Citizens for Better Elections – Did my vote count?

Deadline to Register: Monday, May 5, 2025
- Check registration status here
  NOTE: Pennsylvania has a closed primary, so you must be registered with a party to vote for that party’s candidates. Registered independents or those without a registered party affiliation are only allowed to vote on ballot initiatives.
- You must be a U.S. citizen and a resident of Pennsylvania at least 30 days before the election.
Voting by Mail:
- Application due: by May 13, 5 pm (for receipt by county election board)
- To vote by mail in 2025, you must apply again, even if you have voted by mail before
- If you received an application but wish to vote in person instead, simply discard the application.
- You may cancel your ballot request here but if your ballot was already sent, you must bring it and its voter declaration envelope with you to your polling location if you wish to vote in person instead.
- Voted ballot must be received by county by May 20, 8pm
In-person Voting: Tuesday, May 20, 7am-8pm
- Find your polling place.
- If you received your mail-in ballot but wish to vote in person instead, turn in your ballot AND the envelope with the voter’s declaration at your polling place.
Want to protect the vote? Work at the Polls (students welcome!)

Voting by Mail – Step by Step

If you applied for a mail-in or absentee ballot online by the deadline (May 13):

Receive your ballot by mail (check status here).
Complete your ballot using the instructions included with it, making sure to fill in ovals on the ballot to make your selections – no X or check marks! See also: this helpful article.
Insert your ballot in the privacy envelope and seal it. Be sure not to make any stray marks on the privacy envelope.
Insert the sealed privacy envelope in the outer envelope (with the declaration printed on it).
Make sure to complete and SIGN and DATE the declaration as directed in the instructions.
Use a drop-box location (see below) to cast your ballot.
Check ballot status to determine if your county has received your ballot by May 20.

If your ballot has not been received by the county by May 20, you can vote in person on May 20 by either:
- Turning in your ballot AND the envelope with the voter’s declaration at your polling place (preferred); or
- Voting by provisional ballot.
Concerned about missing a mailing? Sign up for informed delivery with the USPS.

In person at local precinct, voting on a paper ballot on Election Day
No excuse mail-in ballot voting
Absentee ballot voting
In person at county voter services, satellite voter services offices, and ballot drop boxes

Find us on X (Twitter) @cbelections

The header image for this site is a photograph by Justin Grimes, licensed under the Creative Commons by-sa license. We use it with gratitude.