MAKE A PLAN TO VOTE IN PA
There are three flexible ways to vote in Pennsylvania — by mail, early in-person, or at a polling place on Election Day. Enter the address of your voter registration to see dropboxes, polling places, and other voting options in your area!
Need Immediate Support?
Call our Voter Assistance Hotline:
833-PAVOTES (833-728-6837)
Voting Early In-Person
Through October 26th at 5:00 PM, you can vote early by going to your county elections office in person, requesting a ballot, completing it, and handing it back on the spot!
Every Pennsylvania voter is allowed to vote early in-person! You may request, complete, and return your mail ballot in-person at your county elections office or at satellite locations if provided by your county.
Before you go, call your county elections office to make sure official, finalized ballots are available. You should also confirm the hours of operation and ask whether any satellite voting offices are open.
You can vote early in-person until October 26, 2021 at 5:00 PM.
Yes, if you already requested a mail-in ballot, you can still vote early in-person!
Instead of waiting for your ballot to be mailed to you, go to your county elections office (or a satellite office, if applicable) to request a mail-in ballot in person and vote early on the spot.
Before you go, see if your county has already mailed it out to you by checking the status of your mail ballot request.
To vote early in-person, you must go to your county elections office or a satellite voting office established by your county.
Voting By Mail
Voting by mail is an easy three-step process! Request your ballot online or with a paper application, complete the ballot as instructed, and return the completed ballot by mail or dropoff to the right place by 8:00 PM on Election Day.
DON’T FORGET TO PUT YOUR BALLOT IN THE SMALLER SECRECY ENVELOPE OR YOUR VOTE WILL NOT COUNT. IF RETURNING YOUR BALLOT BY MAIL, SEND IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
Every Pennsylvania voter is allowed to cast a mail-in ballot! You do not need to provide a reason or excuse to obtain your mail-in ballot, but you must request your ballot in advance.
To vote by mail in Pennsylvania, you must first request your mail-in ballot. There are three ways to get your ballot available: online, by mail, or in person.
ONLINE
Go to PADems.com/mail to start the process of voting by mail right now from your computer!
BY MAIL
You may sign up to vote by mail by completing and mailing a paper application to your county elections office. Download the form in English, or you may click here to access the form in Spanish.
IN PERSON
You may also request your ballot in person at your county’s elections office or any satellite offices in your county. If you choose to do so, you may also be able to complete and submit your ballot on the spot! See above for more information on voting early in-person.
REMEMBER: ACT QUICKLY AND EXPECT POSTAL DELAYS! REQUEST YOUR BALLOT IMMEDIATELY TO ENSURE AMPLE TIME TO RETURN IT.
After you request your ballot, your county elections office will mail it to you — likely sometime between late September and early October. After you have received your ballot, you (and only you) must:
1) Carefully mark your ballot according to the accompanying instructions. Watch a step-by-step guide here.
2) Place your marked ballot in the secrecy envelope. Without using the smaller secrecy envelope, your ballot will not count!
3) Place the secrecy envelope and ballot inside the large return envelope.
4) Fill out the voter declaration on the larger return envelope. Don’t forget to sign the voter declaration!
5) Return your ballot by mailing it in or dropping it off at your county elections office, designated satellite office, or ballot dropbox. Your ballot must be received before 8:00 PM on Election Day
IF RETURNING YOUR BALLOT BY MAIL, SEND IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. BALLOTS MUST BE POSTMARKED BY ELECTION DAY AND RECEIVED BY 8:00 PM ON ELECTION DAY TO BE COUNTED.
Yes! Go to PADems.com/ballotfinder to see if your request to vote by mail has been processed by your county elections office, if your ballot is on its way to you, and if your ballot has been received by your county elections office.
Voting On Election Day
Polls will be open 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM on Tuesday, November 2nd. Be sure to confirm your voter registration and polling location by October 18th as you make your plan to vote on Election Day!
Polls are open 7:00 AM − 8:00 PM on Election Day.
By PA law, anyone who is in line by 8:00 PM must be allowed to vote. If you are in line at 8:00 PM, stay in line until your ballot has been cast!
In Pennsylvania, you are NOT required to show identification UNLESS it’s your first time voting at your current polling place.
All voters appearing at a polling place for the first time must show a valid form of identification. That means if you previously voted in PA, but have since moved to a new precinct, you are still required to show ID at your new polling location.
If you believe someone at your polling place has improperly or erroneously requested ID, please call PA Dems’ Voter Assistance Hotline at 833-728-6837.
If you’re planning to vote in person on Election Day, find your polling place at VotesPA.com/Status.
When you do so, confirm that you’re still registered at your current address and that all other pertinent information is up to date.
If you can’t make it to the polls on November 2, 2021, vote with a mail-in ballot OR early in-person. See the FAQ sections above for more information on how to vote using these methods.
In emergency situations—such as an unexpected illness or injury—you can request an Emergency Absentee Ballot beginning 5:00 PM on October 26th until 8:00 PM on Election Day, November 2nd.
Yes! Even if you requested a mail-in ballot, you can vote normally on Election Day IF:
- you surrender your entire mail ballot package (including the ballot and larger return envelope) at your polling place
- AND you sign a statement that you did not vote by mail.
If you’re unable to do one or both of these things, you may still vote at your polling place on Election Day using a Provisional Ballot.
Americans living overseas and in the military who want to vote in their home state must request their ballot every election year even if they are already registered. Democrats Abroad provides assistance for service members, their families, and overseas citizens who want to vote.
Click here to get more information.
If you believe your voting rights have been infringed—or see someone else’s rights in question—please stay at that polling location and immediately call the PA Dems’ Voter Assistance Hotline at 833-728-6837.
Registering To Vote
Regardless of how you plan to vote this fall, make sure that you’re registered and all your voter information is up to date! Voter registration for the 2021 General Election closes on October 18th.
There are three ways to register to vote in Pennsylvania: online, by mail, or in person at your county’s elections office.
ONLINE
To register online, click here or visit www.votespa.com/register at least fifteen days prior to the next election. To vote in the 2021 General Election, you must be registered by Monday, October 18th.
BY MAIL
To register by mail, print this application and mail it to your county’s Voter Registration Office, whose address is listed within the application.
IN PERSON
To register in person, find your county’s nearest elections office and stop in during business hours to complete a voter registration form.
Yes, you may vote in Pennsylvania if you have lived in the state for at least thirty days before Election Day, November 2nd.
Anyone who will turn 18 on or before November 2, 2021 may register to vote in the 2021 General Election. You must still submit your voter registration application before the Voter Registration deadline: October 18, 2021.
KEY ELECTION DATES
Please keep these important dates in mind to ensure your vote is heard in the 2021 General Election!
| Voter Registration Deadline | Deadline to Vote Early In-Person |
|---|---|
| October 18, 2021 | October 26, 2021 | 5 PM |
| Mail Ballot Return Deadline* | Election Day 2021 |
| November 2, 2021 | 8 PM | November 2, 2021 | 7 AM – 8 PM |
*Request your mail-in ballot today at PADems.com/mail. If you choose to return your ballot by mail, mail it as soon as possible; it must be received by November 2nd at 8:00 PM. Postmarks do not count.
How To Register To Vote
Mark & Return a Ballot
Additional Information
If you need additional instruction, guidance, or resources related to voting in Pennsylvania, please visit the VotesPA Resource Center. You may also call the Bureau of Commissions, Elections and Legislation at 717-787-5280 or 1-877-868-3772.
Need Immediate Support?
Call our Voter Assistance Hotline:
833-PAVOTES (833-728-6837)