Pennsylvania is a crucial battleground state in the 2020 election. And now, for the first time ever in a presidential election year, mail-in ballots are available to all registered voters in Pennsylvania, without any excuse. That means there is now actually a way for you to vote early in person.
Your polling place in won’t be open until Nov. 3. But between now and Tuesday, there is a place you can go to vote early.
At a news conference Wednesday, Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar explained that you can apply for and fill-out a mail-in ballot all at once.
“Going in person to your county election office; handing in your application; being checked for eligibility; being handed your ballot; filling it out there; casting it all in one visit," Boockvar said. "Next Tuesday is the last day for that. So we're urging voters to act now."
Boockvar said that’s how she and 50,000 other Pennsylvanians have already voted.
Some counties have also set up satellite offices. Centre County Commissioner Michael Pipe said that county has a satellite election office in Gate A of the Bryce Jordan Center on the Penn State University Park campus.
“We have about six stations where the voters can get the over-the-counter ballots, give their applications over, have our staff process them, and then give them their ballots,” Pipe said.
He also said the county is requiring masking and social distancing at the site, to keep voters safe.
You have only through Tuesday, Oct. 27 to vote in person at your county elections office, or a satellite office. Check locations and hours on your county’s website or votespa.com.
