Dates and Deadlines
General Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2020.
- You must register to vote by Monday, October 19, 2020.
You can register online at www.votespa.com.
The deadline to request an absentee or mail-in ballot is Tuesday, October 27, 2020.
About the General Election
General elections are always held on the first Tuesday in November.
In a general election, we vote for federal, state, and local officials, including:
- The U.S. president (elected every 4 years)
- U.S. senators and U.S. representatives to Congress
- Pennsylvania governor, lieutenant governor, general assembly, attorney general, auditor general, state treasurer
- County and city officials (only elected in odd-numbered years)
- Judges and magisterial district judges (only elected in odd-numbered years)
Who Can Vote
All voters must be U.S. citizens, be at least 18 years old on Election Day, and have been a resident of Pennsylvania for at least 30 days before the election.
What are my voting options during the pandemic?
- You can vote in person. Check your polling place ahead of time as many polling places might move due to COVID-19.
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You can vote by mail-in or absentee ballot. Avoid COVID-19 risks by applying for a vote-by-mail ballot by October 27, 2020. To avoid delays, we recommend applying as early as possible for your ballot and that you mail your ballot back at least a week before election day.
Click here to apply. - If you applied but don’t receive your mail-in ballot on time, you have the right to vote in person with a provisional ballot.
*COVID-19 has placed us in uncertain times. Some deadlines and election details are subject to change. Continue to check this page and/or votespa.com for the latest information.
What if I have a criminal conviction?
You can vote with a criminal conviction on your record in Pennsylvania if you:
- Are in jail or prison convicted of misdemeanors (must vote with an absentee ballot)
- Are under house arrest (must vote with an absentee ballot)
- Are on probation or on parole
- Are on parole or probation and living in a halfway house or community corrections center (must vote with an absentee ballot and cannot use the address of the halfway house as their registration address. Must use previous or future address.)
- Are being held in jail while you are waiting to go to trial (must vote with an absentee ballot)
You cannot vote if:
- You are in prison or jail because of a felony conviction and won’t be released before the election.
- You have been convicted of violating Pennsylvania election laws within the past four years.
Click here for more information about voting with a criminal conviction.
What if I'm transgender?
Being transgender could mean that you have an ID that doesn't match your gender identity or presentation, but this should not affect your right to vote in Pennsylvania. Still, if you are trans you should be aware of your rights in case you run into bias or misunderstandings of the law when it comes to gender identity.
Knowing your rights can help avoid or solve problems at the polls.
- Only voters who are voting for the first time in their election district need to show ID. Acceptable ID includes both photo and nonphoto ID. If you have an ID that does not match your gender identity, you can use a non-photo form of ID that has your address on it.
- Acceptable forms of non-photo ID include: voter registration card, non-photo ID issued by the commonwealth, non-photo ID issued by the U.S. government, firearm permit, current utility bill, current bank statement, current paycheck, or government check.
- If you are not voting for the first time, but you're worried about being questioned, you can bring a non-photo form of ID just in case.
- Call the election protection hotline if you experience problems: 866-OUR-VOTE.
Call 866-OUR-VOTE to report problems that you witness or experience while voting.
View our PDF for FAQ about your voting rights.
