With another election upon us, we have all the information you need to know about how to vote in Pennsylvania. The 2024 general election is Nov. 5, but registered voters can vote by mail ballots in the weeks leading up to Election Day.
For this election, voters will be choosing a candidate for president, U.S. senator, several state row offices, representatives in Congress, half of all state Senate seats and all seats in the state House.
Here are all the details about voting in Pennsylvania:
Registering to vote
To vote in Pennsylvania, you must first be registered.
Who is eligible to vote?
All Pennsylvanians can register to vote, if they’re:
- A citizen of the United States for at least 30 days before the election.
- A resident of Pennsylvania and their election district for at least 30 days before the election.
- At least 18 years of age on the day of the election.
How do you register to vote?
You can register using the online form at vote.pa.gov. That’s the easiest and quickest option. But voters can still mail in a paper application, which is available at government offices, libraries and post offices. You can also register in person at your county election office.
What is the deadline to register?
The deadline to register is 15 days before the election. For the November 2024 election, that deadline is Oct. 21. If you’re registering using the online form, you must submit it by 11:59 p.m. on that date. If you’re registering using the paper application, your county election office must RECEIVE it by 5 p.m. on that date.
How do I update my registration?
If you are already registered to vote in Pennsylvania, you do not have to register again unless you need to change your name, address, or political party. To update your registration, use the same registration forms above.
How can I check my registration status?
Use the “Find Voter Registration Status” form at pavoterservices.pa.gov/pages/voterregistrationstatus.aspx. You can search using your name or your PennDOT driver’s license/photo ID number.
Voting by mail ballot
In Pennsylvania, registered voters can request either a no-excuse mail ballot or an absentee ballot.
How can I request a mail ballot?
Registered voters can apply online at pavoterservices.pa.gov/OnlineAbsenteeApplication/ or in person at their county election office. They can also contact their county election office directly to request a paper application — or download it from vote.pa.gov — and mail it to your county election office.
What else do I need to provide?
To apply for a mail ballot, you will need to provide:
- A valid Pennsylvania driver’s license or PennDOT photo ID card number; OR
- The last four digits of your Social Security number
If you do not have those forms of identification, check the box titled, “I do not have a PA driver’s license or a PennDOT ID card or a Social Security number.” If you choose this option, you must enclose a photocopy of one of the following forms of acceptable ID:
- U.S. Passport
- U.S. Military ID
- Government employee ID
- Photo ID issued by accredited Pa. college
- Photo ID issued by a Pa. care facility
What is the deadline to apply for a mail ballot?
The deadline is seven days before the election: Oct. 29. But election officials ask that voters request a ballot as soon as possible.
When will I receive my mail ballot?
Ballots are expected to be mailed out to those who’ve requested them starting in October.
If you requested your mail ballot and have not received it within 14 business days, contact your county election office. If it’s less than one week before Election Day, contact the election office immediately as you may need to vote by provisional ballot at your polling place on Election Day.
How do I complete my mail ballot?
- Carefully open the ballot package when you receive it in the mail.
- Fill out the ballot immediately.
- Place your ballot in the yellow envelope marked “official election ballot.” Your ballot must be enclosed and sealed in this yellow envelope or it will not be counted. Do not make any stray marks on the yellow envelope.
- Seal the yellow envelope in the pre-addressed outer return envelope. Be sure to sign and date the declaration on the outside of the outer return envelope, or your ballot will not be completed.
Where do I return my completed ballot?
Mail your completed ballot, or return it directly to your county election office. Some counties have satellite election offices and designated drop boxes where you can return them; check with your county election office for more information.
Can someone else return my ballot?
NO. You must return your own ballot, unless you have a disability and have designated someone in writing using the “Authorize a Designated Agent Form”.
What is the deadline to return my mail ballot?
Your county election office must RECEIVE your completed mail ballot by 8 p.m. Nov. 5. A postmark by 8 p.m. Nov. 5 is not sufficient.
How do I check the status of my submitted mail ballot?
You can track the status of your ballot online at pavoterservices.pa.gov/Pages/BallotTracking.aspx. If you provide your email address when you apply for a mail ballot, you will receive an email notification when your returned ballot is recorded.
What about absentee ballots?
The process for requesting, receiving, completing and returning absentee ballots is the same as regular mail ballots. You can use the same online form, or you can download a separate paper application. The only difference is that absentee ballots can be requested when you will be out of your municipality on Election Day or have a disability or illness that prevents you from going to your polling place — both of which require you provide a reason why you want to vote by mail.
How do I get on the annual mail ballot list?
When you apply for your mail ballot, check off the box on the form. By doing so, you will receive a mail ballot for every election until the third Monday in February of the following year, and your county election office will remind you to apply for a mail ballot in every year.
Voting in person by mail ballot before Election Day
If you are registered to vote, you have the option of applying for a mail ballot in person at your county election office or other designated location, then completing the ballot while you are there.
When can I begin voting in person by mail ballot?
Once ballots are ready, starting in October. Check with your county election office for details.
What do I need to bring with me?
You will need your PennDOT ID number or the last 4 digits of your Social Security number. Please refer to the list of ID requirements for mail-in or absentee ballots for more details.
How do I vote in person by mail ballot?
- Submit a completed mail-in or absentee ballot application at your county election office or other designated location.
- Wait for your application to be verified and processed (this may take a few minutes).
