Pennsylvania Absentee Voter Guide

Military and overseas voters should check out the Overseas Vote Foundation.  Long Distance Voter's forms and deadlines should only be used by voters with US mailing addresses.

Mail-in Deadlines

Voter Registration

To register to vote in the state of Pennsylvania you must be:

• A citizen of the United States for at least one month before the next primary, special, municipal, or general election.
• A resident of Pennsylvania and the election district in which you want to register and vote for at least 30 days before the next primary, special, municipal, or general election.
• At least 18 years of age on or before the day of the next primary, special, municipal, or general election.
• Convicted felons who are incarcerated on the date of a primary or general election are not eligible to vote, regardless of whether they are registered. However, pre-trial detainees and misdemeanants are eligible to register to vote and/or to vote by absentee ballot if they otherwise qualify to vote under law.

How to register to vote by mail:

• Recommended: Use our Voter Registration Widget. Enter your information, print and sign the completed form, and mail it to the address printed on the form.  
• You can also use the Pennsylvania Voter Registration Mail Application.  Mail your completed form to your County Election Office.  The addresses are on the form.  

ID requirements for first time voters:

If you are voting for the first time in your county, you must include a copy of your ID with your voter registration form.  If you forget, you'll need to provide ID the first time you vote.  Acceptable forms of ID include a PA driver's license or ID card issued by Penn DOT; ID issued by any other Commonwealth agency; ID issued by the U.S. Government; U.S. Passport; U.S. Armed Forces ID; Student ID issued by a Pennsylvania high school or postsecondary school; Employee ID; Voter's identification card issued by the voter registration commission; Non-photo ID issued by the Commonwealth; Non-photo ID issued by the U.S. Government; Firearm permit; or a current utility bill, current bank statement, current paycheck, or current government check that shows your name and Pennsylvania address.

Voter registration verification:

You should receive written confirmation that your voter registration was processed in 2-3 weeks.  Don't panic if you never receive your voter registration card: you don't actually need it to vote.  If you not sure if your registration was processed - or if you simply can't remember if you're register to vote - you can use the voter registration verification tools here.

Voting by Absentee Ballot

Absentee Voter Requirements:

The following people may vote by absentee ballot in the state of Pennsylvania as long as they are registered to vote (unless otherwise indicated):

• A person who is or may be in the military service of the United States, regardless of whether at the time of voting the person is present in the election district of residence or in the Commonwealth and regardless of whether he or she is registered to vote.
• A spouse or dependent residing with or accompanying a person in the military service of the United States and who expects on Election Day to be absent from his or her municipality of residence during the entire period in which the polling places are open for voting (7 a.m. to 8 p.m.).
• A member of the Merchant Marine and his/her spouse and dependents residing with or accompanying the Merchant Marine, who expect on Election Day to be absent from the Commonwealth or the municipality of residence during the entire period in which the polling places are open for voting (7 a.m. to 8 p.m.).
• A member of a religious or welfare group attached to and serving with the armed forces and his/her spouse and dependents residing with or accompanying him or her, who expect on Election Day to be absent from the Commonwealth or the municipality of residence during the entire period in which the polling places are open for voting (7 a.m. to 8 p.m.).
• An individual who, because of the elector's duties, occupation or business (including leaves of absence for teaching, vacations and sabbatical leaves), expects on Election Day to be absent from his/her municipality of residence during the entire period the polls are open for voting and the spouse and dependents of such electors who are residing with or accompanying the elector and for that reason also expect to be absent from his/her municipality during the entire period the polls are open for voting (7 a.m. to 8 p.m.).
• A qualified war veteran elector who is bedridden or hospitalized due to illness or physical disability if the elector is absent from the municipality of his residence and unable to attend his/her polling place because of such illness or disability, regardless of whether the elector is registered to vote.
• A person who, because of illness or physical disability, is unable to attend his/her polling place or to operate a voting machine and obtain assistance by distinct and audible statements. (Note: A disabled elector may be placed on a permanently disabled absentee file.)
• A spouse or dependent accompanying a person employed by the Commonwealth or the Federal Government, in the event that the employee's duties, occupation or business on Election Day require him/her to be absent from the Commonwealth or the municipality of residence during the entire period the polls are open for voting (7:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M).
• A county employee who expects that his Election Day duties relating to the conduct of the election will prevent the employee from voting.
• A person who will not attend a polling place on Election Day because of the observance of a religious holiday.

Source: State online voting information center

How to apply for an absentee ballot:

Download and complete the Pennsylvania absentee ballot request form.  Mail your completed form to your County Election Office.  (In your address information, "Post Office" refers to your city or town.)

ID requirements for absentee voters:

You do not need to provide ID if you've already voted in your county at least once.  If you are voting for the first time in your county, and did not include a copy of your ID with your voter registration application, you must include a copy with your absentee ballot application. Acceptable forms of ID include a PA driver's license or ID card issued by Penn DOT; ID issued by any other Commonwealth agency; ID issued by the U.S. Government; U.S. Passport; U.S. Armed Forces ID; Student ID issued by a Pennsylvania high school or postsecondary school; Employee ID; Voter's identification card issued by the voter registration commission; Non-photo ID issued by the Commonwealth; Non-photo ID issued by the U.S. Government; Firearm permit; or a current utility bill, current bank statement, current paycheck, or current government check that shows your name and Pennsylvania address.

Absentee ballot instructions:

Your election official will mail you a ballot and a return envelope.  Complete the ballot, seal it, sign where indciated and and return it to your County Election Office.  Your absentee allot must be received by 5 p.m. on the Friday before Election Day.

Emergency Absentee Ballots

If you did not know or have a reason to apply for an absentee ballot by 5:00 p.m. on the Tuesday prior to Election Day, you may download and apply for an Emergency Absentee Ballot. This application must be notarized before it is submitted.  If your application is not notarized, it will not be approved. 

Return your completed - and notarized! - application to your County Election Office between 5:00 P.M. on the Tuesday before Election Day and 5:00 P.M. on the Friday before Election Day.

If your emergency occurs after 5pm on the Friday before election day:

If you become physically disabled or ill between 5:00 P.M. on the Friday before Election Day and 8:00 P.M. on Election Day or if you find out after 5:00 P.M. on the Friday before Election Day that you will be absent from your municipality of residence on Election Day because of your business, duties or occupation, you must file an emergency absentee ballot application with the court of common pleas in the county where you are registered to vote.

If you fall into this category, you must use the Emergency Absentee Ballot Application (For Emergencies That Occur After 5:00 P.M. on the Friday Before the Primary or Election).

Emergency absentee ballot applications from voters who experience an emergency after 5:00 P.M. on the Friday before Election Day must be submitted to the court of common pleas no later than 8:00 P.M. on Election Day.

If you are unable to appear in the court of common pleas in person:

If you are not able to appear in court to receive the ballot, you can designate, in writing, a representative to deliver the absentee ballot to you and return your completed absentee ballot to the county board of elections. 

• You must complete the Emergency Absentee Ballot Application (For emergencies that occur after 5:00 P.M. on the Friday before the primary or election).
• You must also complete the Authorization of Designated Representative Form
• Your authorized representative must complete the Certification of Authorized Representative Form.

Your certified representative must deliver everything to the court of common pleas no later than 8pm on Election Day. 

If you are not able to appear in court or obtain assistance from an authorized representative, the judge will direct a deputy sheriff of the county to deliver the absentee ballot to you if you are at a physical location within the county.

Additional Information