“Christians are called to be stewards of our common life through serving as faithful and active citizens. We live out our mutual responsibility for one another by guaranteeing our neighbor’s right to vote and participate freely and fully in society.” — The Rev. Elizabeth Eaton, Presiding Bishop of the ELCA
For many of us, voting, whether in a primary or on Election Day is both a tradition and an important civic duty. Others this year may be voting for the first time or returning to the polls after a few years. As a public church committed to empowering every voice in our communities, civic participation through the ballot box is one way in which we can live out our faith.
As you prepare to vote in the rescheduled upcoming Pennsylvania primary, here are some important updates regarding mail-in ballots.
On March 27, Governor Wolf signed Senate Bill 422, which reschedules Pennsylvania’s primary election from April 28 to June 2 due to the COVID-19 emergency. Voters have the option to vote by mail-in ballot rather than going to their polling place on election day. Mail-in ballot applications will be accepted through Tuesday, May 26, 2020. If a voter has already applied for an absentee or mail-in ballot, they do NOT need to reapply.
In Pennsylvania, you now have two options for mail ballots. You may either choose a mail-in ballot or an absentee ballot to request, complete, and return to your county election office.
Absentee ballot – If you plan to be out of the municipality on election day or if you have a disability or illness, you should request this ballot type, which still requires you to list a reason for your ballot.
Mail-in ballot – Any qualified voter may apply for a mail-in ballot. You may simply request this ballot without a reason.
Mail-in or absentee ballots may be accessed here.
In order to request either ballot type, you must be registered to vote. Please visit Check Your Registration Status to review your registration information.
You now also have the option to request to be added to an annual mail-in ballot request list where you’ll receive an application to renew your mail-in ballot request each year. Once your application is approved, you will automatically receive ballots for the remainder of the year, and you do not need to submit an application for each election. Apply online for a mail-in ballot
The last day to apply for a mail-in or civilian absentee ballot is 5 p.m. the Tuesday before this primary election, May 26. The completed ballot must be received via mail, or dropped off in person at your county elections office, by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
The last day for county election boards to receive voted military and overseas absentee ballots (submitted for delivery no later than 11:59 p.m.) is a week after the election.
The Department of State invites you to join a weekly webinar series to help you get #ReadytoVote
When: Tuesdays at 5:30 and 7:00 pm, May 5th – May 26th.
Topics include:
- Voter Registration
- Voting by Mail
- Elections during COVID-19
Representatives from the Department of State will provide information and respond to questions.
Participants must register in advance. The Department of State has also prepared this Ready To Vote PA Toolkit .
Visit VotesPA.com/R2Vwebinars for more information and to register.
