10 October 2023- We’re under a month until municipal elections are set to be held in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and across the United States. While 2023 can be considered an “off year” election, that doesn’t mean that the races up for grabs aren’t going to affect you. Rather, they will affect your every day life much, much more than whoever is president or your congressman.
Up for grabs are numerous township supervisors, county commissioners, school board members, district attorneys, and all “row offices” in the county court house. These people are those who directly have a hand in shaping your taxes, zoning, local municipal codes, and curriculums in schools. That’s why you NEED to make sure that you can vote.
October 23rd, 2023 is designated as the last day you register to vote in Pennsylvania, with October 31st being the last day to apply for a mail in ballot.
A voter may apply for and receive an absentee ballot for the upcoming election if they are registered to vote and fall into one of the following criteria:
- A person is absent from their municipality the entire time the polls are open (example: college students, vacationers, truck drivers, etc.)
- Those who cannot attend the polls because of illness or disability
- A person who will not go to the polls because of observing a religious holiday
- Inmates who haven’t been convicted of a felony
A voter may apply for and receive a mail-in ballot for the upcoming election if they are registered to vote and who are not eligible for an absentee ballot, but who wish to vote by mail instead of in person at the polling place. No excuse or reason is required.
A voter who desires to vote by absentee ballot or mail-in ballot must complete an application and submit it to their County Board of Elections in one of the following ways:
1. Apply online at https://www.vote.pa.gov/Voting-in-PA/Pages/Mail-and-Absentee-Ballot.aspx (Voter must have a PA Driver’s License or PA Identification Card to use this option)
2. Download and print a PDF application and send it to the address listed below. Applications in both English and Spanish can be found at the County’s website or the state’s website at https://www.vote.pa.gov.
3. Voters may request an absentee or mail-in ballot application by calling 717-261-3886.
4. Apply in person at the Voter Registration Office between the hours of 8:30-4:30, Monday-Friday.
All applications can be mailed to:
Voter Registration Office
272 North Second Street
Chambersburg, PA 17201
or faxed to (717) 261-3131
If you do not live in Franklin County, you can find all of the details of your area’s Board of Elections directly on their website.
