From Warren to Waynesburg: Pennsylvania at the polls

A Williamsport voter worries that rising costs might be getting in the way of the American dream

9:43 a.m. 

WILLIAMSPORT — For Ifeanyi Bertram Nwadukwe and his wife, Ifeoma Kwadukwe, voting in Williamsport comes down to the cost of living today and the opportunities available to the next generation.

Ifeanyi, a physician at Geisinger Medical Center, said rising costs for everyday necessities like gas, heat and groceries have become an ongoing conversation in his household. He said his family has had to become more intentional about spending, making decisions about what they can and cannot afford. They only get what they need — no excesses, he said.

Nwadukwe wants lower taxes and more affordable housing, particularly for younger generations entering the workforce, he said. He also wants to see greater support for lower-income families, giving more people the opportunity to “live the American dream.”

Education is another priority. He believes college costs need to come down and that students should have access to curricula and degree programs that better reflect the realities of today’s job market.

His wife, Ifeoma, runs a small baking and catering business called Ifychops n Cake. She wants to see the state’s current policy ensuring free school meals remain available to children across Pennsylvania. Gov. Josh Shapiro’s 2026-27 budget proposal included funding for universal free school breakfast for a fourth consecutive year, according to his administration.

“As a mom, you want to make sure that your kids are fed three times a day, so that is really important for me,” she said. —Tori Misuraca, The News Lab at Penn State.

National immigration policy playing out in Williamsport: “difficult to fathom”

9:32 a.m. 

WILLIAMSPORT — Phoebe Wagner, 34, an assistant professor of English at Lycoming College, is a rapid response volunteer for a local group that documents ICE activities in her community.

“When you think of Williamsport and Lycoming County you might not think that there are a lot of immigrants living here, but we do have a population,” Wagner said.

Lycoming County has a relatively small immigrant community, 1.3%, according to U.S. Census data and reporting by Spotlight PA.

“All of the horrors that you see nationally are also happening here in this small rural area,” Wagner said. “Which is really difficult to fathom because we also don’t have the resources to fully assist people.”

“I’ve met people that are afraid. I’ve gone to people’s houses after they’ve been detained and there are children left behind,” Wagner said.

Wagner said it was her concern from the recent ICE raid and worries for the population of immigrants living in Lycoming County that brought her out to vote. —Chayil Dozier, The News Lab at Penn State.

Beyond party lines is a shared community

9:02 a.m. 

WHITE TOWNSHIP — Ron Fairman, 66, arrived at the White Township Recreation Complex at 6:30 a.m. ready to welcome his community members as they made their way inside to cast their ballots.

Fairman stood proudly near the entrance, holding an Alan Bradstock campaign sign and greeting voters. But his morning was about more than just campaigning. He greeted many neighbors with hugs, calling most by name and stopping to exchange a few words before they headed inside.

Now retired, Fairman said protecting Social Security and Medicare are his biggest priorities this election. He believes those programs represent benefits Americans spend their lives working for.

“It’s a benefit that you earned,” said Fairman. “It’s not… it’s not given. You earn it.”

He shared that people contribute to those programs through their whole lives and should be able to rely on them when they reach retirement.

After 35 years of advocacy and currently serving as vice chair of the Pennsylvania State Democratic Party’s South West Caucus, Fairman votes for what he believes is best for his community. While some of his neighbors vote differently than he does, he respects their right to have their own opinions. He believes that political differences don’t have to get in the way of getting along.

Even when neighbors disagree at the ballot box, Fairman believes they can all come together as members of the community. —Piper Murray, The News Lab at Penn State.

“My feet are on fire.” Butler County mother says healthcare is at stake this Election Day.

8:52 a.m. ·

BUTLER CITY — Jamie Smith voted first thing in the morning today — she had to get back home to take care of her son.

Smith, 35, didn’t think she would have to pull her 5-year-old child out of public preschool until she did. Her son got diagnosed with epilepsy, and because no one at his school was trained to administer his controlled emergency medication, Smith is now both mother and teacher.

The current governor, she said, has been working over the past year to pass legislation that would allow a public school staff member to participate in the medication training.

“Had that been passed a couple years ago, my son might still be in school right now,” said Smith.

She can’t imagine what healthcare would look like under Republican control.

