Voters Reminded of Deadline to Register to Vote in Primary

HARRISBURG, Pa. – On Tuesday, March 26, Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt reminded eligible Pennsylvanians that the April 8 deadline to register to vote in the April 23 primary is only two weeks away.

“Voting is the most fundamental way to participate in our democracy,” Schmidt said. “But first, you have to be registered to vote. I urge every eligible Pennsylvanian who isn’t yet registered to do so by April 8.”

Pennsylvanians are encouraged to use the online voter registration site, which is fast and convenient. In addition to applying for a new registration at that site, current registered voters can update their name, address, or party affiliation, if desired.

To be eligible to vote in the April 23 primary, an individual must be:

• A citizen of the United States for at least one month before the primary;
• A resident of the election district in which the person plans to register for at least 30 days before the primary, and;
• At least 18 years of age on or before the date of the primary.

Once an eligible Pennsylvanian has registered, they have two options to cast their ballot: in person at their assigned polling place on Election Day; or by requesting, completing, and returning a mail ballot.

“Regardless of whether your vote is cast in person or via mail ballot, I encourage all registered Pennsylvania voters to make their voices heard in this primary election,” Schmidt said.

Voters who wish to vote by mail ballot must apply by 5 p.m. April 16. The deadline for county boards of elections to receive completed mail ballots is 8 p.m. April 23.

Voters who prefer to vote in person on primary day can find their polling place on vote.pa.gov.

Pennsylvania holds a closed primary, meaning that only voters registered as Democrats or Republicans can select nominees on April 23 to represent their party in the Nov. 5 general election. Voters will have the opportunity to vote for their parties’ nominees in the following races:

• President of the United States
• United States Senator
• Attorney General
• Auditor General
• State Treasurer
• Representative in Congress
• Senator in the General Assembly (odd-numbered districts)
• Representative in the General Assembly
• *Delegate to the National Convention (Democratic and Republican)
• *Alternate Delegate to the National Convention (Republican)

*Delegates and Alternate Delegates are elected in the Primary. They will not appear on the November ballot.

The department’s candidate database shows the names of all candidates in those races.

Additional voter registration resources

In addition to registering online, eligible Pennsylvanians can apply to register in person at the following locations:

• their county voter registration office,
• county assistance offices,
• Women, Infants & Children (WIC) program offices,
• Armed Forces recruitment centers,
• the county clerk of orphans’ courts or marriage license offices,
• area agencies on aging,
• county mental health and intellectual disabilities offices,
• student disability services offices of the State System of Higher Education,
• offices of special education in high schools,
• Americans with Disabilities Act-mandated complementary paratransit providers, and
• Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) photo and driver license centers.

In September, the Shapiro Administration launched automatic voter registration as part of its continued commitment to ensuring free, fair, and secure elections. All Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) photo and driver license centers offer automatic voter registration, which provides eligible Pennsylvanians with an integrated method for applying to register to vote or update their registration when they obtain a new driver’s license or ID card or renew their existing identification.

For more voter education information, go to the Department’s website, vote.pa.gov, which is available in English, Spanish, and Chinese.