Harrisburg, PA – In preparation for the Nov. 5 general election, Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt today launched the Shapiro Administration's voter education initiative.
"As part of Governor Shapiro's commitment to strengthening our democracy and ensuring safe and secure elections, we are launching our voter education initiative to make sure that Pennsylvanians know about key dates and deadlines for the Nov. 5 election," Schmidt said. "No voter should miss out on the opportunity to have their voice heard, so the Department is providing early, clear, nonpartisan information about how Pennsylvanians can cast their ballot and have it counted."
Among the key dates, Schmidt said, are the following:
- Oct. 21: Last day to register to vote in the general election.
- Oct. 29: Last day to apply for a mail ballot.
- Nov. 5: Election Day. Polls are open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m.
- 8 p.m. Nov. 5: Deadline for your county elections office to receive your completed mail ballot.
Schmidt highlighted that the Department's voter education toolkit provides ready-made graphics with election facts – in English, Spanish, and Chinese – for stakeholders and the public to share online to help promote public confidence in elections and further educate voters about the election.
Schmidt also reminded voters about the redesigned mail ballot materials the Department announced last fall. The changes institute more uniformity in mail ballot materials across the Commonwealth's 67 counties and reduce the chances of voter errors and confusion, Schmidt said.
"The Shapiro Administration’s redesigned mail ballot instructions and materials have made voting by mail clearer and easier to understand for Pennsylvania voters," Schmidt said. "When most of these changes were first introduced for the April primary, we saw a significant decrease in the number of mail ballots rejected for being improperly filled out."
Poll worker recruitment effort
Earlier this month, the Department participated in National Poll Worker Recruitment Day, which is a national day of action established by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission to encourage people to help their neighbors vote by signing up to be a poll worker.
For more information on voting in Pennsylvania, including mail ballots, call the Department of State's year-round voter hotline at 1-877-VOTESPA, visit vote.pa.gov, or follow #ReadytoVotePA on social media.