Primary elections in Pennsylvania are on Tuesday, June 2nd. COVID-19 makes this election unique and there a number of new regulations voters should watch out for. Below we provide answers to these questions.
First things first. Who are we voting for on June 2nd? What are the primaries?
As the great folks at Committee of Seventy summarize, registered voters will be casting votes for the following offices:
- President of the United States
- All 18 PA seats in the U.S. House of Representatives
- All 203 seats in the PA House of Representatives
- Odd-numbered districts in the 50-seat PA Senate
- Attorney General, Auditor General, and Treasurer of Pennsylvania
* There are also two ballot questions on the ballot in Philadelphia. To vote for above offices you need to be a registered Democrat or Republican but everyone, unaffiliated and third party voters included, can cast votes for the ballot questions.
How can I learn who are the people running in my area? Who should I vote for?
You can find the candidates and examine their platforms via Committee of Seventy. Enter your email and address and it will bring up candidates from both parties.
Can I vote in person on Tuesday, June 2?
Yes. But be mindful that there will be fewer number of polling stations and likely long lines. Be sure to social-distance as well. Learn more about your polling station at PA Voter Services.
I applied for a mail-in-ballot but I am not sure if I can mail it back on time. Do I have an alternative?
Yes. There are drop-off locations in multiple counties.
UPDATE: In 6 counties [Allegheny (Pittsburgh), Dauphin (Harrisburg), Delaware, Erie, Montgomery, and Philadelphia] there is a new deadline for mail-in-ballots to be received by election offices – June 9, by 5pm. The mailed ballots in these counties should be postmarked no later than June 2, 2020. For those planning hand-deliveries to drop off locations, the deadline remains 8pm on June 2, 2020.
I am not sure how best to complete the mail-in-ballot. Can you help?
Sure. Pennsylvania Department of State produced a great video explaining how to complete and return a mail-in-ballot.
For multi-lingual help including French, Arabic, Urdu, Hindi, Bangla and Bahasa, see the great resource from our friends over at All Voting is Local.
If you are looking for a resource in Somali, watch our webinar with PACRI.
Watch our webinar with AVIL and Emgage on Voting in the Age of Covid in PA.
If I need help, where can I turn?
- English: 866-OUR-VOTE (Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law)
- Arabic/English: 844-YALLA-US (Arab American Institute (AAI))
- Spanish/English: 888-VE-Y-VOTA (NALEO Educational Fund)
- Asian Languages/English: 888-API-VOTE (APIAVote & Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC))
Report discrimination: pa.cair.com/report/
For further questions, email: atekelioglu@cair.com
