by Elizabeth Estrada of Spotlight PA
Photo courtesy of Matt Smith / For Spotlight PA
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Pennsylvania’s 2023 election is here.
Today, voters will head to the polls to select a new state Supreme Court justice and new judges to sit on Commonwealth and Superior Courts. They will also decide whether two judges on the Superior Court should get another term. The winners of these important races will shape laws on a range of issues, including abortion, the environment, and school funding.
In some parts of the state, Pennsylvanians will also vote in municipal elections.
Here are answers to some of your most frequently asked questions:
When is Election Day in Pennsylvania?
Election Day is today, Nov. 7. Mark your calendars!
When do polls open for Pennsylvania’s 2023 election?
Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. As long as you are in line to vote by 8 p.m., you are entitled to cast a ballot.
Where do I vote?
You can find your polling location on the Pennsylvania Department of State website.
Am I registered to vote?
You can check your voter registration online. Search using your name, county, ZIP code, and birthday, or by entering your driver’s license or PennDOT identification card number.
Can I vote if I forgot to register?
Unfortunately, Oct. 23 was the deadline to register to vote in this election.
Can I vote if my registration is inactive?
Yes! An “inactive” voter has not voted for five years and hasn’t responded to a county notice about their registration.
If that’s your status, you can still vote on Nov. 7.
Can I vote if I live in a different county?
If you moved within Pennsylvania more than 30 days before an election but did not update your registration, you can vote at the polling place for your old address for one election.
“If you moved to a different county, you need to fill out a form telling us your new address and the county where you moved,” according to the Department of State. “After the election, the county election office for both your old and new addresses will update your voter registration. You will receive a new voter registration card matching your new address.”
Read more in the “If you move” section of the Pennsylvania Department of State’s website.
What do I need to bring to vote?
If this is your first time voting or your first time voting since changing addresses, you’ll need to bring proof of identification. This can include any government-issued ID such as a driver’s license or U.S. passport, a utility bill or bank statement that includes your name and address, or a military or student ID. See the full list of options.
I voted by mail. How do I check my ballot has been received?
You can check the status of your mail ballot online.
I still have my mail ballot. How can I return it?
Your county must receive your ballot by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
At this point, we do not advise that you put your ballot in the mail since it will not arrive by the deadline.
Instead, drop it off at your county election office or at a satellite location or drop box, if your county offers those options. See a full list of ballot drop-off locations.
Follow all the instructions to make sure your ballot is counted.
I requested a mail ballot but haven’t gotten it. What should I do?
If you have not received your mail ballot, you can still vote in person at your polling location.
A poll worker will offer you a provisional ballot, which will be counted after election officials confirm you did not submit a mail ballot.
I have a mail ballot but don’t want to use it. How can I vote?
Bring all your mail ballot components, including the envelopes, to your polling place and turn them over to poll workers. You’ll be required to sign a form declaring that you haven’t voted by mail. After that, you should be allowed to vote at the precinct.
Read Spotlight PA’s complete coverage, including candidate and election guides, court explainers, important cases, and more, at our 2023 Election Center.
A complete listing of Spotlight PA voter guides:
- Complete guide to the candidates for Pennsylvania Supreme Court
- Complete guide to the candidates for Commonwealth, Superior Courts
- What to know about the judicial retention questions on Pa. ballots
- Complete guide to who is on the ballot, when to vote & more
- Interactive tool: Why judges matter
- Pa. Supreme Court 101: What it is, why it matters, and more
- Pa. Superior Court 101: What it is, why it matters, and more
- Pa. Commonwealth Court 101: What it is, why it matters, and more
En Español:
- Una guía de los candidatos a la Corte Suprema del estado
- Una guía de los candidatos a la Commonwealth y las Cortes Superiores
- Elecciones Pa. 2023: Una guía completa sobre quién está en la papeleta, cuándo votar, cómo votar, dónde votar, la emisión de votos por correo y más
- Elecciones Pa. 2023: Lo que hay que saber sobre las preguntas de retención judicial en la papeleta de noviembre
- Elecciones Pa. 2023: Todo lo que necesita saber para solicitar, llenar y devolver su voto por correo
BEFORE YOU GO… If you learned something from this article, pay it forward and contribute to Spotlight PA at spotlightpa.org/donate. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results.
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