Harrisburg, PA – Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt reminded Pennsylvanians today that the deadline to register to vote in the May 20 primary is four weeks away. Ensuring that our elections are conducted freely and fairly, and that every eligible voter can make their voice heard, are top priorities of the Shapiro Administration.
“It takes only a few minutes to register to vote, and I urge every eligible Pennsylvanian who is not yet registered to do so before the May 5 deadline,” Schmidt said. “Once you are registered, you can then exercise your fundamental right to vote and let your voice be heard in the upcoming primary election.”
To be eligible to vote in the May 20 primary, a person must be:
- A U.S. citizen for at least one month before the primary,
- A resident of the election district in which the person plans to register for at least 30 days before the primary, and
- At least 18 years old on or before May 20.
Pennsylvanians who are already registered to vote can check their registration status online. They can also update their voter record with any name, address, or party affiliation changes online.
Because Pennsylvania has a closed primary, only registered Democrats and Republicans can vote for their party’s nominees in the primary election. However, all voters can vote on any local ballot questions, if applicable.
Eligible Pennsylvanians can also get a voter registration application at the following locations:
- their county voter registration office,
- county assistance offices,
- Women, Infants & Children (WIC) program offices,
- Armed Forces recruitment centers,
- county clerk of orphans’ courts or marriage license offices,
- area agencies on aging,
- county mental health and intellectual disabilities offices,
- student disability services offices of the State System of Higher Education,
- offices of special education in high schools, and
- Americans with Disabilities Act-mandated complementary paratransit providers.
In 2023, all PennDOT driver and photo license centers began offering automatic voter registration, which provides eligible Pennsylvanians with a convenient way to apply to register to vote when they obtain a new driver's license or ID card or renew their existing identification. The Shapiro Administration launched the automatic registration initiative as part of its continued commitment to ensuring free, fair, and secure elections.
Registered voters can also request a mail ballot online. Mail ballot applications must be received by a voter’s county elections board by 5 p.m. May 13. Voted mail ballots must be received by county election offices by 8 p.m. May 20.
The Department’s voter information website, vote.pa.gov, is available in English, Spanish, and Chinese and offers a polling place locator and contact information for county elections offices. It also includes tips for first-time voters, mail-in and absentee voters, elderly and disabled voters, and members of the military.