Commissioners: Don’t Wait Until Deadline to Apply for and Vote by Mail

CLEARFIELD – The deadline for voters to apply for a mail-in ballot for the May Primary Election is quickly approaching.

On Tuesday, the Clearfield County Commissioners reminded voters to apply for and return their mail-in ballot sooner rather later.

“May 10 is the legal deadline,” said Commissioner Dave Glass, “but we encourage people not to wait until the deadline to apply.

“We have to process their application, mail out their ballot and they also need time to get it back by 8 p.m. May 17.

“If there’s any sort of delay in mail and they’ve waited until May 10 to even apply, they might not get it back in time.”

Voters may apply for a mail ballot online, and will receive their ballot by mail from the county’s Election & Voter Registration office.

Another convenient option for voters is to apply for and cast their mail ballot in-person in one visit to the election office.

The office is located in the county’s administrative office building at 212 E. Locust St.

The Department of State urges voters to read all instructions carefully and follow these steps to ensure their ballot is counted:

• Enclose the mail ballot in the inner security envelope marked “official election ballot” and seal it. Be careful not to make any stray marks on the envelope.
• Seal the inner security envelope in the pre-addressed outer envelope.
• Sign and date the voter’s declaration on the outer envelope.

Voters should return their voted ballot to their county board of elections as soon as possible. They have two options:

• Mail the ballot. Mailed ballots must be received by 8 p.m. May 17, Election Day. Mail ballots received after that time will not count, even if postmarked by 8 p.m. May 17.
• Hand-deliver their ballot to their county elections office, officially designated satellite office or drop box site. Hand-delivered ballots must be received by 8 p.m. May 17. 

Voters may only return their own mail ballot, unless the voter has a disability and designates someone else in writing.

Then, they must use the designation form on the DOS Web site, or the voter will require an emergency absentee ballot.

Voters who received an absentee or mail-in ballot may vote in-person on Election Day if they bring their unvoted mail ballot and envelopes with them to be voided.

After they surrender their ballot packet and sign a declaration, they can then vote a regular ballot.

Voters who already voted and returned their mail ballot are not eligible to vote in-person on Election Day.

Voters who requested a mail ballot and did not receive it or do not have it to surrender may vote by provisional ballot at their polling place.

The provisional ballot will be reviewed by their county board of elections after Election Day to determine whether it will be counted.

Pennsylvania voters also have the option of voting at the polls on Election Day, provided they have not already voted by mail ballot. Polling places will be open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Only voters registered as Democrats or Republicans will select nominees in the primary to represent their party in the Nov. 8 general election.

Key races include governor, lieutenant governor, U.S. senator, U.S. representative, state representatives, half of the state Senate districts, and Democratic and Republican State Committee members.

For more state election information, visit vote.pa.gov, or call the Department of State’s toll-free voter hotline at 1-877-868-3772.

Online voter services, which are available in English, Spanish and Chinese, include registering to vote and checking your registration status, finding your district and polling place, applying for a mail-in or absentee ballot and checking election night returns.