Smith has lived in Butler for six years. The polling place itself is inside of a stone Presbyterian church along a red brick road. For years, all roads have led to red in this town.

Smith said that doesn’t stop her from coming out early in the morning to vote as a Democrat.

She thinks Republicans see her son’s situation as her problem, but Smith is hopeful that the people of Butler City will wake up and see blue skies. She said that will require voters to be more considerate and thoughtful of their neighbors.

“I have more at stake now,” said Smith. “My feet are on fire.” —Quinn O’Leary, The News Lab at Penn State.

Rural healthcare access brings Warren voter to the polls

8:52 a.m. ·

WARREN — As Election Day kicks off this morning, voters line up around the Holy Redeemer Roman Catholic Church to cast their ballots. For Warren County voters, this election is crucial, as it can determine what the state of healthcare in the region can look like.

Randy Rossey, the director of planning codes for the city of Warren, says inadequate regional healthcare is what brought him to the polls.

“We need to deal with rural health care,” said Rossey. “That’s a big thing for small towns like Warren to make sure that you can keep your local hospital.”

Currently, the only hospital close to residents is Warren General Hospital; even then, access to care is limited, and people have to rely on neighboring states like New York for adequate care.

The limited access is exemplified when it comes to maternal healthcare. Mothers have to travel further just to give birth, and in terms of prenatal care, living in a rural community makes it that much harder.

“If you don’t mind your child being born in New York State, you can go to Jamestown, which is about 26 miles; if you want to go to Erie, it’s a lot further,” said Rossey. —Vivian Parker, The News Lab at Penn State.

Snow Shoe residents look for local businesses to return

9:17 a.m. 

SNOW SHOE — Snow Shoe stands as a model of a “thriving town” in Centre County ruined by the cost of living, residents said as they headed to the polls on Tuesday.

Snow Shoe residents have felt the loss of essential components of living, including their medical center, pharmacy, grocery store and bank. “Sometimes we feel isolated,” said Vicky McKean, 70, a resident for 50 years. “We had small businesses hiring people and it just seems that no one wants to work these days.”

Shay Peters, 32, also a Snow Shoe resident, said the cost of living is high and employment opportunities in town are few. Travel is a necessity to support her family, Peters said.

“There’s no grocery store in this town, and there’s no work here,” Peters said. “I work in Williamsport, Clearfield, or I’m in Harrisburg — all of those places require travel.” —Jake DeLuca, The News Lab at Penn State.

Concerns about food insecurity in Donora community bring borough councilman to polls

9:06 a.m.

DONORA — Roderick Wilson, 65, made sure to cast his vote early today in Washington County.

The issue that got Wilson out to the polls: the economy. He pointed to rising grocery and gas prices across the state and said Donora residents are feeling the effects.

“A large number of people are going to food banks because they’re hurting and they need food,” Wilson said. “A lot of food insecurity here.”

Rises in prices are only exacerbated by the fact that Donora lacks a grocery store of its own. The closest Walmart or Giant Eagle are both 10-minute drives from the borough.

There is a Dollar General in town where locals shop, but Wilson said, “that’s not a food store.”

Wilson serves as a member of the Donora Borough Council and said he’s trying to bring in a grocery store as well as a gas station and a bank, two other services the borough lacks.

“I’ve been trying to talk to Wegmans to come here,” Wilson said. “They’re going to Mount Lebanon, but they didn’t come here.” —Sadie Harvey, The News Lab at Penn State.

An Election Day birthday wish for peace

8:55 a.m. 

DONORA — Donora resident Elena Dibiasi, 33, spent her birthday morning at the town’s local polling place. “I’m here to vote for the best option… I’m trying to get Trump out,” she said, as she peeled and placed her “I voted” sticker onto her jacket.

Dibiasi is an internet manager for a car dealership. She was born in Donora, in Washington County, and hopes to see some change in this “outrageous” economy. She says the gas and grocery prices are too high, and that health insurance today is “nuts.”

For her birthday, Dibiasi wishes for a great election turnout and peace. She listed the war in Iran and Trump’s strategy as points of concern.

If the Democrats win, Dibiasi said, she wants them to investigate the war tactics, as well as Trump’s family and all of his “buddies” he brought into the administration. “I think they need to…get all these people out and get good people [in] that are gonna be good for the American people,” she said. —Jenna Ramm, The News Lab at Penn State.