- Receive your ballot and fill it out.
- Place your ballot in the yellow envelope marked “official election ballot.” Your ballot must be enclosed and sealed in this yellow envelope or it will not be counted. Do not make any stray marks on the yellow envelope.
- Seal the yellow envelope in the pre-addressed outer return envelope. Be sure to sign and date the declaration on the outside of the outer return envelope, or your ballot will not be completed.
- Hand in your ballot.
What is the deadline to vote in person by mail ballot?
At 5 p.m. seven days before the election: Oct. 29
Voting in person on Election Day
Where do I vote?
Each voter is assigned to a specific polling place. Voters unsure of where to go can look up their polling place at pavoterservices.pa.gov/Pages/PollingPlaceInfo.aspx.
When are the polls open?
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 5. Anyone in line by 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote.
Do I need to show ID at the polls?
No, unless it’s your first time voting at a new polling place. If it’s your first time voting at a new location, you must bring an acceptable form of identification. Registered first-time voters who do not bring ID to the polls can return with identification or must be offered a provisional ballot.
Acceptable forms of photo ID are:
- Pennsylvania driver’s license or PennDOT ID card
- ID issued by any state agency
- ID issued by the federal government
- U.S. passport
- U.S. Armed Forces ID
- Student ID
- Employee ID
If you do not have an acceptable photo ID, you can still use some form of non-photo identification that includes your name and address, including:
- Confirmation issued by county voter registration office
- Non-photo ID issued by the state
- Non-photo ID issued by the federal government
- Firearm permit
- Current utility bill
- Current bank statement
- Current paycheck
- Government check
What do I do if there’s a problem?
Call the state election office at 877-VOTESPA (877-868-3772), or your county election office.
What if I requested a mail ballot but changed my mind and want to vote in person on Election Day?
If you did not return your mail-in or absentee ballot and decide you instead want to vote in person, you have two options:
- Bring your ballot and the pre-addressed outer return envelope to your polling place to be voided. After you surrender your ballot and envelope and sign a declaration, you can then vote a regular ballot.
- If you don’t surrender your ballot and return envelope, you can only vote by provisional ballot at your polling place. Your county election board will then verify that you did not vote by mail before counting your provisional ballot.
If you already returned your completed mail-in or absentee ballot, then you cannot vote at your polling place on Election Day.
Provisional ballots
If a voter’s eligibility to vote is in question at the polling place on Election Day, they may be asked to vote by provisional ballot. A provisional ballot records the vote until county election officials determine whether it can be counted.
When would someone have to vote by provisional ballot?
According to the state election office, reasons why a voter may be issued a provisional ballot include:
- Your name was not in the poll book or supplemental poll book. For example, you reported to the wrong precinct; or you did not report a recent change in residence to the county election office.
- You are required to show ID, but cannot show ID.
- Your eligibility was challenged by an election official.
- You were issued an absentee or mail-in ballot but believe you did not successfully vote that ballot, and you do not surrender your ballot and outer return envelope at the polling place to be spoiled.
- You returned a completed absentee or mail‐in ballot that was rejected, or you believe will be rejected, by the county board of elections and you believe you are eligible to vote.
- There is a special court order with respect to your registration status.
- There is a special court order related to extending the hours of voting.
- You believe that you are registered in a political party, but your voter record indicates otherwise (for primary elections only).
How do I vote a provisional ballot?
Complete the sections on the provisional envelope labeled Voter Information, Voter Affidavit for Provisional Ballot, and Current Address in front of election officials.
- Mark your provisional ballot in an accessible and private area of the polling place.
- Seal your provisional ballot in the secrecy envelope.
- Seal the secrecy envelope in the provisional ballot affidavit envelope.
- Fill out the Voter Signature section on the provisional ballot envelope in front of polling place election officials.
- Return the sealed provisional ballot affidavit envelope to a polling place election official.
- Receive your provisional ballot identification receipt.
When are provisional ballots counted?
County board of elections will have 7 days after Election Day to determine whether someone was eligible to vote in the precinct where they voted by provisional ballot.
How do I know if my ballot counted?
Starting 7 days after Election Day, you can find out whether your provisional ballot counted or not by using the state’s Provisional Ballot Search at https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/Pages/ProvisionalBallotSearch.aspx. You can also call 877-VOTESPA (877-868-3772).
You’ll need to provide your provisional ballot ID number, which is on your provisional ballot receipt.
Emergency absentee ballots
In the event of an emergency situation such as an unexpected illness, disability or last-minute absence from your municipality, you can request an emergency absentee ballot after 5 p.m. on the Tuesday before the election: Oct. 29.
How do I apply for one?
You can download the emergency absentee ballot application from vote.pa.gov, complete it and return it to your county election office. You’ll need to provide a reason for why you are requesting an emergency absentee ballot.
What is the deadline to apply for one?
You must submit your emergency absentee ballot application to your county election office by 8 p.m. on Election Day: Nov. 5.
What if I’m not able to make it to my county election office?
If you are unable to pick up and/or return your emergency absentee ballot yourself, you must complete a separate authorization form that allows you to designate someone to do it for you. That form must be returned with the application by the deadline.
More Information
- Military and overseas voters
- Voting assistance and language support
- Information for college students
- Your rights and voting laws
- Voting machine demos
- Contact your county election office
- Official Pa. elections site: vote.pa.gov
