Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar today alerted Pennsylvania voters who applied for but have not received their mail ballot that they can vote by provisional ballot at their polling place on Election Day.
“Do not worry – if you haven’t received your mail or absentee ballot you will not lose your right to vote,” she said. “Anyone who hasn’t received their mail ballot should go to their polling place on Election Day and vote by provisional ballot. Your ballot will be counted if you are a qualified voter who has not already cast a ballot.”
Polls are open tomorrow from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters can find their polling place on the Department of State’s voting website, votesPA.com.
Any voter who has received but not yet returned their mail ballot should do so immediately by hand-delivering it to their county election office, satellite election office or other designated drop-off location. Voted mail ballots will not be accepted at polling places.
Voters must make sure they enclose their mail ballot first in the white inner secrecy envelope and seal it, then insert the inner envelope into the outer pre-printed return envelope, and sign and complete the voter’s declaration on the outer envelope. Voters must complete all these steps for their ballot to be counted.
Under Pennsylvania law, voters may only return their own ballots. The only exceptions to this are for voters with a disability who have designated someone in writing to deliver their ballot, or for voters who need an emergency absentee ballot.
Voters who applied for and received a mail ballot and then decide they want to vote at the polls on Election Day can change their mind, but they should bring their mail or absentee ballot and the outer ballot envelopes to be voided by the poll worker. They may then vote on their county’s voting system.
If a voter applies for a mail ballot but does not return it and does not bring the mail ballot and envelopes with them, they may still vote by provisional ballot at the polls on Election Day. Their county board of elections will then verify that they did not vote by mail before counting their provisional ballot.
Additionally, if a voter’s absentee or mail-in ballot is rejected for a reason other than their qualification or eligibility to vote, such as a missing signature or naked ballot, they may vote by provisional ballot.
Pennsylvania has prioritized election preparedness by implementing new, secure voting systems in every county; implementing Interagency Election Preparedness and Security Workgroup along with local, state and federal partnerships to monitor for disruptions and coordinate responses; and providing counties with supplies to keep polling places clean and safe, for both poll workers and voters during the pandemic.
“Pennsylvania is ready for Election Day,” said Boockvar. “Voters should cast their ballots knowing that the commonwealth is doing everything it can to protect their rights while keeping them safe.”
Voters who plan to vote at their polling place on Election Day should wear a mask and follow social distancing guidelines. The Department of State is supplying counties with masks, face shields, hand sanitizer, floor marking tape for social distancing and other supplies.
Voters planning to vote at a polling place on Election Day should be aware of their rights. Voter intimidation and discriminatory conduct are illegal under federal and Pennsylvania law. Any activity that threatens, harasses or intimidates voters is illegal – including any activity that is intended to, or has the effect of, interfering with any voter’s right to vote, whether it occurs outside or inside the polling place.
Anyone who suspects voter intimidation or who believes they are the victim of voter intimidation should report the incident to their county board of elections and county district attorney immediately. They may also contact the Pennsylvania Department of State at 1-877-868-3772.
Additional voter rights include the following:
– If a voter is in line at 8 p.m. when polls close, they may still vote
– Only first-time voters, or those voting for the first time in a new precinct, must show ID; registered first-time voters who do not bring ID to the polls can return with identification or must be offered a provisional ballot
– If a voter’s name is not in the poll book, poll workers can call the county board of elections to see if the voter is registered in another precinct in the county; registered voters who are in the wrong precinct polling place should go to the correct one; a voter who believes he or she is registered in the precinct and should be listed in the poll book may cast a provisional ballot
– Voters who moved within Pennsylvania but did not update their address in time before the election may vote one more time in their previous precinct, as long as they update their address at the polling place
– If 50 percent or more of the voting machines at a polling place are not working, voters have the right to use an emergency paper ballot; poll workers should immediately offer the ballots but, if they do not, voters should request one rather than leave without voting
– If a voter is challenged on the basis of identity or residency, the voter may vote normally by signing a challenge affidavit and producing a witness who is also a registered voter in the precinct to vouch for them; if the voter cannot or does not want to produce a witness, the voter may cast a provisional ballot; identity, residency and qualifications as an eligible voter are the only bases for challenging a voter at a polling place
– Voters have the right to assistance at the polling place, including foreign language or literacy assistance; a voter may select any person to assist as long as the person is not their employer, union representative or the Judge of Elections; voters do not need to be designated as “assistance permitted” in the poll book to receive help; a person who wants assistance will be asked to sign an Assistance Declaration at the precinct, unless the poll book already indicates “assistance permitted”
– Voters have the right to refuse assistance
Visit votesPA.com for more information.
