LIVE UPDATES
WVIA Primary Election 2025 Liveblog
Follow along with WVIA News today for the most up-to-date Primary Election Coverage. The News Team is checking in at voting precincts, talking to voters and covering any issues in the region with election updates at wvia.org throughout the day, ending with the most complete results in the top-contested races.
Polls have closed for 2025 primary
The polls have now closed in the 2025 Pennsylvania primary.
It was a day of minimal snags for voting throughout the region, but also low turnout.
Stay with WVIA News as we await returns and bring you reaction from key races.
In Hazleton, Latino voters, candidates hope for better Latino turnout
An overcast Tuesday drew scattered voters for Hazleton elections but plenty of concerns from Latino voters about civic engagement, representation and the city's future.
Despite the significant races featuring Latino candidates for City Council and a government study commission, polling locations across Hazleton reported historically low turnout of all voters.
At the Lackawanna College polling site, only 66 voters of more than 1,100 registered had cast ballots by mid-afternoon.
“This is an important election, and it’s a shame people don’t realize it,” said Dee Deakos, the poll's judge of elections. “We’re not even at 10% turnout. Local elections affect your schools, your streets, your taxes — your daily life.”
While national races attract crowds, the vote Tuesday centered on issues that strike closer to home: property taxes, local governance, education equity and representation. The government study commission race holds the potential to redefine Hazleton’s charter through “home rule”— a change that could enable local leaders to bypass state-imposed tax limits and create district voting for council members.
David Dominguez, a candidate for City Council and the study commission, voiced concerns about voter access and civic fatigue.
“We’ve done everything we could to get people motivated,” he said. “But posters were taken down, and at some polling places, there were no signs or directions at all. People walked away thinking the polls were closed.”
Dominguez specifically referenced issues at Heights Plaza, where he said confusion and lack of signs discouraged participation.
“I stood there for an hour and only saw one Hispanic voter. Two others left thinking the place wasn’t open,” he said.
Beyond access, deeper tensions emerged around representation.
“There’s this narrative that Hispanics don’t vote —and sadly, the numbers today seem to support that,” said Dominguez. “But we can change that. We have more young volunteers this time than ever before. We’re building something.”
Still, systemic hurdles persist. Deakos recalled past Latino candidates with strong credentials who failed to get elected.
“I vote based on the person, not their nationality,” she said. “But many voters don’t. And some Latino candidates couldn’t even gather enough signatures to get on both party lines because of fear and stigma.”
At the Lackawanna College polling station, voter Franklyn Núñez expressed cautious optimism.
“I’ve seen a lot of people moving around. There’s excitement. People are voting. We’re all hoping for a better future for our city,” he said. “But more importantly, we need unity. If we want growth, we need to work together—because we all live in this community.”
When asked about Latino turnout, Núñez noted, “So far, I’ve seen more Hispanic voters here. That’s a good sign. But we still need more participation.”
In other parts of Hazleton, the atmosphere was similarly hopeful.
“I think the energy is high,” said María Méndez, a voter interviewed outside the Vine Street poll. “It’s been a little slow, but people are coming out. What matters is that we all use our right to vote. It’s the most powerful tool we have.”
Méndez expressed optimism that results would reflect “a step forward for our community.”
“It’s not just about casting a ballot,” Dominguez said. “It’s about building a community that shows up, speaks up, and gets a seat at the table.”
Turnout low, minimal 'hiccups' at polling places
Midway through the primary election day, Luzerne County Manager Romilda Crocamo says it’s all quiet on the Northeastern front.
“There’s always a few hiccups when the polls are opened, but the bureau dealt with them,” she said. “I only received … one text message and one call, which means it’s a good day. I don’t want to jinx it, but that’s good.”
Crocamo said the only “hiccups” were minor code issues when poll workers were trying to log in.
The county doesn’t have any new technology at in-person polls, but the ballot drop box at Penn Place in Wilkes-Barre is now equipped with a camera inside the box that takes a picture of anyone dropping off their ballot.
“That’s something new, but other than that, the rest of the equipment is the same that we’ve been using,” Crocamo said.
