Pennsylvania - What to watch in 2026

As of September, Pennsylvania remains a politically divided state where control of government is split, and that balance plays a central role in shaping women's rights. Abortion remains legal, but protections are established through state law rather than the state constitution, making future policy direction dependent on elections and political control.

Voting policy has also become a major issue heading into November. Pennsylvania is involved in ongoing litigation over federal efforts to impose new requirements on mail voting, while state lawmakers continue to debate changes involving early voting, ballot processing, voter registration, and election administration.

With control of the governor’s office and the legislature at stake in 2026, election results could determine whether existing protections remain in place, are expanded, or face new restrictions.

Want to understand where women’s rights stand today?
See our Pennsylvania State Summary for the state’s current protections, restrictions, and policy trends.

What’s at stake

Several major areas of women’s rights in Pennsylvania remain unsettled and could shift depending on the outcome of the 2026 elections and future court decisions:

• Access to abortion.
  Abortion remains legal in Pennsylvania, but because protections are set in state law rather than the state constitution, future access will depend on whether the governor continues to block new restrictions and whether the legislature can advance them.
• Voting rules.
  Pennsylvania's rules for mail voting, voter registration, ballot processing, and election administration remain politically contested. Changes in state government control could determine whether access is expanded or new restrictions are pursued.
• Education policy and gender-related protections.
  Issues involving curriculum, gender identity, parental rights policies, and student protections are largely decided at the state level. Future direction will depend on legislative priorities, gubernatorial leadership, and election outcomes.

What will be on the ballot — and when

General election (November 3, 2026)

• Pennsylvania State Senate (about half the chamber)
• Pennsylvania House of Representatives (all seats)
• Governor
• U.S. House of Representatives

These offices influence which legislative proposals are advanced.

Election resources

The following links provide official information about the ballot, voter registration, and elected representatives:

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania — voter registration, mail voting, polling locations
Ballotpedia — Pennsylvania elections, 2026

Locate your district's representatives

• Find My Legislator - An interactive map and locator tool for the General Assembly members in Pennsylvania
• House of Representatives - The official House directory
• State Senate - The official Senate directory

WRDI provides election context to support an informed understanding of how laws and policies change. The organization does not endorse candidates or parties.