Voter Guide

October 24, 2022 is the last day to register to vote or update your voter registration before the November 8, 2022 general election.

If you plan to mail a signed voter registration application, it must be received by your county election office 15 days before an election.

Who Can Register to Vote?

You can register to vote if you are:

• A United States citizen at least 30 days before the next election.

• A resident of Pennsylvania and your election district for at least 30 days before the next election.

• At least 18 years of age on the day of the next election.

Am I Registered to Vote?

Check your registration status using your name, your PennDOT Driver's License, or PennDOT ID.

Register Online to Vote

It only takes a few minutes to register online for the next election.

You can also register to vote by U.S. mail or at certain government agency locations, such as a PennDOT Photo License and Driver's License Center.

Update My Voter Registration

Update your voter registration if you have:

• Moved or changed your address.

• Changed your name.

• Changed your political party.

Learn more about updating your voter registration online, by mail, or in person.

What Happens Next?

After your online voter registration application is approved, your county election office will mail a voter registration card to your residence.

Deadline to Sign Up to Vote by Mail-in Ballot

November 1, 2022 at 5 p.m. is the deadline to sign up to vote by mail in the November 8, 2022 general election.

It is recommended to sign up by mail as soon as possible to ensure there is time for you to receive your ballot prior to Election Day.

Deadline to Return Voted Mail-in Ballot

Your voted mail-in ballot must be received by the Montgomery County Board of Elections by 8:00 p.m. on November 8, 2022.

Postmarks do not count. If your ballot is not received on time, it will not be counted.

Ballots can also be returned at Secure Ballot Drop Box Locations or directly to the Montgomery County Board of Elections at:

One Montgomery Plaza
425 Swede St.
Norristown, PA 19401

Who Can Sign Up?

Any voter may choose to vote by mail in an election using either an absentee or mail-in ballot.

ABSENTEE BALLOT

Registered Pennsylvania voters who may vote absentee ballot include:

• College students

• People whose work or vacation take them away from the municipality where they live

• People with a physical disability or illness that prevents them from going to the polling place

• Members of the military

• People who may have a conflict due to the celebration of a religious holiday

Learn more about the requirements for voting by absentee ballot.

MAIL-IN BALLOT

Unlike an absentee ballot, any registered Pennsylvania voter has the freedom to choose to vote by mail-in ballot in an election without providing a reason.

Request My Mail Ballot

There are multiple ways to request a mail ballot for the next election: online, by mail, and in person.

ONLINE

Registered voters can apply to vote by absentee or mail-in ballot in an election with a valid Pennsylvania driver's license or photo ID from the Department of Transportation (PennDOT).

BY MAIL

Download an absentee or mail ballot application form.

Print, complete, sign, and deliver or mail the application to Montgomery County Voter Services at:

Montgomery County Office of Voter Services
PO Box 311
Norristown, PA 19404-0311

IN-PERSON

Apply in-person at the Montgomery County Offices of Voter Services. Once your county's ballot is finalized and available, you can request and promptly receive your mail ballot.

One Montgomery Plaza
425 Swede St.
Norristown, PA 19401

Complete My Mail Ballot

Once you receive your absentee or mail-in ballot:

1. Mark your ballot.

2. Place your ballot in the white inner secrecy envelope labeled "official ballot." Note: Your ballot will not be counted if it is not in the secrecy envelope.

3. Put the sealed inner secrecy envelope into the pre-addressed outer return envelope where the voter must sign and seal it. Note: Be sure to sign and date the declaration, or your ballot may not count.

4. Return your ballot to the Montgomery County Board of Elections Office.

Return My Voted Mail Ballot

Once you mark, seal, and sign your absentee or mail-in ballot, you can return it by:

• Hand-deliver your mail ballot to the Montgomery County Board of Elections Office.

• Drop it off at a designated Secure Ballot Drop Box Location. Remember: You must deliver your ballot yourself.

• Mail your ballot.

Track My Mail Ballot

From when your county receives your mail ballot request to when they receive your voted ballot, you can track the progress of your absentee or mail-in ballot.

More Information About Mail Ballot Voting

Learn more about voting by absentee or mail-in ballot.

If you are a member of the military or an overseas civilian voter, visit Information for Military and Overseas Voters.

If you are in an emergency situation, such as an unexpected illness or disability that prevented you from submitting your mail ballot application on time, you can request an Emergency Absentee Ballot.

Voters on the annual mail ballot list are mailed an application around February and March to automatically receive their mail ballots for all elections occurring the remainder of the year.

Am I on the Annual Mail Ballot List?

Contact the Montgomery County Office of Voter Services at 610-278-3280. They can tell you if you're on the list, if you will automatically receive mail ballots for each election that year, or if you need to submit a mail ballot request for each election.

Sign Up for the Annual Mail Ballot List

Sign up the next time you request a mail ballot online, or visit your county board of elections.

Deadline to Vote Early In-Person by Mail Ballot

November 1, 2022 at 5 p.m. is the deadline to vote early in-person by mail ballot at the Montgomery County Office of Voter Services for the November 8, 2022 general election.

Once your county's ballot is finalized and available, you may request, fill out, and return a mail ballot in-person at the Montgomery County Office of Voter Services.

