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Pennsylvania
Voting Guide
Registration Deadlines and Election Dates
Voter Registration Deadline: 15 days before Election Day.
2023
Primary Election registration deadline: May 1
Primary Election: May 16
General Election registration deadline: October 23
General Election: November 7
Official Election Websites
More election information at:
Online voter registration available at:
Mail-in/Absentee ballot request forms available at:
Register at School or Home
Students have a decision about where to register to vote.
You have a right to register to vote at the address you consider the place where you live, whether that is your family's home or the place where you attend school. You should update your registration anytime this home address changes.
You may only be registered and vote in one location.
What Type of ID Do I Need to Register?
Pennsylvania’s voter registration form asks for your Pennsylvania driver’s license or state ID number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number. Be sure to provide one of these numbers if you have it.
What Type of ID Do I Need to Vote?
Pennsylvania does not require voters to present an ID to vote unless you are voting in Pennsylvania for the first time or voting at a new polling place. If so, you must bring one of the following photo ID’s. If you do not have a photo ID, some non-photo identification forms are permitted.
Photo ID’s
Pennsylvania driver’s license or PennDOT ID card
ID issued by any Commonwealth agency
ID issued by the U.S. Government
U.S. passport
U.S. Armed Forces ID
Student ID
Employee ID
Non-photo IDs
Confirmation issued by the County Voter Registration Office
Non-photo ID issued by the Commonwealth
Non-photo ID issued by the U.S. Government
Firearm permit
Current utility bill
Current bank statement
Current paycheck
Government check
How Can I Vote?
By Mail/Absentee Ballot
All Pennsylvania voters can vote by mail.
Voters with a Pennsylvania driver's license or photo ID from the PA Department of Transportation may request a mail ballot by completing an application online at:
A mail ballot application for printing and returning by mail or in person is available at:
To request a mail ballot, you must provide your driver's license number, state-issued ID number, the last 4 digits of your Social Security number, or a photocopy of a current ID that shows your name, photograph, and an expiration date.
For more information, visit:
vote.pa.gov/Voting-in-PA/Pages/Mail-and-Absentee-Ballot.aspx
Voters with disabilities can request an accessible remote ballot marking solution. More information is available at: bit.ly/PABallotMarking
Completed ballots must be received by your county election office before 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.
Absentee Voting
The state will continue to offer absentee voting alongside mail-in voting. Absentee voting is available for voters that plan to be out of the municipality on election day or have a disability or illness preventing them from going to their polling place on election day. Request and return deadlines are the same for the mail-in ballots.
An absentee ballot application for printing and returning by mail or in person is available at: bit.ly/PAMailInApplication
Early Voting
Any registered voter may request and cast a mail-in or absentee ballot in person at their county election board or another designated location. For early voting locations and hours, please contact your county election board.
Election Day
Voting sites will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. If you are in line by the closing time then you have the right to vote.
Common Questions/Concerns
Registering to Vote Does Not Affect Your:
Federal Financial Aid
Where you register to vote will not affect federal financial aid such as Pell Grants, Perkins or Stafford loans, or your dependency status for FAFSA.
Status as a Dependent on Your Parents’ Taxes
Being registered to vote at a different address from your parents does not prevent them from claiming you as a dependent on their taxes.
Tuition Status
Being deemed out-of-state for tuition purposes does not prevent you from choosing to register to vote in your campus community.
Will registering to vote in Pennsylvania affect my driver’s license or car registration?
All new PA residents who own out-of-state driver’s licenses must exchange them for Pennsylvania ones within 60 days of declaring Pennsylvania residency, regardless of voter registration status. You may wish to contact the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for more information.
Fair Elections Center and Campus Vote Project intend the information contained herein to be used only as a general guide. This document should not be used as a substitute for consultation with a licensed Pennsylvania legal professional.
Last updated March 2023