Voting in Pennsylvania

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Election Information
2026 election and voting dates
Voter registration
Early voting
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## Contents

* 1 Voter registration
* 1.1 Eligibility and registration details
* 2 In-person voting
* 2.1 Poll times
* 2.2 Voter identification
* 2.3 Early voting
* 3 Absentee/mail-in voting
* 4 Local election officials
* 5 Voting rules for people convicted of a felony
* 6 Contact information
* 6.1 Election agencies
* 7 Explore election legislation with Ballotpedia
* 8 Ballotpedia's election coverage
* 9 See also
* 9.1 Elections in Pennsylvania
* 10 External links
* 11 Footnotes

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 for 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[edit]

### Eligibility and registration details[edit]

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][2] The deadline for registering to vote is 15 days before the election.[1][3]

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.[4] The Pennsylvania voter registration application is available online and can be mailed to the county voter registration office.[5] On September 19, 2023, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) announced that the state had implemented automatic voter registration.[6]

## In-person voting[edit]

### Poll times[edit]

See also: State poll opening and closing times

In Pennsylvania, all polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time. Anyone in line when the polls close must be allowed to vote.[7]

### Voter identification[edit]

See also: Voter identification laws by state

The federal Help America Vote Act requires that individuals in all 50 states who register to vote by mail and who have not voted previously in a federal election in their state must provide either their driver's license or a paycheck, bank statement, current utility bill, or government document showing their name and address. Individuals voting by mail must include a copy of one of those documents with their absentee/mail-in ballot.[8]

These requirements do not apply if an individual submitted a copy of their identification, their driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number when registering to vote. 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.[9]

Voters can present the following forms of identification. This list was current as of December 2025. Click here to ensure you have current information.

“  | When voting at a polling place for the first time, you must show proof of identification, either with photo or other ID.

You may use one of the following forms of photo identification, so long as it is not expired, canceled, or revoked:

* Pennsylvania driver’s license or PennDOT ID card
* ID issued by any Commonwealth agency
* ID issued by the U.S. Government
* U.S. passport
* U.S. Armed Forces ID
* Student ID
* Employee ID

If you do not have a photo ID, you can use a non-photo identification that includes your name and address.

* Confirmation issued by the county voter registration office, such as a voter registration card
* Non-photo ID issued by the Commonwealth
* Non-photo ID issued by the U.S. Government
* Firearm permit
* Current utility bill
* Current bank statement
* Paycheck
* Government check[10]

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### Early voting[edit]

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."[11][12] For more information, visit this website.

Early voting allows citizens to cast their ballots in person at a polling place before 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.

Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting. Alabama, Mississippi, and New Hampshire do not offer no-excuse early voting.

## Absentee/mail-in voting[edit]

See also: Absentee/mail-in voting

All Pennsylvania voters are eligible to cast mail-in ballots.[13] Voters who will be away from their municipality on Election Day or have a disability or illness that prevents them from going to the polls may request an absentee ballot, which requires an excuse.[14]

A voter's application for a mail-in or absentee ballot must be received by the county election office seven days before an election. If a voter encounters an emergency, such as an unexpected illness, disability, or last-minute absence, they may apply for an emergency absentee ballot after 5 p.m. on the Tuesday before the election. The deadline to apply for an emergency ballot is 8 p.m. on election night.[15]

A completed ballot must be returned by 8 p.m. on Election Day to be counted.[14]

## Local election officials[edit]

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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.|

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## Voting rules for people convicted of a felony[edit]

See also: Voting rights for people convicted of a felony

In Pennsylvania, people convicted of a felony automatically regain their voting rights upon completion of their incarceration, except for violations of the Pennsylvania Election Code, which bar people from voting for four years after conviction for the offense.[16]

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.[17]

## Contact information[edit]

### Election agencies[edit]

Seal of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission

See also: State election agencies

Individuals seeking additional information about election administration in Pennsylvania can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.

Pennsylvania County Election Officials

Click here for a list

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 304
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

## Explore election legislation with Ballotpedia[edit]

* Try Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker

Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker provides daily updates on legislative activity related to election policy in all 50 states.

Our election policy experts translate complex bill text into easy-to-understand summaries. And because it's from Ballotpedia, our legislation tracker is guaranteed to be neutral, unbiased, and nonpartisan.

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* Read Ballotpedia's 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.

Read the latest report

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The newsletter 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.

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## Ballotpedia's election coverage[edit]

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## See also[edit]

* 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[edit]

* Pennsylvania elections, 2026
* 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[edit]

* Official state election website
* U.S. Vote Foundation election official lookup tool

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Pennsylvania Department of State, “Voter Registration Application,” accessed December 22, 2025
2. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "Voter Registration Requirements," accessed December 22, 2025
3. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "Voter Registration," accessed December 22, 2025
4. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "Register to Vote," accessed December 22, 2025
5. ↑ Department of State, “Contact Your Election Officials,” accessed December 22, 2025
6. ↑ 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
7. ↑ Department of State, “First Time Voters,” accessed December 22, 2025
8. ↑ Congress, "H.R.3295 - Help America Vote Act of 2002," accessed September 30, 2025
9. ↑ Department of State, "First Time Voters," accessed December 22, 2025
10. ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
11. ↑ Janie Valentine, "Email communication with Amy Gulli," September 10, 2024
12. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "On-Demand Mail Ballot Voting," accessed December 22, 2025
13. ↑ PennLive, "Pa. Gov. Tom Wolf signs historic election reform bill into law," October 31, 2019
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Department of State, “Voting by Absentee Ballot,” accessed December 22, 2025
15. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "Emergency Absentee Ballot," accessed December 22, 2025
16. ↑ U.S. Department of Justice, "Guide to State Voting Rules That Apply After a Criminal Conviction," accessed December 22, 2025
17. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Felon Voting Rights," August 19, 2025

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