Ready those envelopes; mail-in deadline arrives Tuesday
The deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot is the end-of-day Tuesday.
Last week, Acting Secretary of State Leigh M. Chapman urged Pennsylvanians to apply before the deadline, so there was enough time for the mail-in ballot to be received.
Chapman said the mail-in ballots can also be requested in-person until end-of-day May 10.
"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 last week’s news release. ”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 primary.
Though convenient, mail-in ballots come with specific instructions that must be followed, including instructions on properly placing the ballot in the envelope. There are also 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 their 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 will still open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.
For the May 16 primary election, only voters registered as Democrats or Republicans will select nominees in the primary to represent their party in the November 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.
Though convenient, mail-in ballots come with specific instructions that must be followed. Those instructions include the following:
- Enclose the mail ballot in the inner security envelope marked "official election ballot" and seal it, being careful not to make any stray marks on the envelope.
- Seal the inner security envelope in the pre-addressed outer envelope.
- Sign and date the voter's declaration on the outer envelope.
- Voters should return their voted ballot to their county board of elections as soon as possible. They have two options:
Mail the ballot. Mailed ballots must be received by 8 p.m. May 17, Election Day. Mail ballots received after that time will not count, even if postmarked by 8 p.m. May 17.
Or, hand-deliver their ballot to their county elections office, officially designated satellite office or drop box site. Hand-delivered ballots must be received by 8 p.m. May 17.
- Additionally, 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.
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