The PA municipal election is fast approaching. What to know about mail-in voting & more
The 2021 municipal election is quickly approaching. Voters heading to the polls on Nov. 2 will elect candidates to county, municipal and school board seats, as well as in the state judicial races. Sample ballots can be found online ahead of the election.
Mail-in ballots will be sent out this week, Centre County Commissioner Michael Pipe said during Tuesday’s board of commissioners meeting. Secure drop-off boxes have been installed around the county and will be opened this week.
As of Tuesday morning, the county had about 10,000 applications for mail-in ballots, Commissioner Steve Dershem said.
Here are some important dates and other information to keep in mind:
When is the municipal election?
The municipal election is set for Tuesday, Nov. 2. Polling places will be open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. on Election Day. A voter must be in line by 8 p.m. in order to vote.
How do I register to vote?
The deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 2 municipal election is Oct. 18. There are four ways to register to vote in Pennsylvania — online, by U.S. mail, in-person or at a Pennsylvania Department of Transportation photo or driver’s license center. To register online, visit register.votesPA.com, where you will be asked to complete a voter registration application form.
If your voter registration card does not come in the mail within 14 days of submission, contact your county voter registration office. To check or make updates to your voter registration, visit votespa.com.
What is the difference between an absentee and mail-in ballot?
In Pennsylvania, there are two ballot options to vote by mail — mail-in or absentee ballot. Any qualified voter may apply for a mail-in ballot without a reason. Absentee ballots are available to those who will be out of their local municipality on Election Day or those who have a disability or illness that prevents them from voting in person. In order to request either type of ballot, you must be registered to vote. Applications must be received by your county election office by 5 p.m. Oct. 26.
How do I return my mail-in ballot?
Any registered voter may request a mail-in ballot either online, by mail or in-person at their local elections office. If a voter requests a mail-in ballot for the municipal election, there are several ways they can be returned.
Voters can put the mail-in ballot in a designated secure ballot drop box by 8 p.m. Nov. 2. Mail-in ballots can be returned to the main entrance of the Willowbank Building, 420 Holmes St., Bellefonte. Ballots will be accepted for in-person return 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday, between Oct. 18-Nov. 2.
Voters can also surrender their mail-in ballot and return envelope with bar code at their polling location on Election Day. They’ll fill out a form that voids the mail-in ballot and will be given a regular ballot at the poll. If a voter is unable to bring their mail-in ballot to their polling location on Election Day, they will be given a provisional ballot, which will be verified following the election.
Ballots may also be returned by mail with postage.
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.
Voters may also sign up to be an annual mail-in ballot voter and automatically receive ballots by mail for the rest of the calendar year.
Where are Centre County’s ballot drop boxes?
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:
Willowbank Building, 420 Holmes St. in Bellefonte
Patton Township Municipal Building, 100 Patton Plaza
Ferguson Township Municipal Building, 3147 Research Drive
State College Municipal Building, 243 S. Allen St.
Spring Township Municipal Building, 1309 Blanchard St.
St. Magisterial District Office 49-3-03, 118 Enterprise Drive in Philipsburg
Magisterial District Office 49-3-04, 2795 Earlystown Road in Centre Hall
HUB-Robeson Center, on the Penn State campus
The secure ballot drop boxes are emptied each weekday by a bipartisan team of two election workers, who are accompanied by sheriff’s deputies for additional security.
What COVID-19 precautions will be in effect on Election Day?
Masks are required for all elections staff and voters while at the Willowbank Building.
The Centre County Board of Elections is strongly encouraging individuals to wear masks when they vote in person. All poll workers will be required to wear masks during their time working in the polls. Sanitizer will be available upon entry and exit and sneeze guards will be in place for all poll workers.
Poll workers will be wiping down voting booths and tables after each use.
When will ballots be counted?
Elections officials will begin the pre-canvassing of absentee and mail-in ballots the morning of Nov. 2 in the Vote-By-Mail Processing Room at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center. The process will be livestreamed through C-Net beginning at 8 a.m. Nov. 2. After polls close, the Centre County Board of Elections will begin to upload unofficial results to its website and to the Pennsylvania Department of State’s website.
State Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Rush Township, unveiled legislation Monday that would allow for pre-canvassing mail-in ballots to begin 21 days prior to Election Day, instead of the morning of. This change would help avoid the long delays in vote counting and has been sought by county commissioners and elections officials from both parties, according to a press release from Conklin’s office.
“After the unprecedented election in 2020, county elections officials asked the state legislature for help. Well, today I am letting them know that their voices were heard, and moving to introduce legislation that would streamline processes, allow for pre-canvassing and fund necessary equipment purchases,” Conklin said in the release.
His bill would also require risk-limiting audits, provide for early voting and give county election boards flexibility when establishing ballot return locations, the release states.
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.gov.
This story was originally published October 12, 2021 at 4:19 PM.
