Mail-in, absentee ballots for April primary ready

Keith Gushard, The Meadville Tribune, Pa.
·2 min read

Mar. 27—Mail-in and absentee ballots are to be mailed out this week to registered Crawford County voters who have requested them, according to the county's Board of Elections.

County elections officials were busy Tuesday assembling such ballots prior to the April 23 primary.

So far, 3,776 registered voters have requested either a mail-in or absentee ballot for that election, according to Jessalyn McFarland, director of the Crawford County Office of Election and Voter Services. There have been 150 absentee requests and 3,626 mail-in requests as of Tuesday.

The last day to register to vote in the primary is April 8. The last day for a registered voter to apply for an absentee or mail-in ballot is April 16.

Both the mail-in and absentee ballots have a secrecy envelope. After completing the ballot, the ballot must be placed within the secrecy envelope. That secrecy envelope containing the completed ballot then must be placed inside the return mailing envelope.

The voter then needs to sign and date the back of the return envelope where indicated with the date it was completed.

Failing to use the secrecy envelope for the ballot, failing to sign the return envelope, or not dating or putting an incorrect date on the return envelope can result in the ballot not being counted.

Once completed, the ballot may be mailed or returned in person to the Crawford County Office of Election and Voter Services at the Crawford County Courthouse, 903 Diamond Park. However, if returning a ballot in person, a voter may only return their own ballot.

Whether by mail or hand delivery, the ballot must arrive at office by 8 p.m. April 23 in order to be counted in the primary election.

—More information: Call the Crawford County Office of Election and Voter Services at (814) 333-7307.

Keith Gushard can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at kgushard@meadvilletribune.com.