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You may have heard some mistaken national media reports saying Pennsylvania has “early voting” or that it is starting this week. Pennsylvania state election officials and county election offices all say that’s not true and are setting the record straight.”Pennsylvania does not have early voting. But as part of the Act 77, we do have over-the-counter voting, which means when ballots are available, somebody can come into our office, fill out an application, be approved, be handed a ballot. You can either take it with you, or you could vote it on site and then leave it in one of our ballot drop-off boxes,” David Voye, Allegheny County elections manager, told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4.As for the significance of the date Sept. 16, that’s the deadline for counties to start the job of processing mail ballot applications. That doesn’t mean actual voting — and it doesn’t mean sending out ballots.In fact, ballots could not be printed before a court case affecting the content of the ballot was resolved.Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 checked with several western Pennsylvania counties about when they expect to start sending out mail-in ballots.Earlier on Monday, Voye said, “Currently, there’s still a court case pending in the Supreme Court, but we always strive to have ballots mailed out at least 30 days prior to each election.”Beaver County said it would be sometime between Oct. 1 and Oct. 8.Butler County hopes to start on Sept. 30.Washington County estimates the beginning of October.Westmoreland County plans on the week of Oct. 7.Regarding over-the-counter voting, Voye said, “Once we have ballots that we know that we can scan or we can start mailing, you can come into our office and fill out either a mail-in or an absentee ballot application. We will process the application. We will print you a ballot. Like I said, you can vote the ballot or take it with you and either mail it in or drop it off in one of our ballot drop-off locations.””If you apply on the last day, and it takes us a day or two to get your ballot in the mail, it takes two days via the mail, then you vote it in two days to return. That has to be in our office by 8 p.m. on Election Day or we cannot count it, so please don’t wait until the last minute to apply early.”Allegheny County recently announced its plans for mail ballot drop-off locations and satellite voting locations.Word that the remaining court case was settled came late Monday afternoon.The Pennsylvania Department of State said Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt certified the official list of candidates for the Nov. 5 general election on Monday after the state Supreme Court resolved all pending cases involving third-party candidates. “Counties can now prepare their ballots to be printed, then begin sending mail ballots to voters who have requested one as soon as they are printed,” Schmidt said. County election officials indicate the resolution of the court case doesn’t necessarily mean the mail ballots will be sent out early.”We’re looking at, at least, probably a week of testing. We want to test each piece of equipment to make sure it tabulates, and tabulates correctly, before we start mailing out ballots to voters. We’re not going to mail a ballot unless we know that we can count it,” Voye said.The department said in a news release, “To help voters and the media track when each county has its ballots available, the Department created an online mail ballot availability page.””Once ballots are printed and available, registered Pennsylvania voters can go to their county election office, apply for a mail ballot, complete it, and submit it all in one visit until Oct. 29, which is the deadline to apply for a mail ballot,” the department said. “Registered voters can also request a mail ballot online or via a paper application, which they can then mail in or drop off at their county election office,” it said. Completed mail ballots must be returned to county election offices by 8 p.m. on Election Day. For more information about voting and elections in Pennsylvania, visit vote.pa.gov.”
You may have heard some mistaken national media reports saying Pennsylvania has “early voting” or that it is starting this week. Pennsylvania state election officials and county election offices all say that’s not true and are setting the record straight.
“Pennsylvania does not have early voting. But as part of the Act 77, we do have over-the-counter voting, which means when ballots are available, somebody can come into our office, fill out an application, be approved, be handed a ballot. You can either take it with you, or you could vote it on site and then leave it in one of our ballot drop-off boxes,” David Voye, Allegheny County elections manager, told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4.
As for the significance of the date Sept. 16, that’s the deadline for counties to start the job of processing mail ballot applications. That doesn’t mean actual voting — and it doesn’t mean sending out ballots.
In fact, ballots could not be printed before a court case affecting the content of the ballot was resolved.
Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 checked with several western Pennsylvania counties about when they expect to start sending out mail-in ballots.
Earlier on Monday, Voye said, “Currently, there’s still a court case pending in the Supreme Court, but we always strive to have ballots mailed out at least 30 days prior to each election.”
Beaver County said it would be sometime between Oct. 1 and Oct. 8.
Butler County hopes to start on Sept. 30.
Washington County estimates the beginning of October.
Westmoreland County plans on the week of Oct. 7.
Regarding over-the-counter voting, Voye said, “Once we have ballots that we know that we can scan or we can start mailing, you can come into our office and fill out either a mail-in or an absentee ballot application. We will process the application. We will print you a ballot. Like I said, you can vote the ballot or take it with you and either mail it in or drop it off in one of our ballot drop-off locations.”
“If you apply on the last day, and it takes us a day or two to get your ballot in the mail, it takes two days via the mail, then you vote it in two days to return. That has to be in our office by 8 p.m. on Election Day or we cannot count it, so please don’t wait until the last minute to apply early.”
Allegheny County recently announced its plans for mail ballot drop-off locations and satellite voting locations.
Word that the remaining court case was settled came late Monday afternoon.
The Pennsylvania Department of State said Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt certified the official list of candidates for the Nov. 5 general election on Monday after the state Supreme Court resolved all pending cases involving third-party candidates.
“Counties can now prepare their ballots to be printed, then begin sending mail ballots to voters who have requested one as soon as they are printed,” Schmidt said.
County election officials indicate the resolution of the court case doesn’t necessarily mean the mail ballots will be sent out early.
“We’re looking at, at least, probably a week of testing. We want to test each piece of equipment to make sure it tabulates, and tabulates correctly, before we start mailing out ballots to voters. We’re not going to mail a ballot unless we know that we can count it,” Voye said.
The department said in a news release, “To help voters and the media track when each county has its ballots available, the Department created an online mail ballot availability page.”
“Once ballots are printed and available, registered Pennsylvania voters can go to their county election office, apply for a mail ballot, complete it, and submit it all in one visit until Oct. 29, which is the deadline to apply for a mail ballot,” the department said.
“Registered voters can also request a mail ballot online or via a paper application, which they can then mail in or drop off at their county election office,” it said. Completed mail ballots must be returned to county election offices by 8 p.m. on Election Day. For more information about voting and elections in Pennsylvania, visit vote.pa.gov.”
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