Vote Early In-person by Mail Ballot

If you would like to vote early in-person during an election, check the Montgomery County Office of Voter Services website or call the Office of Voter Services at 610-278-3280 to see if ballots are finalized and printed.

Make sure you have proof of identification with you, such as a PennDOT ID number or the last four digits of your Social Security number.

1. Go to the Montgomery County Office of Voter Services.

2. Fill out a mail ballot request form and wait for it to be verified.

3. Mark your ballot following the instructions provided.

4. Seal your marked ballot into the white inner secrecy envelope labeled "official ballot." Your ballot MUST be in the secrecy envelope to be counted.

5. Seal the white inner secrecy envelope inside the pre-addressed outer return envelope where you must sign. Your ballot MUST be in both envelopes to be counted.

6. Complete and sign the back of the outer return envelope. Be sure to sign and date the declaration, or your ballot might not count.

7. Hand it back to your county election office for processing.

8. You are done.

Remember: If you return your voted mail-in or absentee ballot, you cannot vote at your polling place on election day.

Poll Hours for the November 8 General Election

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on November 8, 2022 for the general election.

If you are in line when the polls close, stay in line. You are entitled to vote.

Find your polling place.

Do I Need Identification (ID) to Vote?

If you have voted at your polling location before, you do not need to bring ID to vote. Only voters who are voting for the first time in their election district need to show ID. Acceptable ID includes photo and non-photo ID.

Acceptable IDs for first-time voters:

• Driver's license

• U.S. passport

• Military, student, or employee ID

• Voter registration card

• Firearm permit

• Current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or government check

• Any ID issued by the commonwealth or federal government

Note: An ID without your photo must have your address on it.

Switching from Mail Ballot to Voting at a Polling Place

If you signed up to vote by mail, but now choose to vote at a polling place, you will need to bring both your mail-in or absentee ballot AND the outer return envelope to your polling place.

If you don't have your mail ballot AND its return envelope, you can only vote by provisional ballot.

What if My Name is Not in the Poll Book?

The local officials at your polling place should call the Montgomery County Board of Elections to determine if you are registered.

If you are, you should be able to vote. If the county cannot find your name, but you believe you are registered and omitted from the poll book, you may vote a provisional ballot.

What is a Provisional Ballot?

A provisional ballot is a paper ballot provided to voters who believe they are registered but whose names do not appear in the sign-in book at the polling place. If you are a first-time voter who does not provide ID at the polls on Election Day, you will be offered a provisional ballot.

Within seven days after the election, the county board of elections will decide whether you were eligible to vote at the election district where you voted the provisional ballot. If deemed eligible, your ballot will be counted.

Learn more about voting with a provisional ballot.

Can Someone Assist Me at the Polls?

You have the right to assistance if you cannot read or write; cannot read the names on the ballots; have difficulty understanding English; or are blind, disabled, or unable to operate the voting. machine.

You may request help from a relative, friend, neighbor, or another voter. You do not need to be designated in the poll book district register as "assistance permitted" to receive this assistance. If you want assistance, you must sign an assistance declaration, unless the poll book already indicates "assistance permitted".

You have the right to refuse assistance.

Who Can be Inside the Polling Place?

Only the following individuals are allowed inside or within 10 feet of the entrance to the polling place while voting is in progress:

• Precinct election officials

• Constables

• Polling place clerks

• Machine inspectors

• Approved poll watchers

• No more than 10 persons in the process of voting

• Approved persons assisting voters

• Police officers in the act of voting or who have been called to the polling place to preserve the peace

Everyone else, including individuals handing out campaign literature, must remain at least 10 feet away from the entrance to the polling place.

What if I am Intimidated at the Polls?

In Pennsylvania, it is illegal for any person or corporation through intimidation or coercion to induce or compel a person to vote or refrain from voting for a particular candidate or on a particular political issue.

If you have experienced intimidation at the polls, you should call your District Attorney's Office and notify the Montgomery County Board of Elections.

You can also submit a complaint to the Department of State via an online web form or by calling 1-877-VOTESPA (1-877-868-3772).

Fair and honest elections are the foundations of our Republic, and everyone must take responsibility for helping to ensure the integrity of the process.

We encourage voters who have any issues at the polls or may be aware of election fraud or irregularities in Pennsylvania to report them via the Department of State's election complaint form or by calling 1-877-VOTESPA (1-877-868-3772).

You can also contact your the Montgomery County Board of Elections.

Real-time Election Returns

The Montgomery County Office of Voter Services provides an Election Results Website to monitor returns as they are reported from precincts.

The Pennsylvania Department of State provides Pennsylvanians with an online portal for viewing election returns as reports are received from the Commonwealth's 67 counties on Election Day.

The portal also allows users to customize searches, receive timely updates, view results on mobile devices, and provides direct links to each county's election returns website.

Voter and Election Statistics

The Department of State publishes current voting statistics and related archive data.

The Pennsylvania Department of State has taken steps to further strengthen election security and the integrity of your vote.

These steps include additional measures to protect voter registration data and voting systems. Pennsylvania collaborates with federal and state law enforcement partners to stay one step ahead of potential threats.

Learn more about the measures the Commonwealth is taking to protect your vote.