Voting in Pennsylvania’s General Election: What you should know

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Pennsylvania’s Nov. 5 General Election is quickly approaching. Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 has everything you need to know, including how you can vote and election deadlines. KEY DATES:Oct. 21 – Last day to register before the Nov. 5 General ElectionOct. 29 – Last day to apply for a mail-in or civilian absentee ballotNov. 5 – Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Last day for county election office to receive completed mail-in and absentee ballots. REGISTERING TO VOTETo register in the state of Pennsylvania you must be a United States citizen for at least a month before the general election, a resident of your Pennsylvania election district for 30 days and be 18 years of age on or before the day of the election.In the Keystone State, Pennsylvania residents can register to vote online, by mail or in person at a county election officer or multiple government locations, including PennDOT.Government agencies you can visit to register to vote: Pennsylvania Department of TransportationState offices that provide public assistance and services to persons with disabilitiesArmed Forces Recruitment CentersCounty Clerk of Orphans’ Court offices, including each Marriage License BureauArea Agencies on AgingCenters for Independent LivingCounty Mental Health and Intellectual Disability officesStudent disability services offices of the State System of Higher EducationOffices of Special EducationDA Complementary Paratransit officesAny agency using the Compass applicationYou must register 15 days before election day. The last day to register to vote for the 2024 General Election in Pennsylvania is Oct. 21.Those who are eligible to vote in the state of Pennsylvania and wish to register online, can do so by clicking here. After residents complete their application, it will be reviewed by a county elections office. Once completed and approved, a voter registration card will be sent through the mail.If you do not receive your voter registration card within 14 days, contact your county voter registration office.To register by mail, you will need to download and print out an application then sign your name at the bottom.After filling out the form, residents need to send the envelope to the county elections office. Like the online registration, it will be reviewed by a county elections office and a registration card will be sent once approved. Pennsylvania offers applications in three languages. To download a mail-in registration application, click the following: English, Spanish, Chinese.WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE POLLSPolls in Pennsylvania open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. on Election Day. Registered voters in line at 8 p.m. can vote.You must vote at your county district polling location. Those who are voting for the first time at a new polling location must bring an approved form of identification: Pennsylvania driver’s license or PennDOT ID cardID issued by any Commonwealth agencyID issued by the U.S. GovernmentU.S. passportU.S. Armed Forces IDStudent IDEmployee ID Confirmation or voter registration card issued by your county elections officeNon-photo ID issued by the CommonwealthNon-photo ID issued by the federal governmentFirearm permitCurrent utility billCurrent bank statementCurrent paycheckGovernment checkFIND YOUR POLLING LOCATIONYou can see where your polling location is by entering your address here.CHECK YOUR REGISTRATIONResidents can check their voter registration status at any time online or by phone. You can use the Pennsylvania Department of State’s website by clicking here. Pennsylvanian’s can also look up their registration by calling 1-877-VOTESPA.Those who are already registered in Pennsylvania do not need to register again unless they change their address, name or political party. VOTING BY MAIL OR ABSENTEE BALLOTPennsylvanians who do not to vote in-person can also cast a mail-in ballot or an absentee ballot.Anyone who is registered to vote in the state can apply for a mail-in ballot for the next election. You do not need to give a reason for why you want to vote by mail ballot.Those who are out of their municipality on Election Day or have a disability or illness preventing them from accessing the polls can request an absentee ballot. Voting absentee requires you to provide a reason on why you are requesting the ballot. Applications for both the mail-in and absentee ballots need to be received by a designated county election office by Oct. 29 at 5 p.m.All completed ballots must be received by your county election office by Nov. 5 at 8 p.m.To see how you can request a absentee or mail in ballot, click here. Those who apply for an absentee or mail ballot in Pennsylvania will need to submit proof of identification. Uniformed and overseas citizens and voters who qualify under the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped ACT do not need to show ID. WHO IS ON THE BALLOTPresidential RaceVice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will be on this year’s Presidential ballot in Pennsylvania. Both candidates have ramped up their efforts to capture the states 19 electoral votes. The former president was on the campaign trail in Pennsylvania on July 31. It was the first time Trump returned to the area since an assassination attempt at a Butler Rally.Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, appeared in Philadelphia together for her first campaign event as a presidential candidate.Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 and our sister station WGAL News 8 have been following the candidates and their running mates with our candidate tracker.U.S. Senate RaceDemocratic Sen. Bob Casey and Republican challenger David McCormick will face each other in Pennsylvania’s high-stakes U.S. Senate contest this fall. The April primary election put the men on track for a race that is expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars and help decide control of the Senate next year.Casey and McCormick won their respective party primary contests after they were uncontested and now enter what is likely to be a grueling, expensive and hard-fought 2024 general election campaign that culminates in the Nov. 5 vote.

Pennsylvania’s Nov. 5 General Election is quickly approaching. Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 has everything you need to know, including how you can vote and election deadlines.