“Everything is too high”: One voter’s push to lower taxes for White Township

8:47 a.m. ·

WHITE TOWNSHIP — For Dave Stiffler, a 63-year-old retired resident of White Township in Indiana County, the election is an opportunity to support candidates he believes will address the rising cost in taxes and bring change to the state’s leadership.

One of Stiffler’s biggest concerns is taxes. He said he believes taxes are too high and wants to see them lowered across the state.

“Everything,” said Stiffler. “Mostly property taxes, and all that stuff. Taxes in general.”

Stiffler said the issue extends beyond his own financial concerns, describing property taxes as a common complaint among neighbors and residents in his community. He said he regularly hears concerns.

“Everybody complains about property taxes, school taxes, everything,” he said. “It is too high.”

Stiffler said he has been voting ever since he was old enough and wants to see a change in the state’s governor race. He showed frustration with Gov. Josh Shapiro and said he hopes to see someone else elected.

“Trying to get Governor Ding-Dong out, and get somebody else elected,” Stiffler said.

Stiffler added that he pays attention to the broader election and the candidates running for office even when he can only vote on a limited number of them.

“I care about all of them, but I can only vote on three things in there today,” said Stiffler. —Bronwyn Liber, The News Lab at Penn State.

A conservative voter in Lock Haven supports Shapiro, “a big deal right now”

8:30 a.m.

LOCK HAVEN — Nestled behind the Susquehanna River sits the Lock Haven Regatta Foundation building. A small “Vote Here” sign in the back alley leads voters to a basement.

Brett Everhart, a professor at Commonwealth University-Lock Haven, lives on Water Street. He made his way to the building to vote just past 7 a.m.

Everhart said he is conservative but doesn’t always vote along the party line.

“It’s [about] who’s the best one,” he said, adding that he supports Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is seeking re-election against Republican challenger state Treasurer Stacy Garrity. “I think that’s a big deal right now,” he said.

Everhart said he is “pretty pleased” with how his family and his city are doing. “So I am not looking for a whole lot of change,” he said.

National issues are nothing that “one person can solve right now,” Everhart said. He thinks the nation has to be patient and let things “take care of themselves eventually.” —Alexandria Smith, The News Lab at Penn State.

A first-time voter at 63 determined to do his part

8:04 a.m. 

TOWANDA — Darin Bumbaco, 63, a disabled retiree, cast his first-ever ballot last week in Troy Township. The Towanda native walked, cane in hand, from his home to Trinity Lutheran Church after polls opened on Tuesday morning to collect his “I Voted” sticker.

For Bumbaco, this election cycle represents a break from the norm, for himself and, hopefully, from the country’s politicians.

“That’s why I never really voted,” Bumbaco said. “Every election, these politicians promise and promise. Nothing ever gets done.”

Economic upheaval and growing racial divides over the last two years finally urged Bumbaco to the polls.

“The cost of living goes up 100% every year, and the salaries never go up,” he said. “I could go back to work today and make probably $3 more an hour than I would have made 20 years ago. How crazy is that?”

Standing on the pavement in his black jacket and beanie, Bumbaco stands a bit taller having contributed to the democratic process for the first time.

“I wanted to vote this year so I can at least say I wasn’t one of those guys that complained about everything and didn’t get his vote in to try and change something, even if it doesn’t get changed,” said Bumbaco. “I did my part.” —Avery McGurgan, The News Lab at Penn State.

Bradford County voter urges America to vote, get back to God

7:50 a.m. 

TOWANDA — Afton Camp, 40, worked the night shift at the Qnity manufacturing plant in Towanda before stopping to vote this morning. She cast her ballot before 7:30 a.m., like she does in every election, at Trinity Lutheran Church before heading home to sleep.

She hopes her neighbors will get out and vote today, too.

“It can’t just rely on one or two people,” Camp said. “If anybody wants change, they have to help make the change.”

Camp said she wants to elect the candidates that best represent the people because she has seen politicians becoming distanced from the people they serve, as well as the Christian values she said the country was built on.

“We were built on God, and we have ventured away from that,” Camp said. “We need to get back there, but to get back there, people have to come out and vote.” —Alli Satterfield, The News Lab at Penn State.