Make your Plan to Vote!

A guide to voting in the 2020 General Election

Updated: October 29, 2020

 
 

Are you Registered? 

 
 

How you can vote in Pennsylvania 

As of 2020, there are now 3 ways for all registered Pennsylvania voters to cast their ballots in the General Election: (1) early in-person, (2) by mail, and (3) in-person on Election Day!

1. Early In-Person Voting

NOTE: The application deadline to vote early has now passed. While new requests for Mail-In Ballots are no longer allowed, any unfulfilled previous requests will continue to be serviced. If you have not yet received your requested mail-in or absentee ballot, you can go to any of the Satellite Elections Offices and request a replacement and vote on the spot.

Philadelphia County Board of Elections
Phone: 215-686-3469
Hours: Monday-Thursday (11:30AM-6:30PM), Friday-Sunday (9:30AM-4:30PM)
Locations:

# Region Location Address
1 Center City City Hall Room 140 1400 John F Kennedy Blvd
2 Far Northeast George Washington High School 10175 Bustleton Ave
3 North The Liacouras Center 1776 N Broad St
4 Northwest Roxborough High School 6498 Ridge Ave
5 Southwest Tilden Middle School 6601 Elmwood Ave
6 Upper North Julia De Burgos Elementary 401 W Lehigh Ave
7 West Overbrook Elementary School 2032 N 62Nd St
8 South Creative And Performing Arts 901 S Broad St
9 Northwest A. B. Day School 6324 Crittenden St
10 Lower Northeast J Hampton Moore School 6900 Summerdale Ave
11 Upper North Julia Ward Howe School 5800 N 13th St
12 West Alain Locke School 4550 Haverford Ave
13 Center City Riverview Place, 1st Floor 520 N Columbus Blvd
14 Far Northeast Joseph H. Brown School 3600 Stanwood St
15 Lower Northeast Harding Middle School 2000 Wakeling Street
16 River Mastbaum High School 3116 Frankford Ave
17 Upper North Feltonville Intermediate School 238 E Wyoming Ave
 

2. Voting by Mail

NOTE: The application deadline to vote early has now passed, however if you received your ballot and have not yet mailed it back, DON’T! It is now too late to return your ballot by the mail, but you can personally drop off your ballot at a drop box or satellite elections office near you (see locations above).

 

How to Fill-out Ballot 

Once you’ve received your mail-in ballot, open it up and inside you should find:

  1. Instructions

  2. Pamphlet explaining the ballot questions 

  3. Ballot

  4. Privacy Envelope (the smaller envelope)

  5. Mailing Envelope (the slightly larger envelope)

For reference, please review the image below of a mail-in ballot from the primary election:

 
ballot-documents.jpg
 

Follow the instructions closely, or your ballot might not be accepted. When completing your ballot, use a black or blue ink pen to completely fill in the oval to the left of your desired candidate’s name. 

Once your ballot is completed, refold it and place it in the smaller Secrecy Envelope which reads “Official Election Ballot”. Seal this envelope and place it inside the slightly larger Mailing Envelope which reads “Official Election Mail.” Nothing else should be enclosed in these envelopes — only your ballot. A ballot without both of these envelopes is considered a “naked ballot” and will not be counted, so it is important to get this right!

Remember to fill out and sign your voter’s declaration on the back of Mailing Envelope! Once you have filled out and signed it, your mail-in ballot is ready to be returned.

 

WATCH: Joe demonstrates how to complete your Mail-in Ballot:

 
 

Return

Mail-in ballots must be received by November 3 at 8PM. Due to USPS delays, it is now too late to return your ballot by the mail, however you can personally drop off your ballot at a drop box or satellite elections office near you.

  • Return In-Person at a Satellite Elections Office:

    • You can personally return your ballot to your county election office or a satellite county elections office (if available) during their hours of operation (see list above).

  • Return by Drop-off Box:

    • There are currently fourteen outdoor drop boxes in Philadelphia where voters can return their mail-in ballots:

Region Location Address
Center City City Hall (South Side) 1400 John F Kennedy Blvd
Center City Riverview Place, 1st Floor 520 N Columbus Blvd
Fairmount Eastern State Penitentiary 2027 Fairmount Ave
Center City Independence Branch Library 18 S 7th St
South Smith Playground 2100 S 24th St
Northeast Vogt Rec Center 4131 Unruh Ave
Northeast Pelbano Rec Center 8101 Bustleton Ave
Center City Markward Playground 400 S Taney St
South Ford Police Athletic League 631 Snyder Ave
Northwest Dorothy Emanuel Rec. Center 8500 Pickering St
Northwest Pleasant Playground 6800 Chew Ave
Fishtown Shissler Rec. Center 1800 Blair Street
Far Northeast Chalfont Playground 4382 Deerpath Lane
North Stenton Playground 4600 N 16th
 
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Track

Once your mail-in application is received, you will be able to track the status of your mail-in ballot. If you included your email address in your application, you should receive automated emails notifying you of changes to your ballot status. Closer to the election, the status will change to notify you when your ballot is mailed and then again when your ballot has been received by the county election office.

 
 

3. Election Day In-Person

When: Tuesday, November 3, 7AM-8PM
Where: At your polling place*

As always, you may vote traditionally in-person, however do so carefully and adhere to COVID-19 safety precautions. You may get in line to vote before 7AM, and you can still vote after 8PM as long as you were already in line before 8PM.

*Be aware that polling places may be changed or consolidated due to the pandemic. Be sure to confirm your polling location before Election Day.

 

FAQ: 

What if my Mail-In Ballot never arrived, or I lost it? 
You can still vote at your polling place on Election Day using a Provisional Ballot.

What if I receive my Mail-In Ballot but it’s too late to mail it back on time?
You have two options: 1) You can deliver your Mail-In Ballot to the County Elections Office in-person, or use a drop-box, if available.  2) You can return the Mail-In Ballot and barcoded envelope at your polling place on Election Day. You will be permitted to use a Regular Ballot.

What if I have a medical emergency that will prevent me from going to the polls, but it is after the deadline to request an Absentee Ballot?
You can request an Absentee Emergency Ballot, and authorize someone else to pick up and return your Ballot using the forms below:

Need Help? 

Need help making your plan to vote? Contact the Voter Assistance Hotline! 

Phone: 1-833-PA-VOTES (728-6837)
Hours: Monday - Friday, 9AM-6PM
Note: Spanish language voicemail is available!

Questions on Election Day?

Call 1-877-868-3772 for official answers from the Dept. of State. Interpreters are available.

Additional Resources