Voter registration deadline
Midterm elections are approaching and Monday is the deadline for Pennsylvanians to register to vote or to update an existing registration for the Nov. 3 midterm elections.
Pennsylvania residents can still register online through the Pennsylvania Department of State’s voter registration system or in person at their county election office.
Applicants who have a Pennsylvania drivers license or PennDOT identification card can use that information to register online, and voters without those can upload a signature or print a physical application.
After the registration is processed by the county election office, the applicant will receive a voter registration card in the mail.
College students and voter registration
Students who attend college in Pennsylvania can register to vote at their prior home address if their family or guardian still lives there or where they live while attending school, if they meet residency requirements. Students must have been both a U.S. citizen and a resident of the district for at least 30 days before the election.
Mail-in ballots
Registering to vote does not automatically enroll a voter in mail-in voting, and voters who want to receive a mail-in or absentee ballot must submit a separate application to their county election office by 5 p.m. on Oct. 27.
The completed mail-in ballot must be received at the county election office by the time polls close on Election Day at 8 p.m, either by mail or in person. A postmark by Election Day is not good enough.
Voters in some counties can also return their mail-in ballots to a drop box.
Voting in person
For voters choosing to cast their ballots in person, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. Voters who are in line by 8 p.m. must be allowed to vote.
Voters can find their assigned polling place by entering their county and municipality to find the location where they are registered to vote through this tool. Voters should check their polling location before Election Day, as polling places can change.