Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar reported that counties continue to canvass ballots cast in the Nov. 3 general election. With estimates from all counties, approximately 10,000 mail ballots were received between 8 p.m. Nov. 3 and 5 p.m. Nov. 6. Additionally, approximately 94,000 provisional ballots were issued to voters at the polls on Election Day.
“The counties have done an impressive job counting a record number of mail ballots and now are canvassing the provisional ballots, each of which must be considered individually,” she said. “Millions of Pennsylvanians voted and made their voices heard in a free, fair and open election last week. I am so proud of the election officials and poll workers who worked tirelessly, amid a pandemic, so voters could decide this election.”
Counties continue to adjudicate and count the provisional ballots cast on Election Day. Under state law, county boards of election must individually adjudicate each provisional ballot and assess whether they meet the standards for counting. The counties do so by verifying the voter was registered to vote in the precinct in which the ballot was cast, and that the voter did not cast a mail-in ballot prior to requesting the provisional ballot at the polling place.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled in September that counties should count mail ballots received through 5 p.m., Friday, Nov. 6, if they are postmarked by 8 p.m. Election Day. The court also ruled that counties should count those ballots if there is an illegible or missing postmark, unless there is sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the ballot was mailed after the Election Day deadline.
The department also reported that 27,650 of the 37,239 uniformed and overseas citizens absentee ballots have been returned and counted so far. Tuesday, Nov. 10 was the deadline for counties to receive voted UOCAVA ballots submitted for delivery by 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 2.
