Harrisburg, PA – Today, Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt reminded eligible Pennsylvanians that the Oct. 23 deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 7 municipal election is only two weeks away. Ensuring that our elections are conducted freely, fairly, and securely – and that every eligible voter can make their voice heard – are top priorities of the Shapiro Administration.
“Voting is the most fundamental way to participate in our democracy,” Schmidt said. “But you can’t vote if you’re not registered. I urge every eligible Pennsylvanian who isn’t yet registered to get registered by Oct. 23.”
To be eligible to vote, an individual must be:
- a U.S. citizen for at least 30 days before the election,
- a resident of Pennsylvania and the election district in which the individual plans to register and vote for at least 30 days before the election, and
- at least 18 years old on the day of the election.
Schmidt encouraged Pennsylvanians to use the Online Voter Registration (OVR) system, which is a fast and convenient way to register to vote. In addition to registering through the OVR system, eligible voters can register to vote by mail or apply in person at:
- a county voter registration office,
- county assistance offices,
- Women, Infants & Children (WIC) program offices,
- Armed Forces recruitment centers,
- county clerk of orphans’ courts or marriage license offices,
- area agencies on aging,
- county mental health and intellectual disabilities offices,
- student disability services offices of the State System of Higher Education,
- offices of special education in high schools,
- Americans with Disabilities Act-mandated complementary paratransit providers, and
- Department of Transportation (PennDOT) driver and photo license centers.
New this fall at all PennDOT driver and photo license centers is a form of automatic voter registration, which provides eligible Pennsylvanians with a convenient way to apply to register to vote when they obtain a new driver’s license or ID card or renew their existing identification. The Shapiro Administration launched the automatic registration initiative as part of its continued commitment to ensuring free, fair, and secure elections.
Regardless of which way eligible Pennsylvanians choose to register, county elections offices must receive their voter registration application by 5 p.m. Oct. 23.
“Registered voters also can request a mail-in or, if applicable, an absentee ballot and vote from the convenience of their home,” Schmidt added. “Every vote – regardless of whether it’s cast in person or via mail ballot – is precious, and I encourage all eligible Pennsylvania voters to make their voice heard in this municipal election.”
Voters who wish to vote by mail-in or absentee ballot must apply by 5 p.m. Oct. 31. The deadline for county boards of elections to receive mail-in and absentee ballots is 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 7. Voted mail ballots received after that time do not count, even if they are postmarked before the deadline.
Voters who prefer to vote in person on Election Day can find their polling place on vote.pa.gov.
Eligible voters will have the opportunity to choose candidates in the following races:
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court justice,
- Superior Court judge,
- Commonwealth Court judge,
- Court of Common Pleas judges,
- Magisterial District Judges, and
- Local officials, such as county commissioners, borough council members, township supervisors and school board members.
The Department’s candidate database lists county and statewide judicial candidates.
The Department’s voter information website, vote.pa.gov, is available in English, Spanish, and Chinese, and it offers county boards of elections contact information as well as tips for first-time voters and members of the military. Voters also can familiarize themselves with the voting system they will use if they vote in person on Election Day.