State and Bucks County elections officials encourage all voters not to wait until the last minute
The Times
State and Bucks County elections officials encourage all voters not to wait until the last minute to submit applications for absentee ballots.
Under the state election code, applications for absentee ballots must be received no later than Tuesday, May 14, for this year’s May 21 primary.
The election code further requires that, once received and completed by a voter, the absentee ballot must be returned and received by the county’s election office no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, May 17.
Having an absentee ballot in the mail and postmarked by May 17 doesn’t meet the deadline. It must be received by 5 p.m. on May 17.
That’s just a 72-hour turnaround from the application deadline to the reception deadline, which is why elections officials are urging voters to act sooner rather than later.
Absentee ballots may be cast by voters with illnesses or disabilities, or by those who will be away from their municipalities on Election Days, such as people traveling on business, college students and deployed members of the military.
Absentee ballots from members of the military deployed overseas will be received until 5 p.m. on May 28 by county boards of elections.
Information about absentee ballots, including a downloadable request form, can be found at the Department of State’s website votesPA.com.
Questions may be directed to the Bucks County Board of Elections office at 215–348–6154. ••
