Pennsylvania's May 20th election is a primary election. The general election, which will include county and municipal races, as well as a retention question for three state supreme court justices, is on November 4th.
Learn about all the options to vote in Pennsylvania to make a plan to vote that works for you!
Pennsylvania Elections Office Phone Number: (877) 868-3772
Whether you are registering to vote for the first time, or need to update your address, name or party affiliation - we've got you covered!
Not sure if you are eligible to vote due to a felony conviction?
Click here to learn more.
Absolutely! You can check your voter registration online on Pennsylvania’s elections office website here.
It can take several weeks. Most states send out voter registration cards within 5 to 7 weeks after receiving the registration. If you do not receive a registration card in the mail, contact your state election office to confirm you are registered. Find your state’s contact information in our How to Vote in Your State section on this page! In any event, you should verify your registration a week prior to the voter registration deadline in your state in case you need to fill out a new registration form or correct your form.
Elections take place all the time throughout the year, and odds are, you probably have an election coming up in your state! In addition to the presidential election and midterm elections, you have statewide, countywide and municipal elections that you can make your voice heard in. Make sure you know when your upcoming elections are so that you don’t miss a single one! Check out when your next election is here.
Your state provides an online ballot tracking system. You can track your ballot here!
YES you are able to register to vote at your student address. You should provide your official campus mailing address as well as the actual physical address of your on or off campus residence when registering to vote. If this is your first time voting, you must have some sort of proof of address and residency that can be presented at your polling place (mail, a student ID, etc.). For more information, we suggest visiting your state’s elections office website. Remember: you can only register to vote and vote in one place, whether that is your student address or your home address!
YES, unhoused voters can register to vote and use their voice in Pennsylvania’s elections. Unhoused voters or voters without a permanent address may list a shelter address, street corner, or park as their address. For more information on voting while unhoused, visit our friends at the National Coalition for the Homeless.
YES. In this case you must register at the last address you had before you left the USA, or at the address to which you will return to when returning to the USA (you must present some indication of a present intent to return and live there – e.g. vehicle registration, driver’s license, property ownership, family, etc). If you have never had a permanent address in the United States but are a citizen you are allowed to register at an address you plan on moving to or an address where you currently have family living. Access more information on voting overseas here.
You may call the voting rights hotline at 866 687-8683, if informing another poll worker isn’t successful. They have lawyers ready to help you. Additionally, you can call the civil rights division of the U.S Department of Justice.
You can also find Pennsylvania’s elections office here and contact them by phone at (877) 868-3772.
Request and track
Notice: Mail-in voting is a convenient and safe way to vote, but your ballot might not count if it’s submitted late or with errors. So follow the directions below on how to vote early or absentee and make your vote count in Pennsylvania.
Voting by mail is a two-step process in Pennsylvania.
Step 1: Request your ballot NOW. The deadline for your application to be received is seven days before Election Day by 5 p.m.
Step 2: Complete and return your ballot ASAP.
As a reminder, mail-in ballots that are not dated or are incorrectly dated will not count. Be sure to double check that you have properly dated your ballot before returning it.
Remember to sign where indicated before returning your ballot.
After you complete your ballot, put it into the secrecy envelope and then into the return envelope. Sign the voter's declaration on the outside of the outer return envelope. If you do not follow the instructions and use both envelopes your vote will not count.
All voters are required to provide ID when voting by mail.
ID is required with application to vote by mail.
Info here on what qualifies as valid ID. When you apply for a ballot by mail, you must include your in-state ID number, the last 4 digits of your social security number, or a photocopy of a valid ID with your application. No ID needs to be submitted with the absentee ballot, but the signature on the ballot must match the signature on the voter registration form.
If you return your ballot by mail, you must add postage when mailing in your ballot.
You can also drop off your ballot in person at your local elections office, or drop box.
You are the only person that can return your ballot in person.
Track your ballot by clicking here.
Bring the ballot with you to "surrender" at the polls. If you do no have the ballot, you will vote a provisional ballot.
Pennsylvania does offer voters a chance to address challenges to their ballot.
In Pennsylvania, most county election boards offer an opportunity to cure your mail-in ballot if there are common errors. Your local elections office should contact you and give you options to remedy your ballot.
You may get a call from a number you do not recognize with a notification that you need to cure your ballot. Be sure to pick so you don’t miss your chance to make sure your vote is counted.
Voters who are voting in their election district for the first time must show photo ID or a non-photo identification that includes name and current address. Voters who are asked to provide ID but do not have an acceptable form may cast a provisional ballot. Valid forms of identification include;
Photo ID
Non-photo ID
Enter your address below to see what you can expect on Election Day.
Your state automatically registers people to vote at the address on their drivers license or other state issued ID card. If you have moved but have not updated your ID with your new address, changed your name or want to add a political party selection, you must update your voter registration. Click here to check to see if you are registered to vote, and update your registration if needed.
You can register to vote and cast your ballot on Election Day at your polling place or local elections office. Bring a valid ID and proof of residence with you.
In person absentee voting begins when ballots are available to each county, which takes place approximately 4 weeks before Election Day. To vote in person absentee request, fill out, and return your ballot while at your county elections office. You may do this through the Tuesday before Election Day
Some states have laws that specifically allow citizens to preregister at a certain age while others allow registration as long as you’re 18 by the next election. Preregistration means you’ll be automatically registered to vote on your 18th birthday without taking any additional steps.
In Pennsylvania, you can preregister to vote if you are 18 by election day. Register to vote today!
Some states even let you vote in their primaries at 17 if you’ll be 18 by the general election so you can participate in the whole process!
You can not vote in the Pennsylvania primaries if you are 18 by the next election.
