The deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot is end of day Tuesday.

Last week, Acting Secretary of State Leigh M. Chapman urged Pennsylvanians to apply before the deadline, so that there would be enough time for the mail-in ballot to be received.

Chapman said the mail-in ballots also can be requested in person until end of day Tuesday.

"Voters also have the convenient option of applying for a mail-in ballot in person at their county board of elections office, then completing the ballot while there,“ said Chapman in a news release last week. ”In one visit, voters can apply for and cast their mail ballot."

As of last week, more than 771,600 Pennsylvanians have applied for mail-in ballots and more than 90,200 Pennsylvanians have applied for an absentee ballot to vote in the May 17 primary.

Butler County Election officials said Monday that 11,924 ballots have been mailed to county residents and 6,984 have been returned to the bureau. There are 39,852 registered Democrats and 76,497 registered Republicans among the 135,261 total registered voters in Butler County.

Though convenient, mail-in ballots come with specific instructions that must be followed precisely, including instructions on properly placing the ballot in the envelope. There also are contingencies that allow voters to renege their choice of absentee or mail-in ballots.

Voters who received an absentee or mail-in ballot may vote in person on election day if they bring their incomplete mail-in ballot and envelope with them to be voided.

In this case, the voter will sign a packet declaring their mail-in ballot surrendered, and they can then vote on a regular ballot. Voters who already voted and returned their mail ballot are not eligible to vote in person on election day.

Voters who requested a mail ballot and did not receive it or do not have it to surrender may vote by provisional ballot at their polling place. The provisional ballot will be reviewed by the county board of elections after Election Day to determine whether it will be counted.

"Choose whichever secure and accessible voting option you prefer – whether that's by mail-in ballot, in person by mail-in ballot at your county elections office, or at the polls on Election Day – but let your voice be heard," Chapman said. "And if you are voting by mail ballot, act quickly and complete and return your mail ballot now."

Despite the expanded options, traditional polling places still will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.

For the May 17 primary election, only voters registered as Democrats or Republicans will select nominees in the primary to represent their parties in the Nov. 8 general election.

For more information on voting in Pennsylvania, visit vote.pa.gov, call the Department of State's toll-free voter hotline at 1-877-868-3772 or follow along on social media with the hashtag #ReadyToVotePA.

Mail-in ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on May 17, Election Day. Mail-in ballots received after that time will not count, even if postmarked by 8 p.m. May 17.

Mail-in ballots also can be hand-delivered to the county elections office, 124 W. Diamond St., on Floor LL. Hand-delivered ballots must be received by 8 p.m. May 17.

Voters may return only their own mail ballot unless the voter has a disability and designates someone in writing to return it for them using the designation form on the Department of State website, or the voter requires an emergency absentee ballot.

Information about mail-in ballots can be found at the following website: https://www.vote.pa.gov/Voting-in-PA/Pages/Mail-and-Absentee-Ballot.aspx