Voting

Pennsylvania allows any voter to request a ballot by mail. You can also vote in person. Pennsylvania offers early voting.

Who can vote

You have to register to vote before Election Day in Pennsylvania.

To register in Pennsylvania you must:

be a citizen of the United States at least one month before the next election
be a resident of Pennsylvania and your election district at least 30 days before the election
be at least 18 years of age on the day of the next election
You may also register if you:
are a pretrial detainee, confined in a penal institution awaiting trial on charges of a felony or a misdemeanor
got released or will get released by the date of the next election from a correctional facility or halfway house (this must be upon completion of the term of incarceration for conviction of a misdemeanor or a felony)
are on probation or released on parole
are under house arrest (home confinement)
You can find more information on voting rights restoration here

Vote in person

Due to COVID-19, in-person services may have limited availability. Contact your local election office to confirm. See CDC guidance on safe in-person voting.

Vote on Election Day

Voters in Pennsylvania can look up where to vote on Pennsylvania’s site.

Vote early

Pennsylvania does offer early in-person mail-in voting. There are no dates available right now, please check back later.

What to bring

If you’ve voted at your polling place before, you don’t need to show ID to vote.
If you’re a first-time voter, or if you moved within Pennsylvania and are voting for the first time at a new polling place, you must show ID to vote. Acceptable forms include: Pennsylvania driver’s license or PennDOT ID card; ID issued by Pennsylvania or the US government; US passport; US military ID; student ID; employee ID; a confirmation issued by the County Voter Registration Office; non-photo ID issued by Pennsylvania or the US government; firearm permit; or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or a government check that includes your name and address.
Voters without ID: If you are unable to provide ID, you will be able to vote a provisional ballot.
For more information, please visit VoteRiders.

Vote by mail

Request your mail-in ballot with a mail ballot application.
Fill out the application completely.
Submit the request to your local election office.
When your ballot arrives, read it carefully and follow the instructions to complete it and return it.

Election Day registration

Pennsylvania does not offer registration on Election Day.

See what’s on the ballot

Learn more about what will be on your ballot by visiting Ballotpedia.

Get step-by-step help

TurboVote can help you start the absentee/mail-in ballot request process, send you election reminders, and more. If you’d like more help planning how to vote, we can walk you through the process!

Military and overseas voters

Active-duty military, their families, and overseas citizens can register to vote and request their absentee ballot using the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). The FPCA process is done by mail, but your state may offer other options to request and return ballots. Please contact your election official for more information about delivery and return methods, including email, fax, and state online portals. To follow the FPCA process:

Fill out the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), or download a copy. Your election official may have questions, so please provide an email address or phone number where they can reach you.
Send the application to your election official.
It is never too early to submit an FPCA! Please do so as soon as possible. .
Please fill out and send back your ballot as soon as you receive it.
States begin mailing absentee ballots at least 45 days before Election Day. If you haven’t received your ballot by 30 days before Election Day, contact your local election office.

If after submitting your FPCA, your ballot does not arrive, contact your election official first. Then:

You can still vote using the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB). Print, sign, and mail your FWAB to your local election office.
If you mail a FWAB and then receive your regular absentee ballot, you should complete and mail your absentee ballot also. Election officials will ensure that only one ballot is counted.The Federal Voting Assistance Program

FVAP.gov offers additional information on military and overseas voting in Pennsylvania. You can also call 1-800-438-VOTE or email vote@fvap.gov