Department of State urges voters to know their rights at the polls
Pennsylvania’s acting secretary of state, Leigh M. Chapman, encouraged Pennsylvanians to educate themselves about their rights before they vote in person on Tuesday.
Tips from Chapman include:
— Only first-time voters, or those voting for the first time in a new precinct, must show identification. Both photo and non-photo ID are acceptable. Registered first-time voters who do not bring ID to the polls can return with identification or must be offered a provisional ballot.
— Voters who applied for and received a mail ballot and then decide they want to vote at the polls must bring their mail ballot packet with them to be voided. If a voter applied for a mail ballot but did not return it and no longer has the mail ballot and envelopes, they may vote by provisional ballot at their polling place on Election Day.
— If a voter applied for a mail ballot but never received it, they should vote by provisional ballot at the polls on Election Day.
— If a voter’s name is not in the poll book, poll workers can call the county board of elections to see if the voter is registered in another precinct in the county. Registered voters who are in the wrong precinct polling place should go to the correct polling place to vote, but a voter who believes he or she is registered in the precinct and should be listed in the poll book is entitled to cast a provisional ballot.
— Voters who moved within Pennsylvania but did not update their address in time before the election may vote one more time in their previous precinct, but they must update their address at the polling place.
— If 50% or more of the voting machines at a polling place are not working, voters have the right to use an emergency paper ballot. Poll workers should immediately offer the ballots but, if they do not, voters should request one rather than leave without voting.
— If a voter is challenged on the basis of identity or residency, the voter may vote normally by signing a challenge affidavit and producing a witness who is also a registered voter in the precinct to vouch for them. If the voter cannot or does not want to produce a witness, the voter may cast a provisional ballot.
— Voters have the right to assistance at the polling place, including foreign language or literacy assistance. A voter may select any person to assist as long as the person is not their employer, union representative or the judge of elections. Voters have the right to refuse assistance.
— If you are voting by mail-in or absentee ballot, Chapman encouraged those voters to return their ballots immediately by delivering it in person to their county election board or other authorized location. The deadline for county election boards to receive voted mail ballots is 8 p.m. on Nov. 8. A postmark by that time does not count.
Election related questions, information, polling locations and ballot drop off locations can be found at vote.pa.gov. Additionally, the Department of State’s year-round voter hotline is 1-877-VOTESPA.
