Time is running out for Pennsylvanians to apply for a mail ballot in the general election

Pennsylvanians who want to vote by mail have a limited window of time to submit their applications before the general election on Nov. 2.

Acting Secretary of State Veronica Degraffenreid said voters who choose to vote by mail should submit their application as soon as possible to allow enough time for their ballot to be mailed to them, then returned to their county election office in time to be counted.

Completed mail ballots must be received by county boards of elections by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Postmarks do not count.

If there isn’t enough time to mail the ballot, voters can drop it off in person at their county elections office or, if available, at a county drop box. The drop-off locations for Bucks, Chesco, Delco, and Montco can be found online. WHYY’s Billy Penn has a map of drop boxes in Philly.

Voters who request a mail ballot but don’t receive it, or don’t have it to surrender, may vote by provisional ballot at their polling place.

Pennsylvania voters will elect an array of new judges who will play pivotal roles in shaping policy for at least the next decade on three statewide appellate courts: the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Superior Court, Commonwealth Court.

Voters will also elect judges to county Common Pleas Courts and Philadelphia Municipal Court.

Degraffenreid said that, regardless of which voting method Pennsylvanians choose, “​​The important thing is to exercise your constitutional right to vote and let your voice be heard,” adding that the results of municipal elections “affect voters’ daily lives far into the future.”

The deadline for Pennsylvanians to register to vote is Monday, Oct. 18. Pennsylvanians can find out whether they are registered to vote online.

Voter info & resources

• Check to see if you are registered to vote
• Register to vote
• View a sample ballot based on your address
• Sign up to become a poll worker
• Find your polling place
• Apply for a mail ballot
• Apply for an absentee ballot
• Check the status of your mail or absentee ballot