Secretary of State Encourages Pennsylvanians To Register To Vote By October 5th Deadline

Harrisburg, PA – Secretary of State Pedro A. Cortés today encouraged Pennsylvanians to register to vote by the Monday, October 5^th deadline and reminded citizens of their ability to register online using the state’s new online voter registration system.
Eligible citizens must be registered by Monday, October 5^th, to vote in the election.
“Voting is one of our most fundamental rights, and registering is the first step,” Cortés said.  “Fortunately, the new online system makes registration more convenient, secure and accessible than ever before.”
The online system, which can also be used to make changes to existing registrations, can be found at register.votesPA.com.
On November 3^rd, voters will cast ballots to elect candidates for local and county offices, as well as seats on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Superior Court and Commonwealth Court.
Individuals wishing to register to vote for the Nov. 3 election must be:
• A citizen of the United States for at least one month before the election.
• A resident of Pennsylvania and the election district in which the individual desires to   register and vote for at least 30 days before the election.
• At least 18 years of age on or before the election.
Eligible voters also can register by mail or apply in person at a county voter registration office; county assistance offices; Women, Infants & Children (WIC) program offices; PennDOT photo and driver’s license centers; Armed Forces recruitment centers; 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; and Americans with Disabilities Act-mandated complementary paratransit providers.
Applications for new registration, change of address or change in party affiliation must be received in county voter registration offices or postmarked by October 5th.  New applicants using the online system who do not have a signature on file with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation are encouraged to submit their applications before October 5th to allow time for sending their signature to the counties by the deadline.
Electors who do not receive confirmation of their application within 14 days of submission should contact the voter registration office in their county.
The Department of State’s website www.VotesPA.com offers printable voter registration applications, a polling place locator and county boards of elections contact information.  It also includes tips for first-time voters and members of the military.  In addition, voters can familiarize themselves with the voting system they will use in their home county on Election Day.  A Spanish version of the site is also available by clicking on the language selector at the top of each page.
For more information on voter registration, call the Department of State’s toll-free hotline at 1-877-VOTESPA (1-877-868-3772) or visit www.votesPA.com.