Politics

Voter guide for Pennsylvania residents who want to vote in May primary

By WPXI.com News Staff

WPXI MAY PRIMARY The May primary will be here before you know it, and Pennsylvanians are being reminded that deadline to register to vote is May 3. (WPXI)

By WPXI.com News Staff

PITTSBURGH — The next election in Pennsylvania is the 2021 primary election on May 18.

We’ve put together this handy guide to help you ensure you are registered and able to vote on or before the election.

How does a primary election work?

When you vote in a primary election, you are choosing the candidate(s) you want to see on the general election ballot in November. However, you are not actually choosing a nominee since each party announces its candidate at its national convention.

Who can vote?

To register in Pennsylvania, you must:

  • Be a citizen of the United States for at least one month prior to the next election
  • Be a resident of Pennsylvania and the election district in which you want to register and vote at least 30 days before the next election
  • Be 18 years old on or before the next election

For more election coverage and stories from our Washington D.C. bureau, visit our Politics page.

Voter Registration

If you are a Pennsylvania resident and you’d like to vote in the May 18 primary election, you must register to vote by May 3. There are four ways to do that:

  1. Online
  2. By Mail
  3. In-person at your county voter registration office
  4. At PennDOT and some other government agencies
PENNSYLVANIA VOTERS GUIDE

If you’re mailing in your signed voter registration application, it must be received by your county election office by May 3. Applications postmarked by the deadline are not accepted.

You can check your voter registration status HERE.

Absentee and Mail-in Ballots

The deadline for the elections office to receive a mail-in or absentee ballot May 3.

An absentee ballot is for voters who plan to be out of the municipality on Election Day or those who have a disability or illness.

A mail-in ballot is for voters who are not considered absentee voters. Any registered voter may apply for a mail-in ballot.

You can request either of those ballots HERE.

Polling Locations and Hours

On Election Day, polls in Pennsylvania will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. If you are in line to vote when polls close, you are entitled to vote. The state does not offer in-person early voting.

To find your polling location, enter your address online here. It may be a good idea to double check the location ahead of the primary as there could be new locations due to coronavirus concerns.

If you have voted at your polling location before, you do not need to bring ID to vote. Only voters who are voting for the first time in their election district need to show ID, according to the Pennsylvania voter guide.

Acceptable IDs for first-time voters:

  • Driver’s license
  • U.S. passport
  • Military, student, or employee ID
  • Voter registration card
  • Firearm permit
  • Current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck or government check
  • Any ID issued by the commonwealth or federal government

Note: An ID without your photo must have your address on it.

Who is on the ballot?

The primary election is on May 18, and registered Republican or Democrat voters will be able to choose their party’s nominees for several state and local seats.

All registered voters are also asked to vote on three ballot questions dealing with proposed amendments to the state constitution.

In our area, there will also be two special elections to fill vacancies in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives 59th and 60th districts.

CLICK HERE to find your county election office.


© 2020 Cox Media Group

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