Pennsylvania Voting Requirements & Information
U.S. Vote Foundation’s Pennsylvania Voting Requirements and Information directory informs you of Pennsylvania voting rules and options. It focuses on Pennsylvania-specific voting guidelines and information for all voters, including domestic, overseas, and military voters. Here you can find out about Pennsylvania voter eligibility, voter ID requirements, registration, absentee and early voting options, ways to transmit voting documents and links to specific-Pennsylvania voting tools. It's an all-in-one Pennsylvania voting resource.
General Information
Registration
You can register to vote or update your registration information:
- online
- by mail
- in person at your elections office
- at some public assistance offices and motor vehicle offices
You must have resided in your election district at least 30 days prior to the election in which you intend to vote.
Election Day Voting
Polling places are open from 7am to 8pm on Election Day.
Find my polling place
Mail-In and Absentee Voting
Any registered voter may request a mail-in ballot from their county office up until 5:00 p.m. on the Tuesday before the election.
A registered Pennsylvania voter may request an absentee ballot if the voter meets ONE of the following criteria:
- You are in the military, including the Merchant Marines
- You are a spouse or dependent residing with or accompanying a person in the military, including the Merchant Marines
- You are a member of a religious or welfare group attached to and serving with the military as well as his/her spouse
- You are an individual who, because of their duties, occupation or business, expects to be absent on Election Day for the entire period the polls are open
- You are a qualified war veteran who is bedridden or hospitalized due to illness or physical disability and absent from your residence and unable to attend the polling place
- Because of illness or physical disability, you are unable to attend the polling place or operate a voting machine
- You are a spouse or dependent accompanying a person employed by the Commonwealth or the federal government whose duties, occupation or business on Election Day require him/her to be absent and unable to vote at the polls
- You are a county employee who expects that your Election Day duties relating to the conduct of the election will prevent you from voting
- You will not attend a polling place on Election Day because of the observance of a religious holiday.
Please visit the US Vote Disability Voting Guide to see accommodations for the registration and voting process.
Eligibility Requirements
You are eligible to vote in Pennsylvania if you:
- Are a U.S. citizen
- Are at least 18 years old by Election Day
- Are a resident of Pennsylvania
- Live in the precinct where you vote for at least 30 days prior to the election
You are NOT eligible to vote in Pennsylvania if:
- You are in prison or jail for a felony conviction.
- You were disqualified from voting due to a court order
- You were convicted of violating state election code within the last four years
*Includes a halfway house or other alternative correctional facility
Restorative Requirements
- If you have completed a felony prison sentence, even if you are still on parole or probation, then you are immediately eligible to register to vote.
You are able to pre-register:
- if you will be 18 by Election Day
If you are a student, you are eligible to vote in Pennsylvania if:
- You reside in Pennsylvania but are attending college in another state
- You reside in another state but attend college in Pennsylvania
Identification Requirements
Voter Registration
To register to vote in Pennsylvania you should provide one of the following:
- Your Pennsylvania Driver's License Number
- Your Pennsylvania ID Number
If you do not have these IDs, you may provide:
- Last Four Digits of your Social Security Number
If you do not have one of these forms of ID and need help getting ID, go to www.voteriders.org.
Voting In-Person
If you registered to vote in Pennsylvania, you may be required to present valid ID if you are voting for the first time or your registration is incomplete. You can use any ID from this list:
- Valid Federal Issued ID
- Valid ID Issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Motor Vehicles, Transportation, Highway Safety, etc.
- ID Issued by Commonwealth Agency
- Valid Employee ID
- Valid Pennsylvania Driver's License
- Valid Student ID
- Valid Military ID
- Valid US Passport
- License to Carry Concealed Weapon or Firearm
If you do not have a photo ID, you can use a non-photo identification that includes your name and address from the following list:
- Bank Statement
- Pay Check
- Government Check
- License to Carry Concealed Weapon or Firearm
- Voter Registration Card
- Valid Federal issued ID
- Valid Pennsylvania Issued ID
- Utility Bill
A non-photo ID must contain your current address. If you do not have one of the Pennsylvania valid IDs and need help getting ID, go to www.voteriders.org.
For absentee or mail-in voting, include one of these IDs:
- Your Pennsylvania Driver's License or State non-driver ID Number
- Valid Employee Photo ID from Federal or State government
- Last Four Digits of your Social Security Number
- Valid US Passport
- Valid Student ID from State School
- Valid Military ID
ID options must be current and valid including, if applicable, an expiration date. ID beyond DOT/driver's license numbers and Social Security numbers must include your name and photo.
Voter Materials Transmission Options
Domestic Voter |
In-Person |
|
Fax |
|
Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voter Registration | |||||
| Absentee Ballot Request | |||||
| Blank Ballot To Voter | |||||
| Voted-Absentee Ballot Return |
State Lookup Tools – Am I Registered?
State Elections Website
Where is my Polling Place?
Can I Register to Vote Online?
Overseas / Military Voter Information
State Voter Registration FAQ
Where is my Ballot?
Has my Ballot Been Counted?
Where is my Ballot Drop Box?
Where are my Early Voting Locations?
Where is my Overseas or Military Ballot?
Eligibility Requirements
Overseas Voters
U.S. citizens living abroad have the right to vote as absentee voters, provided they are eligible to vote in their state. If you are living outside of the U.S. permanently, indefinitely, or temporarily, your voting rights stay with you, even if you never voted when you lived in the U.S. To vote from overseas:
- Complete and send an overseas voter registration/ballot request form to your election office in the U.S. This is one specific form that will register you as an overseas voter and request your absentee ballot – simultaneously.
Many states allow children who were born overseas, but never lived in the U.S., to use their U.S. parents’ last residence address to register.
Military Voters
Service members and their eligible family members living outside their voting jurisdiction (within or outside the U.S.) are able to vote as absentee voters.
- If you are a service member, or an eligible family member, there is a single form to file for both voter registration and ballot request. It is often called the “Federal Post Card Application” or the FPCA form. This form must be re-filed with your election office each time you change location.
To vote as a service member or eligible family member:
- Complete and send a voter registration/ballot request form “FPCA” to your election office in the U.S. It is the same form in all states.
Identification Requirements
Voting Overseas
U.S. citizens living overseas may register and request a ballot using the overseas voter registration/ballot request form. You may include the following ID:
- Option to Indicate that you do not have the Requested ID
- Pennsylvania ID Card
- Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number
Voting Military
Service members and their dependents may register and request a ballot using the overseas voter registration/ballot request form ("FPCA"). You may include the following ID:
- Pennsylvania ID Card
- Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number
- Option to Indicate that you do not have the Requested ID
Voter Materials Transmission Options
Overseas Voter |
In-Person |
|
Fax |
|
Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voter Registration | |||||
| Absentee Ballot Request | |||||
| Blank Ballot To Voter | |||||
| Voted-Absentee Ballot Return |
Military Voter |
In-Person |
|
Fax |
|
Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voter Registration | |||||
| Absentee Ballot Request | |||||
| Blank Ballot To Voter | |||||
| Voted-Absentee Ballot Return |