Vote by Mail: Mail-In or Absentee Ballots (June 2020 version)
Be safe! But don’t give up your opportunity to vote!
Vote by Mail: No Excuse Required
You can now vote by mail. No excuse required!
Here are a few reasons why we recommend voting by mail:
- Secure — paper-based and validated
- Safer – avoids crowds and risk of exposure
- More convenient – no taking time off from work, no standing in lines, no childcare worries, no worries about weather, transportation, emergencies, etc.
- More informed voting – time to stop and review candidates, etc.
- Higher voting participation rates in states that vote entirely or mostly by mail
You may still apply for an absentee ballot if you will be out of town or have an illness or physical disability. But any voter can apply for a mail-in ballot with no excuse required.
You can apply online if you have a PA Driver’s License or a PennDot Id number. If you do not have one of these IDs, you will have to apply via paper application. Or you can apply in person at Chester County Voter Services in West Chester.
Check your status before applying
Before applying to vote by mail, check your voter registration if you have any doubts about your registration status. (If you haven’t voted in at least two consecutive federal election cycles, your registration may be marked Inactive. Inactive voters will be removed from voter rolls if they don’t vote during an additional two federal cycles. If you’ve moved since last voting, you should also update your registration status.)
How to apply to vote by mail
For more information on voting by mail (either mail-in ballots or absentee ballots), applying online or downloading a paper request form go to:
PA Voter Services Mail-In Ballot Center
You can call Voter Services at 610-344-6410 or call the TTDems hotline at 484-474-0570 for an application by US mail.
Tips on filling out the online application
For a couple of important tips on filling out the online application, see our page on How to Fill Out the Vote By Mail Online Application.
Opt-in for the general election!
When you apply for a mail-in ballot, you can choose to be included on a list that will ensure you are also sent a mail-in ballot for all elections during the year. (In practice this just means the general election in the fall, in addition to the spring primary.) This will save you the trouble of applying for a new mail-in ballot for the general election in the fall — it will automatically be sent to you. We strongly encourage you to choose this effort-saving option.
When to apply for a mail-in or absentee ballot
Online applications must be completed one week prior to the election (Tuesday October 27th for the November 3rd general election. Paper applications must be received at Chester County Voter Services by 5pm one week prior to the election (5pm, Tuesday October 27th for the November 3rd general election). However, we recommend requesting your Mail-in or Absentee Ballots early to ensure that you have plenty of time to receive the ballot, complete it, and return it in time for it to be counted!
When mail-in or absentee ballots must be returned
Mail-in and absentee ballots must be received at Chester County Voter Services by 8pm three days after Election Day. For the 2020 general election, the deadline is 8 PM on Friday November 6. Ballots must have been postmarked and mailed by 8 PM Election Day, November 3. Ballots postmarked after 8 PM Election Day will not be counted. We encourage you to mail your voted Mail-in & Absentee Ballots early to ensure that they arrive in time to be counted! Or deliver them directly to Chester County Voter Services in West Chester:
Chester County Voter Services
601 Westtown Rd, Suite 150
West Chester, PA 19380-0990
610-344-6410
Email Chesco Voter Services
Where else mail-in ballots may be delivered
Though details are still being finalized, Chester County expects to have between 11 and 18 secure drop boxes located around the county. These will be indoor boxes that will be monitored, and emptied each day by deputies wearing body cameras. Chester County expects to locate these in libraries.
There will also be two satellite election offices, located in the Exton County Library and the Oxford County library. As at the main Voter Services office in West Chester, voters may come in, request a mail-in ballot in person, vote the ballot there and drop it in a secure drop box.
If you previously requested an absentee ballot at a different address
If a voter previously requested an absentee ballot to be sent to a college or other temporary address and now needs a mail-in ballot to be sent to their permanent address instead, the voter must call Voter Services at 610-344-6410 and make that request. (Mom or dad can’t make the request on their child’s behalf.) Warning: you’ll have to sit through a very long recording and just stay on the line. Don’t select any of the numbered options because, if you do, you’ll just get a different recorded message and then have to go back to hear the original message and options again.
When to expect to receive your mail-in ballot
Then new law mandates that mail-in ballots will begin being distributed and processed 50 days before the election. Ballot printing was held up by some court challenges, that have now been resolved. We expect ballots will begin being mailed toward the end f September. If you’ve requested a ballot and haven’t seen it before that date, don’t worry. See below for a link to check the status of your application if you’re concerned. You should receive an email from PA Voter Services 5-7 days before they send your ballot, letting you know it’s being prepared.
If I request a mail-in or absentee ballot, can I still vote at the polls on election day?
2020 General Election: For the general election, if you request a mail-in ballot, but decide that you would prefer to vote at the polls, you can take your mail-in ballot to the polls where the Judge of Elections can ‘spoil’ that ballot and then you can vote a normal ballot. Remember to bring ALL the mail-in ballot materials with you, including the inner envelope.
YOUR MAIL-IN BALLOT WILL NOT COUNT UNLESS YOU DO THE FOLLOWING:
- The secrecy envelope, together with the completed ballot, go into the outside envelope.
- Fill out and sign the declaration printed on the outside envelope.
- Put postage on the whole package if you’re mailing it.
To check the status of your absentee ballot application
PA Voter Services has an online tool here where you can check the status of your ballot.
Other Resources
- The Inquirer has a comprehensive Q&A page on mail-in voting in PA.
- For more, take a look at this video on mail-in voting from the PA Dems.
- Learn more about PA’s new voting legislation.
- Opinion pieces on VBM:
