Why should I vote in the Pa. primary?
And how does this whole delegate process work anyway?
By Olivia Hall, Philly.com
I am registered...
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How Republicans choose their delegates
There are two types of Republican delegates at stake in Pennsylvania's primary election on April 26: "uncommitted" district-level and winner-take-all, for a total of 71.
On the primary ballot, you can cast your vote for the presidential candidate you prefer and for delegates to go to the RNC, among others.






This is where your vote comes in.
On primary election day, you will be voting for the delegates who will be sent to the Republican National Convention, where they will each cast their vote for a Republican presidential candidate. To have your vote reflected in the party's nomination, you would need to vote for a delegate who supports the candidate you support.
However, the presidential preference of RNC delegate candidates is not listed on the ballot on primary election day.
This means that if you don't do your research, you could unknowingly vote for a delegate who supports a presidential candidate whom you don't.
Below is a sample ballot for Delegate to the RNC for Pennsylvania's Second District. Find your sample ballot here.

We've compiled a list of the delegate candidates in our five-county area and whom they endorse. Find the district you live in here and look up the presidential preference of the delegate candidates below.
But note, delegates are not bound to vote for the presidential candidate whom they endorse. They could say "Cruz" or "statewide winner" and then turn around and vote for Donald Trump on the floor of the convention if they wanted.
If a delegate says, "District winner, 1st ballot," they mean they will vote for the presidential candidate who wins in their district on the first ballot at the RNC. However, if the nomination goes to a second ballot, they are free to change their vote.
Delegate candidates in Philadelphia-area districts
Note: Since publishing, some candidates have updated their endorsement. These changes are reflected in the table below.
District
Candidate
Municipality
County
Presidential Candidate
1
Christopher M. Vogler
Philadelphia
Philadelphia
Strongly leaning district leader
1
Seth Kaufer
Philadelphia
Philadelphia
Uncommitted
1
Dave Hackett
Nether Providence Twp.
Delaware
-
2
Calvin Tucker
Philadelphia
Philadelphia
Uncommitted
2
Aaron Cohen
Philadelphia
Philadelphia
Uncommitted
2
Elizabeth Havey
Lower Merion Twp.
Montgomery
District winner, 1st ballot
2
Aldrick Gessa
Philadelphia
Philadelphia
Ted Cruz
6
Mary Elizabeth Wert
Lower Heidelberg
Berks
Ted Cruz
6
Larry E. Stohler
Lebanon
Lebanon
District winner, 1st ballot
6
Doug Hager
Lower Providence
Montgomery
District winner, 1st ballot
6
Ryan Costello
West Goshen Twp.
Chester
District winner, 1st ballot
6
Robert Wert
Lower Heidelberg
Berks
Ted Cruz
6
Wayne Buckwalter
Upper Uwchlan Twp.
Chester
Donald Trump, 1st ballot
6
Michelle H. Kichline
Tredyffrin Twp.
Chester
District winner, 1st ballot
6
Vicki Lightcap
Pennsburg
Montgomery
District winner, 1st ballot
7
Michael Puppio
Springfield Twp.
Delaware
District winner, 1st ballot
7
Ralph E. Wike III
Springfield Twp.
Delaware
Donald Trump
7
Robert J. Willert
Ridley Twp.
Delaware
District winner, 1st ballot
7
Joan Miller
Haverford Twp.
Delaware
District winner, 1st ballot
7
Jan C. Ting
Haverford Twp.
Delaware
Donald Trump
8
Barry Casper
Hilltown Twp.
Bucks
District winner, state result
8
Deborah Evangelou
Northampton Twp.
Bucks
Ted Cruz
8
Jim Worthington
Upper Makefield Twp.
Bucks
-
8
Gene DiGirolamo
Bensalem Twp.
Bucks
District winner
8
Sean Shute
Lower Makefield Twp.
Bucks
District winner, 1st ballot
8
Marguerite Quinn
Doylestown Twp.
Bucks
District winner + electability
8
Robert G. Loughery
Bedminister Twp.
Bucks
District winner + electability
13
Alan Apt
East Norritown Twp.
Montgomery
Statewide winner
13
Shannon Oscar
Cheltenham
Montgomery
District winner
13
Gilbert Cox
Cheltenham
Montgomery
-
13
Pam Levy
Lower Moreland
Montgomery
District winner
13
Lauren E. Casper
Springfield
Montgomery
Uncommitted
13
Tom Ellis
Cheltenham
Montgomery
District winner, 1st ballot
13
Michael J. McMonagle
Lansdale
Montgomery
Ted Cruz
District: 1
Candidate: Christopher M. Vogler
Municipality: Philadelphia
County: Philadelphia
Presidential candidate: Strongly leaning district leader
District: 1
Candidate: Seth Kaufer
Municipality: Philadelphia
County: Philadelphia
Presidential candidate:Uncommitted
District: 1
Candidate: Dave Hackett
