Harrisburg, PA – With the primary election a little more than a month away, Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt today reminded registered Pennsylvania voters who want to vote by mail that they have until May 13 to apply for their ballot for the May 20 primary election. 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.
“Voting by mail has become a popular, safe, and secure option for Pennsylvanians to cast their ballots and make their voices heard,” Schmidt said. “Eligible Pennsylvanians who prefer to vote by mail should apply today to allow for as much time as possible to ensure their ballot is received on time.”
To date, 692,919 mail ballot applications have been approved ahead of the May 20 primary, Schmidt said.
Mail ballot applications must be received by a voter’s county elections board by 5 p.m. May 13.
Upon receiving their mail ballot, voters should:
- Read all instructions enclosed with the ballot.
- Fill out the ballot by following the instructions on how to mark selections.
- Seal the ballot in the inner secrecy envelope marked “official election ballot.”
- Then seal the inner secrecy envelope in the outer return envelope.
- Sign and write the current date on the outer return envelope.
Completed mail ballots must be received by a voter’s county elections office by 8 p.m. May 20, Primary Day. Mail ballots received after that time cannot be counted. Some counties provide drop boxes or other drop-off sites for mail ballots.
Pennsylvanians can also request their mail ballot, complete it, and return it in one visit to their county election office until close of business on May 13. Voters are encouraged to check their county elections office’s hours and mail ballot availability before making the trip.
Voters who received an absentee or mail-in ballot may vote in person on Primary Election Day if they bring their mail ballot materials with them to be surrendered.
Voters who requested a mail ballot and did not receive it or do not have it to surrender may vote by provisional ballot at their polling place.
“No matter how you choose to vote – by mail ballot or in person at the polls on Election Day – what matters is making your voice heard,” Schmidt said.
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 of the following if they also appear on their county’s ballot:
- a constitutional amendment question,
- a ballot question, or
- a special election in their district.
The Department’s voter information website, vote.pa.gov, is available in English, Spanish, and Chinese and offers voter registration applications, 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.
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