HARRISBURG (TNS) — Pennsylvania voters will have the same options to vote this year that they had in 2020: In-person at a polling place, a mail-in ballot, or an absentee ballot, said Geoff Morrow, deputy director of the Pennsylvania Department of State’s Office of Communications and Press.
When they can vote will depend on the courts and one’s particular county.
There has been some confusion as to whether or not “early voting” in Pennsylvania began on Sept. 16; that is merely when counties were required to start processing applications for mail-in ballots, said Mr. Morrow.
There is no “hard and fast date” for ballots to be provided to voters, he said.
The mail-in ballots in question have not yet been approved because of legal challenges relating to third-party candidates. On Friday, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court blocked two third-party candidates from appearing on the ballot for failing to properly register themselves. The Democrats are currently trying to remove independent candidate Cornel West, whose campaign is being pushed by Republican-affiliated operatives.
Prominent third-party candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is not involved in the ongoing legal action. A judge granted Mr. Kennedy’s request to be removed from Pennsylvania’s ballot shortly after he exited the race in August.
Green Party candidate Jill Stein and Libertarian Party candidate Chase Oliver successfully filed to appear on the ballot without incident.
County boards of elections will only begin delivery of printed mail ballots after Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt certifies the list of candidates, said Morrow.
He also noted that the date ballots will be available will vary by county because each county contracts independently to have its ballots printed.
“Pennsylvania does not have ‘early voting’ in the way other states do,” he added. “Once a county’s ballots are finalized and printed, a registered voter can apply for their mail ballot in person at their county election office, complete it, then submit it all in one visit.”
Oct. 29 is the last day to request a mail ballot, and a county election office must receive the ballot by 8 p.m. on November 5 for it to be counted.
In another ruling on Friday, the state Supreme Court voted 4-3 that mail-in ballots with inaccurate dates could be thrown out. Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley, who has been running a national “Protect the Vote Tour,” praised the decision, while Gov. Josh Shapiro criticized throwing out votes over an “inconsequential” error.
Nevertheless, the ruling means voters completing mail-in or absentee ballots should be attentive to the accuracy and completeness of the information required on the envelopes.
