Absentee ballot applications for Pennsylvanians now available online
Sept. 16, 2019
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — Making your voice heard through the power of your vote, even if you're far from home, just got easier. An improvement to this year's process will make it easier for registered voters in Pennsylvania to apply for an absentee ballot for the Nov. 5 general election.
Since 2015, more than 1.4 million voter registration applications or changes have been submitted online in Pennsylvania through an initiative launched by Gov. Tom Wolf. Adding to the online ease this year is the ability to apply for an absentee ballot.
Starting today, Sept. 16, registered voters in Pennsylvania may apply for absentee ballots through a mobile-friendly, online application site at: votesPA.com/ApplyAbsentee. Previously, voters could only complete a paper absentee ballot application and mail or hand-deliver it to their county election office.
"Applying for an absentee ballot online will make the process faster and more accessible for thousands of voters," said Gov. Wolf in a press release. "This builds on the option to register to vote online which Pennsylvania launched four years ago and it will provide an easier way for people to exercise their right to vote."
Absentee ballots are an important option for college students like those attending Slippery Rock University who are unable to be present at the polls and want to vote in their home precinct. Students living in residence halls or off-campus housing have the choice to either voted based on their temporary address in Slippery Rock or their permanent home address.
If registered voters decide to submit an absentee ballot this year, they must apply for an absentee ballot, online or by paper, by 5 p.m., Oct. 29. Absentee voters must still mail or hand-deliver their completed ballot to their county election office by the deadline, 5 p.m. on the Friday before the election, which is Nov. 1 this year.
If a student needs to register to vote, they can do so online by completing the following steps:
• Visit register.votesPA.com.
• Fill out the form and submit the application.
• Use the application number provided to track its submission.
• Watch the mailbox for their voter registration card.
To be eligible to vote in Pennsylvania, a student must be a U.S. citizen for at least one month before the election; be a resident of Pennsylvania and the election district in which the individual desires to register and vote for at least 30 days before the election; and be at least 18 years of age on or before the date of the election.
To learn more about online voter registration, visit www.votesPA.com.
MEDIA CONTACT: Justin Zackal | 724.738.4854 | justin.zackal@sru.edu