Primary Day Voting in the Delaware Valley — Here’s What You Need To Know
Pennsylvania voters will head to the polls Tuesday for what is shaping up as one of the most contentious primary elections in history. Democrats and Republicans will select their party’s candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, an assortment of state legislative seats, and local offices.
Here are some hints and suggestions for voters.
- Polls open at 7 a.m. statewide and close at 8 p.m. Voters who are in line by 8 p.m. are entitled to vote.
- If you are unsure where your polling place is located you can find out here.
- Voters are asked to wear masks when they go to the polls and to maintain social distancing.
- If you are a first-time voter or are voting at a particular polling place for the first time, you will be asked to show a photo ID.
- Voters who have chosen to vote by mail or by utilizing a drop box should be aware that their ballot must be received by 8 p.m. Tuesday to be counted.
The ballot must be sealed inside two envelopes. The ballot itself must be sealed inside a secrecy envelope. The voter may not write on that envelope. The secrecy envelope must be placed inside the second envelope. Sign and date the voter declaration section on the envelope.
The ballot can be hand delivered to your county election office or satellite office. It can also be hand delivered to a drop box if the county in which you resides utilizes them. If that is the case, the voter must utilize a drop box in their county of residence.
- A voter may only hand deliver their personal ballot. It is illegal to drop off or submit another voter’s ballot unless the voter officially appointed an individual to act on their behalf. Example: It is NOT PERMITTED for a voter to drop off their own ballot and also the ballot of a friend or relative, even though that friend or relative resides in the same county.
Your right to vote cannot be challenged based on your race, ethnicity, national origin, because you are elderly or disabled, or because you are not fluent or conversant in English. Your right to vote may only be challenged if a poll worker, poll watcher, or another voter believes you are not the person you claim you are or do not reside in that precinct. In that instance, the voter has the right to request a provisional ballot.
It is illegal for anyone to attempt to intimidate a voter to get them to vote for or against a particular candidate.
The two parties may appoint poll watchers at each polling place. Here is an overview of what poll watchers may and may not do.
If a voter believes their right to vote has been infringed upon or they are the victims of voter intimidation, they should ask to speak to the Judge of Elections before leaving the polling place. They may also file a complaint on line
Election Offices
Bucks County
Mr. Thomas Freitag
Director, Bucks Co. Board of Elections/Registration
55 E. Court St.
Doylestown, PA 18901
(215) 348-6154
Chester County
Mike Carney
Government Services Ctr.
601 Westtown Rd., Ste. 150
PO Box 2747
West Chester, PA 19380-0990
(610) 344-6410
Delaware County
Laureen Hagan
Chief Clerk/Director, Delaware Co.
201 W. Front St.
Government Center Bldg.
Media, PA 19063
(610) 891-4673
Montgomery
Dori Sawyer
Director of Voter Services
Montgomery County Voter Services
One Montgomery Plaza
425 Swede St.
Suite 602
Norristown, PA 19401
(610) 278-3275
