Voting in Pennsylvania
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The policies governing voter participation are enacted and enforced primarily at the state level. These policies, which include voter identification requirements, early voting provisions, online voter registration systems, and more, dictate the conditions under which people cast their ballots in their respective states.
This article includes the following information about voting policies in Pennsylvania:
- Voter registration details, including deadlines and eligibility requirements.
- In-person voting details, including identification requirements, poll times, and early voting provisions.
- Absentee/mail-in voting deadlines and rules.
- Details about voting rules for people convicted of a felony.
- Contact information election agencies.
Click here for more information about election administration in the state, including voter list maintenance policies, provisional ballot rules, post-election auditing practices, and additional election policy context.
For information on elections happening this year, click here.
Do you have questions about your elections? Looking for information about your local election official? Click here to use U.S. Vote Foundation’s election official lookup tool.
Voter registration
The table below displays voter registration information specific to Pennsylvania's 2025 election cycle.
Eligibility and registration details
- Check your voter registration status here.
To register to vote in Pennsylvania, an applicant must be a citizen of the United States for at least one month before the next election, a resident of the district in which he or she is registering for at least 30 days before the next election, and at least 18 years old by the day of the next election.[1] The deadline for registering to vote is 15 days before the election.[1] Registration can be done online, in person, or by mail. Prospective voters can register in person at the county voter registration office or at a number of state agencies, including Pennsylvania Department of Transportation centers. The Pennsylvania voter registration application is available online and can be mailed to the county voter registration office.[2] On September 19, 2023, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) announced that the state had implemented automatic voter registration.[3]
In-person voting
The table below displays in-person voting information specific to Pennsylvania's 2025 election cycle.
Poll times
- See also: State poll opening and closing times
In Pennsylvania, all polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[4]
Voter identification
- See also: Voter identification laws by state
Pennsylvania does not generally require voters to present identification while voting. However, a voter who is voting at a polling place for the first time must present identification.[5]
Voters can present the following forms of identification. This list was current as of October 2024. Click here to ensure you have current information.
| “ | Approved forms of photo identification include:
If you do not have a photo ID, you can use a non-photo identification that includes your name and address.
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Early voting
- See also: Early voting
Pennsylvania voters can cast mail ballots in person. According to the Pennsylvania Department of State's Office of Communications and Press, "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. Voters should check their county's website to see when they have final ballots available and what hours their election office is open."[7] For more information, visit this website.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
As of February 2024, 47 states and the District of Columbia permitted no-excuse early voting.
Absentee/mail-in voting
- See also: Absentee/mail-in voting
The table below displays absentee voting information specific to Pennsylvania's 2025 election cycle.
Beginning with the April 28, 2020, primary election, all Pennsylvania voters are eligible to cast absentee ballots. The change came about as a result of SB421, an omnibus election law bill which Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf (D) signed into law on October 31, 2019.[8][9]
Local election officials
Do you need information about elections in your area? Are you looking for your local election official? Click here to visit the U.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool. |
Voting rules for people convicted of a felony
In Pennsylvania, people convicted of a felony automatically regain their voting rights upon completion of their incarceration, with the exception of violations of the Pennsylvania Election Code, which bar people from voting for four years after conviction for the offense.
Voting rights for people convicted of a felony vary from state to state. In the majority of states, people convicted of a felony cannot vote while they are incarcerated but may regain the right to vote upon release from prison or at some point thereafter.[10]
Election administration agencies
Election agencies
- See also: State election agencies
Individuals seeking additional information about voting provisions in Pennsylvania can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.
