Show All Answers

1. How do I check my voter registration status?

You can check your voter registration status at pavoterservices.pa.gov. Be sure to enter your name exactly as it appears when you originally registered to vote or the system may not be able to locate your record. If you are unable to locate your voter registration status, call us at 610-344-6410.

If you are not already registered, you can register at pavoterservices.pa.gov.

2. How do I register to vote?

You can apply online or download and complete the application.

3. My mail-in ballot application was declined because it was a duplicate. What does that mean?

It means that we have already received your application. If you apply again, it will be considered a “duplicate” and rejected. This does not cancel your previous application.  

We strongly recommend that you check your status before submitting a second application. 

There are a few different statuses that can appear:

1. No Record: This means that you haven’t applied yet or that we have not processed your application. Please allow 10-14 business days from the time you submit your application for processing. If you provided your email address on the application, you will receive an email indicating that your application was processed. 
2. Pending: This means that your application was received and approved, but that your ballot has not been mailed yet. We will begin mailing ballots in late September. 
3. Processed: This means that your application was received and approved, and your ballot has been mailed.
4. Vote Recorded: This means that we received your ballot and have recorded your vote. 

The PA State system only recognizes an email address once, so if you and another member of your household provided the same email address you will only receive an email for one ballot.

4. I do not want to return my completed mail-in ballot via US postal mail. What are my options?

Concerns regarding exposed Signature
If you do not want to return your paper ballot because your signature is exposed on the outer envelope, or you are not comfortable sending through the mail, you can send the sealed ballot unfolded in a larger envelope addressed to our office (see address below). However, you have to pay for postage for the envelope. There is also a small chance that your ballot will not be processed in time because our staff will be focused on looking for the original ballot envelopes.

Chester County Voter Services
601 Westtown Rd, Suite 150
West Chester, PA 19380

Drop-off Locations
You can drop off your completed ballot.at a drop box or send via FedEx, UPS or other courier service. You must use the two envelopes that are sent along with the ballot - the inner secrecy envelope, and the outer envelope that you must sign. The envelope should be addressed to: 

Chester County Voter Services
601 Westtown Rd, Suite 150
West Chester, PA 19380

Please be sure to complete ALL required information.

5. What is a "naked ballot"?

Naked ballots are mail-in ballots that arrive at an election office without inner “secrecy envelopes.”

In Pennsylvania, a completed mail-in ballot gets put into a “secrecy envelope” that has no identifying information. That envelope then goes into a larger mailing envelope signed by the voter.

6. How do I check the status of my mail-in ballot?

You can check the status online at votespa.com/mailballotstatus. Statuses are as follows:

1. No Record: This means that you haven’t applied yet or that we have not processed your application. Please allow 10-14 business days from the time you submit your application for processing. If you provided your email address on the application, you will receive an email indicating that your application was processed. 
2. Pending: This means that your application was received and approved, but that your ballot has not been mailed yet. 
3. Processed: This means that your application was received and approved, and your ballot has been mailed.
4. Vote Recorded: This means that we received your ballot and have recorded your vote. 

The PA State system only recognizes an email address once, so if you and another member of your household provided the same email address you will only receive an email for one ballot.

7. Can I drop off a family member’s ballot?

No. Similar to voting in person, you are only able to cast your own vote. You cannot collect, drop off or deliver ballots for other people. 

ONLY EXCEPTION: If a voter has a disability or is voting by emergency absentee ballot, the voter may have someone deliver their ballot only if both parties have signed an official written authorization. This written authorization form needs to be fully completed and secured to the ballot envelope before it is dropped into the box.

8. What do I do if my mail-in ballot is damaged? Do I need to return the damaged ballot?

You can return the ballot, the secrecy envelope, and the outer declaration envelope to the Voter Services office during regular business hours. Our staff will be able to assist you in replacing your damaged ballot. 

On Election Day

Option 1 - Take your ballot, secrecy envelope and the outer declaration envelop to your polling place on election day. The poll worker at your designated polling location will be able to void if for you; enabling you to vote in person.

Option 2 - If you do not return the balloting materials to either Voter Services or to your polling place, you are only able to vote with a provisional ballot.

9. Can I vote in person after requesting a ballot?

If you change your mind and want to vote in person after being approved for a mail in ballot you can bring your ballot and the envelopes to the polls with you. You will need to give your ballot and envelopes to a poll worker at your designated polling location and they will void it for you; enabling you to vote in person. The poll workers will have access to look up mail-in ballot requests, so if you forget to bring your mail-in ballot & envelopes with you, you will be given a provisional ballot to complete at your polling location. This ballot will only be counted once we verify that your mail-in ballot has not been received by the Election Board. 

10. How can I verify my polling place?

Find your polling place on our Polling Location Interactive Map.

11. How can I become a poll worker?

  

Poll Worker Information

12. How can I view a sample ballot for the upcoming election?

Sample ballots are available prior to each election on our website

13. As a first-time voter, do I need to bring proof of identification to the polls?

Yes. When voting at a polling place for the first time, you must show proof of identification. 

Approved forms of photo identification include:

• Pennsylvania driver’s license or PennDOT ID card
• ID issued by any Commonwealth agency
• ID issued by the U.S. Government
• U.S. passport
• U.S. Armed Forces ID
• Student ID
• Employee ID

First Time Voters Information

14. What is the minimum age to volunteer to work at the polls?

The minimum age to be a poll worker is 17.  Poll workers that are 17 years of age are directly supervised and typically have a more limited role.

Student Poll Worker Information