BETHLEHEM, Pa. (WLVT) - More than two million Pennsylvanians plan to vote by mail in the upcoming election, and as county elections offices send out ballots, voters will need to follow certain requirements in order for their ballots to be counted.
"It's really important that voters know what the rules are and get those rules right, because we want their votes to count," said David Thornburgh, the president and CEO of the Committee of Seventy, a Philadelphia-based independent and nonpartisan nonprofit that advocates for better government in the commonwealth.
A mail-in ballot comes with two envelopes. The inner is called a "secrecy envelope," and the outer is the return envelope. If a ballot is not put inside the secrecy envelope prior to being delivered, it is considered a "naked ballot."
The secrecy envelope, which has been used by Pennsylvania and 15 other states in the past, is designed to designed to protect voter identity from ballot counters.
"It's going to take a little more education on the part of voters to get it right, but there is a purely nonpartisan and, I think, reasonable intent behind that two-envelope system," Thornburgh said.
A few weeks ago, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania ruled that naked ballots will not count in the general election, even though they were counted in the primary.
Philadelphia’s city commission chair Lisa Deeley wrote a letter to state leaders, claiming that a "minor technicality" could lead to "over 100,000 votes" being rejected in a battleground state that could decide the race for president.
Those who choose to vote by mail must use black or blue ink to fill out and/or write in their choices. The ballot must be placed inside the secrecy envelope, which will then be put into the larger return envelope. Voters must also sign and fill out the "voter's declaration" found on the back of the return envelope. This ensures the ballot can be voter-verified.
"The good news is Pennsylvania voters have more choices on how to vote than they ever have in our history," Thornburgh said. "So, make the plan. Decide what you're going to do. October 27 is the last day to request a mail ballot, but our real advice is to do it now."
Voters can simply mail their ballots or drop them off at specially-marked boxes. Here are the official locations in Northampton County:
- Northampton County Government Center Rotunda (669 Washington Street, Easton)
- HOURS: M-F (8:30 AM-8:00 PM), Sa (8:00 AM-12:00 PM)
- Bethlehem City Hall (10 E. Church Street, Bethlehem)
- HOURS: M-F (8:00 AM-4:00 PM)
- Northampton County Human Services Building (2801 Emrick Boulevard, Bethlehem Township)
- HOURS: M-F (8:30 AM-7:00 PM)
- Northampton County 911 Center (100 Gracedale Avenue, Upper Nazareth Township)
- HOURS: M-F (8:30 AM-4:30 PM)
- HOURS: M-F (8:30 AM-4:30 PM)
The locations open on October 1 and close at 8 p.m. on November 3. Voters can only drop off their own ballots and not anyone else's. To track the status of a mail-in or absentee ballot, visit VotesPA.com.