KEY DATES:

  • Oct. 21 – Last day to register before the Nov. 5 General Election
  • Oct. 29 – Last day to apply for a mail-in or civilian absentee ballot
  • Nov. 5 – Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Last day for county election office to receive completed mail-in and absentee ballots.

REGISTERING TO VOTE

To register in the state of Pennsylvania you must be a United States citizen for at least a month before the general election, a resident of your Pennsylvania election district for 30 days and be 18 years of age on or before the day of the election.

In the Keystone State, Pennsylvania residents can register to vote online, by mail or in person at a county election officer or multiple government locations, including PennDOT.

Government agencies you can visit to register to vote:

  • Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
  • State offices that provide public assistance and services to persons with disabilities
  • Armed Forces Recruitment Centers
  • County Clerk of Orphans’ Court offices, including each Marriage License Bureau
  • Area Agencies on Aging
  • Centers for Independent Living
  • County Mental Health and Intellectual Disability offices
  • Student disability services offices of the State System of Higher Education
  • Offices of Special Education
  • DA Complementary Paratransit offices
  • Any agency using the Compass application

You must register 15 days before election day. The last day to register to vote for the 2024 General Election in Pennsylvania is Oct. 21.

Those who are eligible to vote in the state of Pennsylvania and wish to register online, can do so by clicking here. After residents complete their application, it will be reviewed by a county elections office. Once completed and approved, a voter registration card will be sent through the mail.

If you do not receive your voter registration card within 14 days, contact your county voter registration office.

To register by mail, you will need to download and print out an application then sign your name at the bottom.

After filling out the form, residents need to send the envelope to the county elections office. Like the online registration, it will be reviewed by a county elections office and a registration card will be sent once approved.

Pennsylvania offers applications in three languages. To download a mail-in registration application, click the following: English, Spanish, Chinese.

WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE POLLS

Polls in Pennsylvania open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. on Election Day. Registered voters in line at 8 p.m. can vote.

You must vote at your county district polling location.

Those who are voting for the first time at a new polling location must bring an approved form of identification:

  • Pennsylvania driver’s license or PennDOT ID card
  • ID issued by any Commonwealth agency
  • ID issued by the U.S. Government
  • U.S. passport
  • U.S. Armed Forces ID
  • Student ID
  • Employee ID
  • Confirmation or voter registration card issued by your county elections office
  • Non-photo ID issued by the Commonwealth
  • Non-photo ID issued by the federal government
  • Firearm permit
  • Current utility bill
  • Current bank statement
  • Current paycheck
  • Government check

FIND YOUR POLLING LOCATION

You can see where your polling location is by entering your address here.

CHECK YOUR REGISTRATION

Residents can check their voter registration status at any time online or by phone. You can use the Pennsylvania Department of State’s website by clicking here.

Pennsylvanian’s can also look up their registration by calling 1-877-VOTESPA.

Those who are already registered in Pennsylvania do not need to register again unless they change their address, name or political party.

VOTING BY MAIL OR ABSENTEE BALLOT

Pennsylvanians who do not to vote in-person can also cast a mail-in ballot or an absentee ballot.

Anyone who is registered to vote in the state can apply for a mail-in ballot for the next election. You do not need to give a reason for why you want to vote by mail ballot.

Those who are out of their municipality on Election Day or have a disability or illness preventing them from accessing the polls can request an absentee ballot. Voting absentee requires you to provide a reason on why you are requesting the ballot.

Applications for both the mail-in and absentee ballots need to be received by a designated county election office by Oct. 29 at 5 p.m.

All completed ballots must be received by your county election office by Nov. 5 at 8 p.m.

To see how you can request a absentee or mail in ballot, click here.

Those who apply for an absentee or mail ballot in Pennsylvania will need to submit proof of identification. Uniformed and overseas citizens and voters who qualify under the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped ACT do not need to show ID.

WHO IS ON THE BALLOT

Presidential Race

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will be on this year’s Presidential ballot in Pennsylvania. Both candidates have ramped up their efforts to capture the states 19 electoral votes.

The former president was on the campaign trail in Pennsylvania on July 31. It was the first time Trump returned to the area since an assassination attempt at a Butler Rally.

Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, appeared in Philadelphia together for her first campaign event as a presidential candidate.

Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 and our sister station WGAL News 8 have been following the candidates and their running mates with our candidate tracker.

U.S. Senate Race


Democratic Sen. Bob Casey and Republican challenger David McCormick will face each other in Pennsylvania’s high-stakes U.S. Senate contest this fall. The April primary election put the men on track for a race that is expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars and help decide control of the Senate next year.

Casey and McCormick won their respective party primary contests after they were uncontested and now enter what is likely to be a grueling, expensive and hard-fought 2024 general election campaign that culminates in the Nov. 5 vote.

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