ShipLibrary Blog

Voting Information for November 4th Elections

Hello everyone!

Are you aware of the election coming up this November in Pennsylvania? On November 4th, residents will be able to vote in the Municipal Elections which will determine both local and statewide seats. Depending on where you live, you could see races for the mayor, city council, school board member and other important local appointments. As for state-wide positions, there is an opening for a new judge at the Pennsylvania Commonwealth and Superior Courts. Additionally, three Supreme Court judges (Christine Donohue (D), Kevin M. Dougherty (D), and David N. Wecht (D.) are up for retention and voters will have to either decide to vote YES or NO on whether they should be reinstated for another ten-year term.

Why is it important to vote this election?

While this is not a Presidential election, which is often considered the most widely recognized election cycle, these votes will still have a direct impact on you as a Pennsylvania resident. Local officials are responsible for caring for your community and are responsible for delivering essential services to your area. Their duties include sanitation/waste management, education, public recreation and road maintenance. 

The Pennsylvania judicial system is extremely important as they are the ones which handle all matter of state laws. They have the power to strike down or uphold proposed rulings from the lower courts, directly changing the course of our legislation - and more-so our rights. Some of the most pressing issues that they can influence in our state include reproductive rights, environmental protection, LGBTQ+ rights and guidelines for health and safety matters, such as the case of Covid-19

How do I register to vote? 

If you are a Pennsylvania resident who would like to vote in the upcoming election, you can go to www.pa.gov to apply.  

In order to be eligible, you will need to meet the following requirements. 

• Be a citizen of the United States at least one month prior to the election. 
• Be a resident of Pennsylvania at least one month prior to the election.
• Be 18 years or older the day before or day of the election.

You can register to vote through multiple different ways.

• Online 
• Mail
  •  Send to your county election office.
• In person at your county election office.
• At PennDOT or another recognized government agency.

The deadline to apply for registration this election cycle is October 20th. 

How do I check if I am already registered? 

If you are uncertain if you have already registered to vote, you can check here. 

After filling out this form, you will be able to see your Voter Registration Status Record which provide information such as your status (Active or Nonactive), political party and whether you are eligible to vote in the upcoming election. 

How do I vote?

There are two main ways to vote in elections in Pennsylvania.

1. Voting in person
   • To vote in person, you will need to go your local polling station to cast your ballot on Election Day.
     • You are required to go to the polling station which matches the county on your registration. If you go to a station which is outside of the county, you will be turned away.
   • Depending on your polling station, you will vote either by paper or machine. 
   • Voting is from 7 am to 8 pm.
     • If you are in line before 8 pm and this time passes, you still allowed to vote.
2. Voting by mail
   • To vote by mail, you will need to apply for a mail ballot. 
     • You can apply online, by mail or in person. 
       • If you have a disability, will be away from your municipality during voting, or prefer to vote by mail, you can apply for an annual absentee ballot. This will allow you to automatically receive mail ballots for every election of the year that you have applied. 
   • Application for a mail-in ballot must be received by your local county election office by October 28th. 
   • A completed ballot must be received by your local county election office by November 4th. 

We strongly encourage you to consider voting this November and taking part in your civic responsibilities. Through voting, we can all ensure that we all have a voice in shaping Pennsylvania's future.