Mail-in and absentee ballots deadline quickly approaching

Nico Rossi
·3 min read
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WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — With the primary election just around the corner, the Secretary of the Commonwealth wishes to remind Pennsylvania voters of the deadline for mail-in or absentee ballots.

According to the Secretary of the Commonwealth, Al Schmidt, the deadline to apply for mail-in or absentee ballots for the primary election is Tuesday, April 16 at 5:00 p.m.

Voting by mail remains a safe and secure option for Pennsylvanians to cast their ballots and make their voices heard. If you would prefer to vote via mail-in ballot or require an absentee ballot, apply today to allow for as much time as possible to ensure your ballot is received on time.”

Al Schmidt, the Secretary of the Commonwealth

According to Schmidt, the general election takes place on Tuesday, April 23 for those who don’t want to vote in person or those who simply can’t, there are two “vote-by-mail” options.

According to Schmidt, 729,354 voters have applied for mail-in or absentee ballots ahead of the April 23 primary election, to date thus far.

Mail-in ballot applications must be sent back in and received by the voter`s county elections board by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16.

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Upon receiving their mail ballot, voters should:

  • Read all instructions enclosed with the ballot.

  • Fill out the ballot by following the instructions on how to mark selections.

  • Seal the ballot in the inner secrecy envelope marked “official election ballot.”

  • DO NOT make any stray marks on the envelope.

  • Then seal the inner secrecy envelope in the pre-addressed outer return envelope.

  • Sign and put the current date on the voter`s declaration on the outer return envelope.

Voters may mail or hand-deliver their ballot to their county board of elections. According to state law, a voter may only hand-deliver their own ballot.

The only exceptions to this rule are for disabled voters who have designated someone in writing to deliver their ballot and those voters who require an emergency absentee ballot.

County Boards of Election Offices must receive all completed mail ballots, whether they’re mail-in or absentee ballots, by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, April 23.

Mail ballots received after that time, even if postmarked by 8 p.m. April 23, will not be counted.

Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day for those eligible voters who want to vote in person.

For more information visit the department’s voter information website.

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