News You Need to Know: PA Supreme Court Upholds Mail-In Voting

News You Need to Know: PA Supreme Court Upholds Mail-In Voting

Mailbox
Type: 
News

This decision allows eligible Pennsylvanians to vote by mail-in ballot in the Nov. 8th general election, as well as all future Pennsylvania elections.

Voting by mail is convenient and secure and has resulted in an incredible boost in voter turnout in Pennsylvania in recent elections. Here is Delaware County, 129,000 voters returned mail-in ballots in the 2020 election out of a total of 328,000 votes cast in the presidential race.  In 2016, before Act 77, 287,000 Delco citizens voted in the presidential election.   Despite the COVID epidemic, 41,000 more people voted in 2020 than in 2016. Statewide, 168,000 people voted in 2020 who had not voted in 2016.  

If we want wide participation in elections, we need to ensure that we maintain a modernized system for voting, which includes individual freedom and convenience. The PA Supreme Court’s decision affirms this vital principle.
Important Deadlines for Mail-in Voting:

  • To vote by mail, you must be registered to vote by the voter registration deadline, Oct 24, 2022. Register to vote here.
  • If you’re planning to vote by mail and are registered, you have until 5 p.m. on Nov. 1, 2022, to request a mail-in ballot. The League of Women Voters encourages voters to request a mail-in ballot as early as possible to avoid possible delays.
  • Your completed ballot must be received by your local county election office by 8 p.m. on Election Day. There are two ways to return your ballot:
    • Mail your ballot: Using the return envelope supplied with your ballot, make sure your ballot arrives to your county election board by 8 pm on election day. If you provide your email when you register, the county election bureau will email you when your ballot arrives. 
    • Hand Deliver: You can hand-deliver your ballot before 8 pm on election day to the
      • Delaware County Election Bureau, 201 W. Front St., Government Center Bldg., Media, PA 19063
      • Drop Box or satellite Election Bureau offices. Delaware County has 49 drop boxes, most of them at municipal offices. You may use any. 
  • Voters can find important election dates on our website and the 2022 election calendar and more election-related information at vote.pa.gov.
League to which this content belongs: 
Delaware County ILO