Shareholder Vote

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, DC 20549 _____________ FORM 8-K   CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): April 29, 2026   Essential Utilities, Inc. (Exact Name of Registrant Specified in Charter) Pennsylvania 001-06659 23-1702594 (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation) (Commission File Number) (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)   762 West Lancaster Avenue     Bryn Mawr , Pennsylvania   19010-3489 (Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip Code)   Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (610) 527-8000   _______________________________________________ (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)   Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions: ☐    Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) ☐    Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) ☐    Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) ☐    Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))   Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: Title of each class   Trading Symbol(s)   Name of each exchange on which registered Common stock, $.50 par value   WTRG   New York Stock Exchange   Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter). Emerging growth company ☐ If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐     Item 5.07 Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.   The 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of Essential Utilities, Inc. (the “Company”) was held on April 29, 2026 as a virtual meeting pursuant to the notice sent, on or about March 17, 2026, to all shareholders of record at the close of business on March 2, 2026, the record date for the Annual Meeting. At the Annual Meeting:   1. The following nominees were elected as directors of the Company to serve for one-year terms and until their successors are elected and qualified. The votes received are set forth adjacent to the names below:    Name of Nominee For Withheld Elizabeth B. Amato 201,371,233 4,532,152 Christopher L. Bruner 202,590,287 3,313,098 David A. Ciesinski 203,063,096 2,840,289 Christopher H. Franklin 190,969,552 14,933,833 Daniel J. Hilferty 185,710,239 20,193,146 W. Bryan Lewis 189,059,560 16,843,825 Tamara L. Linde 203,501,982 2,401,403   There were 34,169,760 broker non-votes recorded for each nominee.   2. The advisory vote to approve the compensation paid to the Company’s named executive officers for 2025 as disclosed in the Company’s Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting was approved by the following vote of shareholders:    For Against Abstain 184,594,406 20,085,147 1,223,832   There were 34,169,760 broker non-votes for this proposal.   The results of this annual advisory vote to approve the compensation paid to the Company’s named executive officers was discussed at the Board meeting held immediately following the Annual Meeting.   3. The appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Company for the 2026 fiscal year was ratified by the following vote of shareholders:   For Against Abstain 215,561,365 24,045,886 465,894   There were no broker non-votes for the ratification of the independent registered public accounting firm.          SIGNATURES   Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.     ESSENTIAL UTILITIES, INC.       Date: April 30, 2026    By:     /s/ Christopher P. Luning   Name:  Christopher P. Luning   Title: Executive Vice President, General Counsel