Municipality: Nether Providence Twp.
County: Delaware
Presidential candidate: -
District: 2
Candidate: Calvin Tucker
Municipality: Philadelphia
County: Philadelphia
Presidential candidate: Uncommitted
District: 2
Candidate: Aaron Cohen
Municipality: Philadelphia
County: Philadelphia
Presidential candidate: Uncommitted
District: 2
Candidate: Elizabeth Havey
Municipality: Lower Merion Twp.
County: Montgomery
Presidential candidate: District winner, 1st ballot
District: 2
Candidate: Aldridk Gessa
Municipality: Philadelphia
County: Philadelphia
Presidential candidate: Ted Cruz
District: 6
Candidate: Mary Elizabeth Wert
Municipality: Lower Heidelberg
County: Berks
Presidential candidate: Ted Cruz
District: 6
Candidate: Larry E. Stohler
Municipality: Lebanon
County: Lebanon
Presidential candidate: District winner, 1st ballot
District: 6
Candidate: Doug Hager
Municipality: Lower Providence
County: Montgomery
Presidential candidate: District winner, 1st ballot
District: 6
Candidate: Ryan Costello
Municipality: West Goshen Twp.
County: Chester
Presidential candidate: District winner, 1st ballot
District: 6
Candidate: Robert Wert
Municipality: Lower Heidelberg
County: Berks
Presidential candidate: Ted Cruz
District: 6
Candidate: Wayne Buckwalter
Municipality: Upper Uwchlan Twp.
County: Chester
Presidential candidate: Donald Trump, 1st ballot
District: 6
Candidate: Michelle H. Kichline
Municipality: Tredyffrin Twp.
County: Chester
Presidential candidate: District winner, 1st ballot
District: 6
Candidate: Vicki Lightcap
Municipality: Pennsburg
County: Montgomery
Presidential candidate: District winner, 1st ballot
District: 7
Candidate: Michael Puppio
Municipality: Springfield Twp.
County: Delaware
Presidential candidate: District winner, 1st ballot
District: 7
Candidate: Ralph E. Wike III
Municipality: Springfield Twp.
County: Delaware
Presidential candidate: Donald Trump
District: 7
Candidate: Robert J. Willert
Municipality: Ridley Twp.
County: Delaware
Presidential candidate: District winner, 1st ballot
District: 7
Candidate: Joan Miller
Municipality: Haverford Twp.
County: Delaware
Presidential candidate: District winner, 1st ballot
District: 7
Candidate: Jan C. Ting
Municipality: Haverford Twp.
County: Delaware
Presidential candidate:Donald Trump
District: 8
Candidate: Barry Casper
Municipality: Hilltown Twp.
County: Bucks
Presidential candidate: District winner, state result
District: 8
Candidate: Deborah Evangelou
Municipality: Northampton Twp.
County: Bucks
Presidential candidate: Ted Cruz
District: 8
Candidate: Jim Worthington
Municipality: Upper Makefield Twp.
County: Bucks
Presidential candidate: -
District: 8
Candidate: Gene Digirolamo
Municipality: Bensalem Twp.
County: Bucks
Presidential candidate: District winner
District: 8
Candidate: Sean Shute
Municipality: Lower Makefield Twp.
County: Bucks
Presidential candidate: District winner, 1st ballot
District: 8
Candidate: Marguerite Quinn
Municipality: Doylestown Twp.
County: Bucks
Presidential candidate: District winner + electability
District: 8
Candidate: Robert G. Loughery
Municipality: Bedminister Twp.
County: Bucks
Presidential candidate: District winner + electability
District: 13
Candidate: Alan Apt
Municipality: East Norritown Twp.
County: Montgomery
Presidential candidate: Statewide winner
District: 13
Candidate: Shannon Oscar
Municipality: Cheltenham
County: Montgomery
Presidential candidate: District winner
District: 13
Candidate: Gilbert Cox
Municipality: Cheltenham
County: Montgomery
Presidential candidate: -
District: 13
Candidate: Pam Levy
Municipality: Lower Moreland
County: Montgomery
Presidential candidate: District winner
District: 13
Candidate: Lauren E. Casper
Municipality: Springfield
County: Montgomery
Presidential candidate: Uncommitted
District: 13
Candidate: Tom Ellis
Municipality: Cheltenham
County: Montgomery
Presidential candidate: District winner, 1st ballot
District: 13
Candidate: Michael J. McMonagle
Municipality: Lansdale
County: Montgomery
Presidential candidate: Ted Cruz
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SOURCES: The Green Papers, Philadelphia City Commissioners, Committee of Seventy, Ballotpedia, Politics PA
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How Democrats choose their delegates
There are two types of Democratic delegates for the taking in Pennsylvania: pledged and unpledged (or superdelegates), for a total of 210.
On the primary ballot, you can cast your vote for the presidential candidate you prefer, and for delegates to go to the Democratic National Convention, among others.




