(Capital-Star photo)
Pennsylvanians who want to vote by mail in the upcoming general election must have their ballot application received by their local election office by 5 p.m. on Tuesday. That means Tuesday is effectively also the last day for Pennsylvanians to practice the state’s version of early voting.
In Pennsylvania, early voting is done through a process called “on demand mail ballot voting.” Early voters are effectively going to their local elections office, applying for a mail ballot, filling it out there and then turning it in. So when the deadline for mail ballot applications passes at 5 p.m. today, the process expires.
Pennsylvanians are required to show proof of identification when requesting mail ballots. Voters who apply online must provide either a driver’s license number, PennDOT ID number or the last four digits of their social security number. If applying online on the day of the deadline, voters may still want to contact their local election office to ensure their application was received.
Voters can ensure that their local election office has mail ballots available through this official link.
Pennsylvania is one of 13 states with an on-demand mail ballot early voting system, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Because of this and the state’s mail ballot application deadline, Pennsylvanians who have not already submitted an application for a mail ballot will not be able to vote on demand at their local elections office from now until election day.
Ballots cast early, like other mail ballots, are not allowed to be counted until the morning of election day due to state’s pre-canvassing rules. Because so many voters are expected to vote early in person or by mail — and because the election will likely be close — Pennsylvanians may not know which presidential candidate won the state until after election night.
Voters who have already cast mail ballots can track them through this state website — pavoterservices.pa.gov/Pages/BallotTracking.aspx — by entering their name, birthday and county where they requested their ballot. All mail ballots must be received by county elections offices by 8 pm on election day, Nov. 5. Voters who are concerned that their mail ballot was not received by election day can vote in person with a provisional ballot.
Voters who requested to vote by mail, but then decide they would rather vote in person, must bring their mail ballot and official return envelope to their polling place and surrender it to the on-duty Judge of Elections. That may add time to the voting process.
Voters who did not request a mail ballot, but experience an emergency such as an illness or debilitating injury that may prevent them from voting in person, can submit an emergency absentee ballot application. The deadline for those to be received by a local election office is 8 p.m. on election day. A separate form must be filled out to authorize another person to drop off the ballot in their place.
Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt will hold his daily virtual press conference on the election at 1 p.m. Tuesday. Voters can watch live on the Department of State’s official Facebook page or at pacast.com/live/dos. Similar updates will be held daily until the election.