistic. I feel that the country has (finally) reached a turning point. — Mark P.
• 😬 Ed D.: Nervous, fearing Democrats will take over every level of government.
• 🫡 Donna S.: Patriotic.
• 🫣 Erin C.: I'm hoping for the best but also bracing for the worst, as recent elections have shown us that what we expect doesn't always pan out.

😳 Isaac got let down by Dallas … again.

👋 Mike is taking down his Halloween decorations.

Have a good day!

Today's newsletter was edited by Jen Burkett.