Pennsylvania County Election Officials
Pennsylvania Secretary of State; Bureau of Elections
- North Office Building, Room 210
- 401 North Street
- Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120-0060
- Toll free: 1-877-868-3772
- Email: ra-votereg@pa.gov
- Website: https://www.pa.gov/en/agencies/vote.html
Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission
- Finance Building, Room 309
- 613 North Street
- Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120-0400
- Phone: 717-783-1610
- Toll free: 800-932-0936
- Fax: 717-787-0806
- Email: https://www.ethicsforms.pa.gov/Forms/ContactUs
- Website: https://www.ethics.pa.gov/Pages/default.aspx
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
- 633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200
- Washington, DC 20001
- Phone: 301-563-3919
- Toll free: 1-866-747-1471
- Email: clearinghouse@eac.gov
- Website: https://www.eac.gov
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker
State election laws are changing. Keeping track of the latest developments in all 50 states can seem like an impossible job.
Here's the solution: Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker.
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Tracker sets the industry standard for ease of use, flexibility, and raw power. But that's just the beginning of what it can do:
- Ballotpedia's election experts provide daily updates on bills and other relevant political developments
- We translate complex bill text into easy-to-understand summaries written in everyday language
- And because it's from Ballotpedia, our Tracker is guaranteed to be neutral, unbiased, and nonpartisan
State of Election Administration Legislation Reports
Ballotpedia publishes regular analysis of election administration legislation, including three full reports per year, providing ongoing coverage of legislative activity affecting election policy in each state. These reports deliver insights into partisan priorities, dive deep into notable trends, and highlight activity in key states.
Below are links to the most recent editions. Click here to see all past reports, and be on the lookout for more throughout the year!
- State of Election Administration Legislation 2024 Year-End Report
- State of Election Administration Legislation 2024 Mid-Year Report
- State of Election Administration Legislation, May 2024 Roundup
The Ballot Bulletin
The Ballot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy. The Ballot Bulletin tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from our Election Administration Legislation Tracker. You'll also be able to track relevant legislation, with links to and summaries of the bills themselves.
Recent issues
Click below to view recent issues of The Ballot Bulletin.
- The Ballot Bulletin: March 14, 2025
- The Ballot Bulletin: March 7, 2025
- The Ballot Bulletin: February 28, 2025
- The Ballot Bulletin: February 21, 2025
- The Ballot Bulletin: February 14, 2025
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Ballotpedia's election coverage
- United States Senate Democratic Party primaries, 2024
- United States House Democratic Party primaries, 2024
- Democratic Party gubernatorial primaries, 2024
- Democratic Party Secretary of State primaries, 2024
- Democratic Party Attorney General primaries, 2024
- State legislative Democratic primaries, 2024
- United States Senate Republican Party primaries, 2024
- United States House Republican Party primaries, 2024
- Republican Party gubernatorial primaries, 2024
- Republican Party Secretary of State primaries, 2024
- Republican Party Attorney General primaries, 2024
- State legislative Republican primaries, 2024
See also
- State of Election Administration Legislation Reports
- Voter ID in Pennsylvania
- Election administration in Pennsylvania
- Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Pennsylvania
Elections in Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania elections, 2025
- Pennsylvania elections, 2024
- Pennsylvania elections, 2023
- Pennsylvania elections, 2022
- Pennsylvania elections, 2021
- Pennsylvania elections, 2020
- Pennsylvania elections, 2019
- Pennsylvania elections, 2018
- Pennsylvania elections, 2017
- Pennsylvania elections, 2016
- Pennsylvania elections, 2015
- Pennsylvania elections, 2014
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Department of State, “Voter Registration Application,” accessed March 21, 2023
- ↑ Department of State, “Contact Your Election Officials,” accessed March 21, 2023
- ↑ Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, "Governor Shapiro Implements Automatic Voter Registration in Pennsylvania, Joining Bipartisan Group of States That Have Taken Commonsense Step to Make Voter Registration More Streamlined and Secure," September 19, 2023
- ↑ Department of State, “First Time Voters,” accessed March 21, 2023
- ↑ Department of State, "First Time Voters," accessed March 21, 2023
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Janie Valentine, "Email communication with Amy Gulli," September 10, 2024
- ↑ PennLive, "Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf signs historic election reform bill into law," October 31, 2019
- ↑ Pennsylvania.gov, “Voting in Pennsylvania,” accessed October 1, 2019
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Felon Voting Rights," April 6, 2023
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