YORK COUNTY, Pa. — Voters in Pennsylvania will head to the polls for the primary elections Tuesday, including for some contested local races that could have an impact on the November general elections.
In York County, President Commissioner Julie Wheeler and her staff are prepared and they want voters to be too.
"We are staffed. We are ready to go," Wheeler said. "Everybody that wants to vote has the opportunity to do so."
Polling places across the state open at 7 a.m. and will close at 8 p.m. However that's not the only place people can cast a vote.
MAIL-IN AND ABSENTEE
Just shy of 27,000 people in York County requested either a mail-in or absentee ballot for Tuesday's primary. These are ballots that allow people who are away from home or unable to get to the polls the ability to vote.
Roughly 9,000 York County voters have not returned them yet, according to Wheeler. Anyone who requested to vote in that matter will have to show up in person and will have one of two options.
Voters can drop their absentee or mail-in ballot off at a designated location.
"If you do that, please make sure your ballot is in the secrecy envelope," Wheeler said. "Then please make sure you sign it and put the date on that you executed your ballot."
Your other option is to bring the entire packet of materials to your polling location, sequester it, sign a form, and vote as normal.
PROVISIONAL BALLOT
There’s also the case of the provisional ballot, for people who believe they are registered or could not vote absentee. This records your vote while the county board of elections determines whether it can be counted.
"Let's say I lose my ballot and I go and I vote provisionally," Wheeler said. "They'll check to ensure I didn't vote by mail, and then that provisional ballot will be cast.”
There are a number of reasons voters would cast a provisional ballot. According to the Pennsylvania Department of State, that can include:
- Your name was not in the poll book or supplemental poll book.
- For example, you reported to the wrong precinct; or
- You did not report a recent change in residence to the county election office.
- You are required to show ID, but cannot show ID.
- Your eligibility was challenged by an election official.
- You were issued but did not successfully vote an absentee or mail‐in ballot and you do not surrender your ballot at the polling place to be spoiled.
- You returned a completed absentee or mail‐in ballot that was rejected by the county board of elections and you believe you are eligible to vote.
- There is a special court order with respect to your registration status.
- There is a special court order related to extending the hours of voting.
- You believe that you are registered with a political party, but your voter record indicates otherwise (for primary elections only).
Wheeler says those types of ballots have been on the decline since their peak during the 2020 general election and the COVID-19 pandemic.
"When mail-in ballots first came into fruition [in] 2020 we saw a lot of provisionals in part because the mail system was inundated with ballots," she said.
EMERGENCY BALLOT
In urgent situations, you have the option to call and request an emergency ballot.
Wheeler called these ballots a "last resort" for when you or a loved one gets sick, or are in a situation like a hospital or nursing home, and cannot physically make it to the ballot box.
"We have an order from the court system that will allow us to get that ballot, generate that ballot and have a sheriff's deputy take it to the voter and have them vote," She said.
York County has only a couple of these types of ballots cast, if any, during an election. The county does have a working partnership with UPMC and WellSpan to ensure hospital patients can vote if they choose.
PA PRIMARY RULES
While Wheeler says everyone who wants to cast a vote has the opportunity to, that's not quite the case for the Commonwealth's primaries.
State officials are reminding people that Pennsylvania’s primaries are closed.
"Only voters registered Republican or Democrat will be able to vote for nominees to represent their party in the November 5 general election," Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt said in a video PSA. "However, all voters are eligible to vote on constitutional amendments and ballot questions."
This year, there are no statewide questions, amendments, or ballot issues. Voters are encouraged to check their county website to see if there are any locally.
GETTING THE RESULTS
Given all their preparation, Wheeler believes they will have York County’s results on election day.
"Any ballot that has come in via the mail, or anyone that votes in person on election day, we stay here and work until that work is done," she said.
County offices across Pennsylvania will still have to wait on military and overseas ballots.
In addition, York County has an emergency preparedness plan that was developed in collaboration with emergency management, the District Attorney's Office, the Sheriff's Department, and the Elections Department.
"Let's say we get a cyber attack, we're prepared to handle that. Let's say we lose power, we're prepared to handle that," Wheeler said. "So we've got plans in place."