It’s primary day in Pennsylvania. Here’s what to know & what’s happening in Centre County
Polls are now closed for Pennsylvania’s 2021 primary election. In addition to local races across Centre County, all registered voters — regardless of political affiliation — were asked to consider four ballot questions.
Check back to CentreDaily.com for results.
Who can vote in a primary election?
In Pennsylvania, voters can only vote for candidates in their political party. For instance, a registered member of the Republican Party may only vote in the Republican primary.
All voters can vote on ballot questions and any special election contests held at the same time as a primary election.
The deadline to register to vote was May 3. Check your voter registration status here.
What’s on the ballot?
- All Pennsylvania voters will be asked to vote yes or no on four ballot questions, including two that deal with a governor’s emergency disaster declarations.
- State College and Bellefonte council and mayor races
- Centre County district attorney and district judge
- Council and supervisor seats across Centre County
- Statewide judicial races
- School board seats across the county
How late are polls open?
Polling places will be open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday. A voter must be in line by 8 p.m. in order to vote.
How do I find my polling place?
To find your polling place, visit centrecountyvotes.com or call the Centre County elections office at 814-355-6703. If a change was made to a precinct, voters should have received an official notice.
Do I need an ID to vote in person?
If you’ve voted at your polling place before, you do not need to bring an ID to cast your ballot. Those who are voting for the first time in their election district must show ID.
Acceptable IDs include:
- 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
Any ID without a photo must have your address on it.
How do I return my mail-in ballot?
Pennsylvania voters needed to apply for a mail-in or absentee ballot by May 11. According to the Centre County Elections office, 10,533 ballots were sent and 7,538 were returned as of Monday.
Ballots must be returned to the county elections office or a drop box by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Under Pennsylvania law, voters must return their own ballots unless an exemption is granted for those with a disability who have designated someone in writing to deliver their ballot.
Centre County has eight secure ballot drop boxes stationed throughout the county. The boxes are monitored by video surveillance and include structural security measures to prevent tampering.
Ballot drop boxes may be found at the following locations:
Where will mail-in and absentee ballots be processed?
Presidents Hall at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center will be used as the Vote-by-Mail Processing Room for the pre-canvassing of absentee and mail-in ballots for Tuesday’s primary election. The Centre County Board of Elections will begin the processing/pre-canvassing of absentee and mail-in ballots at 7 a.m. Tuesday and two livestreams will be available of the process: a split screen of the room and one with a wide shot of the room.
Who should I call with questions?
For questions regarding registration, ballot applications or the general election, contact the Centre County Office of Elections and Voter Registration at 814-355-6703 or elections@centrecountypa.gov; voters may also visit centrecountyvotes.com.
How do I find primary election results?
Check back to CentreDaily.com for updates after the polls close at 8 p.m. Tuesday, or visit centrecountyvotes.com/precinctresults. All results are unofficial until certified by the Board of Elections.
This story was originally published May 18, 2021 at 7:00 AM.