There are 189 pledged delegates in Pennsylvania - 127 in the congressional districts and 62 statewide. Unlike the Republican delegate selection process where three delegates come from each district, the number of Democratic delegates from each district varies.
Delegates will be proportionally allocated to candidates based on vote totals in the primary. Candidates will need to collect at least 15 percent of the vote to be eligible to receive any district-level or statewide delegates.


Unlike the Republican ballot, where candidates are listed as "uncommitted," the Democratic ballot notes the presidential candidate to whom the delegate is pledged.
State party rules say that delegates elected to the convention should “in all good conscience” vote for the candidate to whom they have pledged their support.
Below is a sample ballot for “Delegate to the DNC” for Pennsylvania's Second District. Find your sample ballot here.

The remaining 21 delegates are Pennsylvania's superdelegates, who will go to the DNC officially "unpledged" and can vote for either candidate.
Pennsylvania's 21 superdelegates


Ed Rendell
Former governor

Bernie Sanders

Tom Wolf
Governor

Bernie Sanders

Brendan Boyle
U.S. representative
Hillary Clinton
Bernie Sanders

Chaka Fattah
U.S. representative

Bernie Sanders

Matt Cartwright
U.S. representative

Bernie Sanders

Mike Doyle
U.S. representative
Hillary Clinton
Bernie Sanders

Robert Brady
U.S. representative
Hillary Clinton
Bernie Sanders

Robert P. Casey Jr.
U.S. senator

Bernie Sanders

Amanda Green-Hawkins
Member at large

Bernie Sanders

Evelyn Rafalko-McNulty
Pennsylvania DNC member

Bernie Sanders

Ian Murray
Pennsylvania DNC member

Bernie Sanders

Gerald Lawrence
Pennsylvania DNC member

Bernie Sanders

Marcel Groen
Pennsylvania DNC member

Bernie Sanders

Marian B. Tasco
Pennsylvania DNC member

Bernie Sanders

Michael Nutter
Former mayor of Philadelphia

Bernie Sanders

Nancy Patton Mills
Pennsylvania DNC member

Bernie Sanders

Penny Gerber
Pennsylvania DNC member

Bernie Sanders

Rick Bloomingdale
Pennsylvania DNC member

Bernie Sanders
Ronald R. Donatucci
Pennsylvania DNC member

Bernie Sanders

Sylvia Wilson
Pennsylvania DNC member

Bernie Sanders

Tony Coelho
Member at large

Bernie Sanders
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SOURCES: The Green Papers, Philadelphia City Commissioners, Committee of Seventy, Ballotpedia, Politics PA
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Sorry.
You can't vote for a presidential candidate.
You can't vote for a presidential candidate.
Pennsylvania has a closed primary system. Only voters registered Democratic or Republican may vote for president, presidential delegates, and candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives, Pa. Senate, and Pa. House of Representatives.
However, all registered voters in Pennsylvania - not just Republicans and Democrats - may vote on a proposed amendment to the Pa. Constitution that would formally abolish the Philadelphia Traffic Court.
All registered voters in Philadelphia may vote on a proposed amendment to the city's Home Rule Charter that would create an independent Commission on African-American Males. This commission would study challenges facing African-American males in Philadelphia.

Correction (4/20): A previous version stated that the first ballot question on mandatory judicial retirement age would be delayed until the November election. It's removal is still up for discussion.
Update (4/21): The first ballot question is being delayed until the November election. Votes on the judicial retirement age constitutional amendment during Tuesday's primary won't count.
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SOURCES: The Green Papers, Philadelphia City Commissioners, Committee of Seventy, Ballotpedia, Politics PA