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The 2021 Pennsylvania election is here, and Spotlight PA wants to make sure you have everything you need to vote, starting with when polls open in the state and how to find your polling location. Here’s answers to our most frequently asked questions:
When do polls open in Pa.? 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. *If you’re in line by 8 p.m., you can vote.
Where do I vote? Confirm your polling location here.
Am I registered to vote? Check here.
Do I need a photo ID? Only if you’re voting at a polling place for the first time.
What about my mail ballot? The county elections office needs to receive it by 8 p.m. on Election Day (aka Tuesday, Nov. 2). The postmark doesn’t count! If you haven’t already mailed it, you need to drop it off in person at your county elections office. Find the location here.
Are drop-boxes available? Yes, but availability depends on location. Philadelphia, for example, has more than a dozen. Allegheny County has just one. Find a definitive list here.
What’s a “naked” ballot? Mail ballots come with two envelopes. A “naked” mail ballot is missing its inner secrecy envelope and won’t be counted under Pennsylvania law. Follow these instructions carefully.
Can I check the status of my mail ballot once it’s submitted? Indeed. Just enter your name, date of birth, and county at the Department of State’s “Election Ballot Status” page here.
What else should I know? Check Spotlight PA’s last-minute election guide for more.
Other recommended reading from Spotlight PA:
Powerful special interests are pouring millions into the 2021 Pa. Supreme Court race
See the top donors in this year’s hotly contested 2021 Pa. Supreme Court election
A full guide to Pennsylvania’s 2021 Supreme Court election and other appellate judicial races
A basic guide to vetting your local candidates in Pennsylvania’s 2021 school board elections
Pa. election 2021: Polling places, mail ballot details, and more things to know about Nov. 2
WHILE YOU’RE HERE… If you learned something from this story, pay it forward and become a member of Spotlight PA so someone else can in the future at spotlightpa.org/donate. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results.