What is the difference between a mail-in ballot and an absentee ballot?
There are two types of mail ballots in Pennsylvania.
Mail-In Voting
Mail-in ballots are for any eligible voter. You do not need an excuse or reason to request a mail-in ballot.
When you apply to be an annual mail voter, you are indicating that:
You want to receive a mail ballot for every election until the 3rd Monday in February of the following year. (You will automatically receive a mail ballot for any election during that period.)
AND
You would like your county board of elections to remind you to apply to vote by mail every year. By February, you will receive a paper request form for mail ballots for every election during that year or you can submit a request online. You must submit a request to vote by mail ballot every year that you wish to vote by mail.
To become an annual mail voter
Step 1: Submit a request online or by mail to receive ballots for the year
Request online
Download, print and mail a paper form
Mail-in ballot request: English | Spanish | Vietnamese | Chinese Simplified | Chinese Traditional
Step 2: Make sure to sign up to be an annual mail voter
Online:
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Paper form:
Click to view larger image
Absentee ballot
Voters who plan to be out of their municipality on Election Day or voters who have a disability or illness that prevents them from going to a polling place on Election Day.
Absentee ballot request: English | Spanish | Vietnamese | Chinese Simplified | Chinese Traditional
Other Important Information:
You must be a registered voter to submit an application. You may check whether you are registered to vote in Pennsylvania using:
Find Voter Registration Status
NOTE: if you plan to vote using an absentee or mail-in ballot in the 2024 GENERAL PRIMARY held on 04/23/2024, your completed application must be received in the county office by 5:00 PM on 04/16/2024. The deadline to return your voted absentee or mail-in ballot is 8:00 PM on 04/23/2024.
You can track the status of your ballot on PA Voter Services. If you provided your email address to your county election office at the time you registered to vote or applied for a ballot, you will receive an email notification when your returned ballot is recorded.
