A guide to voting by mail in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvanians who can’t or don’t want to vote in person in the Nov. 5 general election can cast ballots through the mail.

Any registered voter in Pennsylvania can request a mail-in or absentee ballot.

To help you navigate the mail-in ballot process, the Pennsylvania Independent is providing the following guide. Below, you can find when and how to apply for mail-in and absentee ballots, how to fill out those ballots, and more.

This is one of four election guides from the Pennsylvania Independent. The other three provide general information about voter registration, finding polling locations, dealing with problems on Election Day, the candidates, and more. Those guides are available on pennsylvaniaindependent.com/tag/2024-voter-guide/.

What’s the difference between mail-in and absentee ballots?

Absentee ballots, which allow registered voters to cast their ballots by mail, have existed in Pennsylvania for decades. To receive an absentee ballot, you have to provide a reason you need to vote by mail, such as having a disability or being out of the country.

Mail-in ballots were created by Act 77 of 2019. You do not need to provide a reason to request mail-in ballots.

The processes to apply for absentee and mail-in ballots are the same. More details about the process for both can be found at https://www.pa.gov/en/agencies/vote/voter-support/mail-in-and-absentee-ballot.html. 

Apply to vote by mail

You can send your application by mail, submit it online, or apply in person.

Online: You need a valid Pennsylvania driver’s license, a PennDOT-issued photo identification, or the last four digits of your Social Security number. Provide an email address so you can receive ballot status notifications.

The online mail-in ballot application is available at https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/OnlineAbsenteeApplication/#/OnlineMailInBegin

Mail: Download the application, fill it out and mail it to your local county election office.

The paper mail-in voter application is available for downloading and printing at https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/OnlineAbsenteeApplication/#/OnlineMailInBegin.

In-person: Once the county’s ballot has been finalized, you can apply in person at your county election office. If you apply in person, you can receive your ballot immediately.

Deadlines

Your county election office must receive your completed application for a mail-in or absentee ballot by 5 p.m. on Oct. 29. The deadline to return the completed ballot is 8 p.m. on Nov. 5.

Ballots received after the deadline will not be counted, even if they contain a postmark dated before the deadline. Election officials encourage those voting by mail to send their ballots as soon as possible. If you mail your ballot the morning of the election and it doesn’t get to your election office by 8 p.m., it will not be counted.

How to request an emergency absentee ballot

You can request an emergency absentee ballot after 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 29, if you experience an emergency after the application deadline and before Election Day, such as an unexpected illness or disability.

That emergency absentee ballot application may be submitted to your county election office any time before 8 p.m. on Election Day.

An application for the emergency absentee ballot application can be found here: https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/vote/resources/documents-and-forms/PADOS_EmergencyAbsenteeBallotApplication_English.pdf.

If you are unable to pick up or return your emergency absentee ballot, you can authorize a representative to do so by filling out the form here: https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/vote/resources/documents-and-forms/PADOS_AuthorizeRepresentativeforEmergencyAbsenteeBallot.pdf.

How to properly fill out mail-in and absentee ballots

Make sure to carefully read the directions on the mail-in ballot and complete the front and back of each page.

Once you’ve finished filling out your ballot, seal it in the yellow envelope that’s marked “Official Election Ballot.” Do not make any stray marks on the yellow envelope.

The ballot must be enclosed and sealed in the yellow envelope or it will not be counted.

Put the yellow envelope in the pre-addressed outer return envelope and seal it. You must sign and write the current date on the outside of the outer return envelope. If you do not write the current date on the outer envelope, the ballot will not be counted.