In Scranton, the West Scranton High School polling location opened about 10 minutes late. Poll workers did not realize the entrance was locked until about 7:10 a.m. Republican mayoral candidate Lynn Labrosky and her husband Jeff were among several voters waiting to be let in.
Beth Hopkins is Lackawanna County's director of elections.
She said today's primary is pretty quiet.
"So we hope people get out and vote by the close of polls today at 8 p.m.," said at the Lackawanna County Government Center in Scranton.
As of this morning, the county had over 10,000 mail-in ballots returned. She expects that number to grow. Voters can do so until 8 p.m. at the drop box at the government center located at 123 Wyoming Ave., Scranton.
Hopkins said that's a pretty average number of mail-in ballots for a primary. She added voters who can’t make it to the drop box can surrender their mail-in ballots, including the envelope, to the judge of elections at their precinct and cast a vote today.
The same goes for Luzerne County voters, Crocamo said. She noted that as of last week, around 10,000 of the about 20,000 mail-in ballots sent out to county residents had been returned.
Luzerne County has also seen predictably low voter turnout.
“It’s not unusual that for a municipal election the voter turnout is lower,” Crocamo said. “It’s unfortunate because these municipal and local elections really do affect the day-to-day lives of our residents.”
At polls, Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti confident about message to voters for her third term
Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti walked into Isaac Tripp Elementary School hand-in-hand with her husband and daughter shortly after 9:30 a.m. on Primary Election Day.
She cast her vote at the cafeteria tables inside the elementary school. Afterwards, her daughter, Sloane, stuck two "I voted" stickers on her sweatshirt.
"We've been working to make sure everybody knows our accomplishments here in these first five years and what we want to do going forward into the future. So we're confident that people have gotten that message,” said Cognetti, a Democrat, after voting in the city’s west side.
She believes the economy was on the minds of Scranton residents as they voted.
"Our economy here, locally, has been great. There are job openings. There are people opening restaurants and businesses downtown and all throughout the city. We've seen, you know, almost 10,000 building permits in the last few years," she said. "We're excited about the future."
Cognetti said the city continues to invest in business and infrastructure improvements. She also pointed out a downtown streetscape project that will make roads safer.
"We have a lot of work to continue to do, but we're looking forward to doing it and hoping to solidify, you know, four more years in November and make it through tonight," she said.
Cognetti served on Scranton School Board. Then won as an Independent during a special election for the mayor’s seat in 2019. Her last campaign for a full term as mayor was in 2021. In some ways, 2025 is the first time she’s experienced a typical campaign cycle.
"It's been a lot of fun to be able to address the neighborhood associations, have an in-person debate again, that was very positive. So, you know, we'll continue to work hard through 8 o'clock," she said.
Most of the Scranton City Council candidates stood outside Tripp, as well as candidates for the Scranton School Board. Only 27 residents had cast votes just before 9 a.m.
As Cognetti walked out of the elementary school, her Democratic rival Bob Sheridan and his driver, who held boxes from Krispy Kreme, walked in.
Outside, Lynn Labrosky, who is running for the Republican nomination for mayor against Trish Beynon, greeted voters.
Sheridan seeks support for Scranton mayoral race in familiar neighborhood
Bob Sheridan knows Scranton’s 19th Ward. For more than 50 years, he’s spent elections at the McNicols Plaza Elementary polling location, either as a committeeman, poll worker or candidate.
Starting at 7 a.m. today, he asked neighbors for their support for his mayoral bid. Sheridan, 71, seeks the Democratic nomination over current Mayor Paige Cognetti.
“It's a great day for Scranton, PA,” Sheridan said. “We're looking forward to winning tonight. We're hoping that people all come out and vote today, and if they do, we should do very, very well.”
On the Republican ballot, Lynn Labrosky and Trish Beynon face off today.
On the chilly, quiet morning, early turnout was slow at the South Scranton elementary school, near Sheridan’s Dutch Hollow neighborhood.
The two-term Scranton School Board member and the city Democratic Party chairman says the mayor allowed crime, deteriorating streets and blight to flourish. He and the mayor’s other opponents call her an “outsider,” since she grew up in Oregon.
