Primary day in Pa. with eyes on Philadelphia mayoral race

It's primary election day in Pennsylvania, and in Philadelphia all eyes are on the mayoral race.

Polls opened at 7 a.m. and will close at 8 p.m.

You can find results on Action News, 6abc.com and on the @6abc Twitter feed after polls close.

The League of Women Voters will be staffing a special hotline at 6abc studios between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Tuesday for anyone with questions or concerns.

The number is 1-877-940-6222.

LINK: Find your polling location in Pennsylvania

Action News caught up with the Philadelphia mayoral candidates as they voted Tuesday.

State Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams was the first candidate to vote on Tuesday morning. He cast his ballot just after 7 a.m. at the Anderson Elementary school, just a few blocks from his home.

"There's an urgency to this moment, that we get out enough votes, that we support a candidate that believes in that perspective, and has a plan about doing that right now," Williams said.

Nelson Diaz was out early as well, arriving with his wife at their regular polling place in Chestnut Hill. The former judge was in a reflective mood.

"Saw a lot of need, a lot of poverty, and I'm committed to continuing to work as hard as I can to be helpful to everyone in that community," Diaz said.

Milton Street, the maverick brother of former Mayor John Street, voted just before 7:30 a.m. at the Cecil B. Moore Recreation Center center in North Philadelphia.

"The first thing I'll do as mayor is to begin to hire people where they live to begin to patrol the community where they live, connected directly to the police department," Street said.

By 8 a.m., former PECO executive Doug Oliver voted at his East Oak Lane polling place, hoping he can pull off an upset in his quest for the Democratic nomination.

"From the beginning we have done the work that is necessary to do it. I've met 50,000 Philadelphians on my own, in addition to the thousands who have been met just through the work of my team," Oliver said.

Former D.A. Lynn Abraham, the early front runner in the race, voted in Society Hill. She is still optimistic she can win the nomination and go on to victory in the general election.

"You all know me, you know I'm a tough competitor. I run away from nothing, I embrace the process," Abraham said.

Former councilman Jim Kenney, buoyed by independent polling numbers, was the last candidate to vote this morning at his polling place in Old City.

"It's been a great process, a great journey. Win or lose, I'm really going to enjoy the fact that I've done it," said Kenney.

Citywide voter turnout expected to be in the low 30% range.

In addition to the race for mayor voters in Philadelphia, voters in each party will nominate 5 at-large candidates for city council, and a handful of council seats are contested.

A special election will determine who will replace Lt. Governor Mike Stack in the 5th Senate District in Northeast Philadelphia.

Other big races Tuesday include three open seats on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. That has never happened before.

There are 12 candidates to choose from, and the three top vote-getters in each party will compete in the general election for a 10-year term on the state's highest court.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.