Your Daily Guide

What To Know Before Voting

Polls are open today from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Whether you’re heading to the polls for the first time, or need a quick refresher, here’s what to know before casting your ballot.

• Check your registration. You can look up your registration online if you’re not sure about your status. If you're listed as “inactive,” you can still vote after signing an affirmation at your polling place.
• Double-check your polling place. Even if you’ve voted at the same location for years, your polling place could have changed. Make sure you know where to go by looking up your polling place online.
• Bring ID if it’s your first time voting at your polling place. Photo and non-photo ID (like your voter registration card or a utility bill) are accepted. See the full list of what's acceptable. If you’ve voted at your polling place before, you shouldn't need to show ID.
• If you received a mail-in ballot but haven’t returned it yet, it's too late to put it in the mail. You can drop it off at the County Office Building at 542 Forbes Ave. by 8 p.m. today. Alternatively, you can bring the entire ballot packet, including the outer return envelope, to your polling place to surrender it and vote in person.
• Need childcare? With Pittsburgh Public Schools closed for Election Day, the city is offering free childcare at four Citiparks recreation centers: Ammon, Jefferson, Magee, and Ormsby. All four locations open at 8:30 a.m. and lunch is provided. Families are asked to register directly with their preferred center.
• If your name isn’t in the poll book or you don’t have the required ID, ask a poll worker about voting with a provisional ballot. And remember, as long as you’re in line when the polls close at 8 p.m., you can still vote. [Allegheny County Elections / PA Department of State / City of Pittsburgh]

Will PA’s Political Balance Shift?

Gov. Josh Shapiro signed dozens of bills into law last month, including a ban on forever chemicals, a grant program to investigate and prosecute online child abuse, and tougher penalties for "swatting" threats against schools. But state lawmakers are on track to pass the fewest individual pieces of legislation since the 1970s, and many bills that have passed the state House are stalled in Senate committees. Learn what could change if Democrats win a trifecta for the first time in decades. [Axios / Spotlight PA / City Cast Pittsburgh]

Post-Gazette Labor Charges Continue

The Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh filed an unfair labor practice charge against the paper’s new owner, the Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism. It accuses Venetoulis of discriminating against striking employees when it made hiring decisions and failing to restore the terms of a prior agreement. According to an attorney for the union, when the nonprofit took over last spring, only five of the approximately 50 workers it brought on were former strikers. [TribLive]

Capo’s Closed After Stabbing

The Allegheny County District Attorney's office has ordered the South Side bar to shut down until a December hearing that will determine its future. Capo's was already operating under a consent agreement because of repeated safety concerns. After the stabbing, which left one person in critical condition, community leaders called for its immediate closure. [WTAE]

Everyone’s Playing Mahjong

The centuries-old Chinese tile game is having a moment in Pittsburgh, with mahjong groups popping up at bars, libraries, churches, and other spots across the city. Players say it's a fun way to get off their phones, meet new people, and build community. I’ve never played myself, and I don’t have much patience for learning rules to a new game, but I’m willing to give it a go for the community aspect! Curious about giving Mahjong a try? NEXTpittsburgh has a guide to where you can play around town. [The Tartan / NEXTpittsburgh]

Let’s play a game! Where can you find these glowing purple arches?

Big congratulations to Maura B., Janis M., Joann A., and Sarah D. for correctly guessing last week’s photo! ⬇️

Calling all tomato girls! This would be a great place for a selfie. These glorious tomatoes are on a mural outside the Pennsylvania Macaroni Co. in the Strip District. Stop by for a photo opp and some meats and cheeses, then explore the rest of the Strip.