“It needs someone born and raised here, and I'm born and raised here, and I have the love for our citizens and our children,” Sheridan said. “I want to see a brighter future for our children in the city of Scranton.”
Meanwhile, Cognetti has pointed to Sheridan’s time on the school board and the decisions he helped make that pushed the district to near-financial collapse.
In a navy suit and patriotic tie on Tuesday, friends commented Sheridan looked “like a mayor.”
His son, Stefan, took his place outside McNichols around 7:30 a.m. The candidate planned to visit polling locations throughout the city before returning to McNichols Plaza for the after-work rush.
Scranton mayoral hopeful Lynn Labrosky gets early start, casts vote as polls open at West Scranton High School
Republican candidate Lynn Labrosky casts her vote bright and early on Election Day.
The West Scranton High School polling location was supposed to open at 7 a.m., but doors remained locked until about 10 minutes after the hour.
“It's unacceptable. The polls are supposed to open right at 7 a.m.,” Labrosky told WVIA News after casting her vote there.
Voters slowly trickled in as Labrosky voted with her husband, Jeff.
Labrosky has a long day ahead, as she and her husband plan to greet voters and volunteers at polling locations across the city.
She says she is proud of the campaign she ran, regardless of tonight’s outcome.
“I'm very proud of the work I've done. It hasn't been easy, but I feel it's worth it, because elections are important, especially municipal elections, and voter turnout should be better, especially in Scranton. People say they want change, but they gotta get out to vote if they want change,” Labrosky said.
Labrosky, who co-owns a South Scranton automobile repair shop with her husband, says curbing crime, controlling taxes and paving more streets would be her top priorities as mayor.
“I should be the candidate because Scranton is my home,” she said. “It's the city I grew up in, the city I raised my children in. It's the city my family goes back five generations. Scranton is a really great place to live. It just needs better leadership.”
She says she started the day feeling confident in her chances of becoming the Republican candidate for mayor.
“I'm feeling very optimistic that I'm gonna win,” Labrosky said. “I'm gonna be the front runner in the primary on the Republican ticket.”
As for what’s next after today’s primary: “When I make it through primary, I start working on the general.”
Labrosky will end the night at Clarkys Billiards to watch results come in and celebrate her campaign with supporters.
Mayoral candidate Patricia Beynon votes in Scranton
Patricia 'Trish' Beynon, a Republican candidate for mayor of Scranton, cast her vote shortly after polls opened for the day.
"I feel pretty confident," she told WVIA News just after voting at Charles Sumner Elementary School in the city's west side.
"I had very good reaction when I was walking the streets talking to people and I know they're looking for change in the city of Scranton," she said. "I know I can bring that."
Beynon said she heard inside the polling place that the turnout was good so far, for a primary. Her campaign promised to tackle crime, blight and taxes.
"Hopefully they'll vote for me and I'll have a better outcome for them come 2026," she said.
Polls open for 2025 Pennsylvania primary
Polls have opened for the 2025 Pennsylvania primary election and will remain open until 8 p.m.
Voters in northeast and northcentral Pennsylvania can expect sunny skies and cool to moderate temperatures throughout the day, according to the National Weather Service, with highs in the mid 60s throughout the region and occasional wind gusts.
Here are some key things to know as you head out to vote or await returns:
What's up around the region?
Races for Scranton mayor and Luzerne County Council will likely grab the spotlight, but there are a range of municipal and county offices, as well as ballot questions, throughout the region.
In eight counties, Republicans and Democrats also will nominate candidates for common pleas court judge vacancies or new judgeships. Seven of the eight have contested common pleas races.
Statewide, voters will choose nominees for state Superior and Commonwealth court vacancies.
You can read more about the Scranton mayoral primary here and about other races here.
If you voted by mail in Sullivan County, here is what you need to know about a ballot error involving the school board race.
Basic information for voters
The Pennsylvania Department of State provides essential basic information for voters on the voting process, as well as how to contact individual county elections offices, election security, how to file an election complaint, and more.
Stay connected tonight
Check back with us after the polls close as WVIA News will bring you coverage of key races across the region.