How to register to vote in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania - League of Women Voters of Greater Pittsburgh

Check Voter Registration STATUS This is the most useful link for voters. All your voter information, including your voter "status" will be listed at the PA Department of State website. Only voters with "active" voter registration status can vote.

I am a REGISTERED VOTER and my status is listed as "ACTIVE":
You have registered to vote, on or before the voter registration deadline and your voter status is "active". You will find your date of birth, political party (if you listed one when your registered to vote), mail-in voting information, your US Congressional, State Senate, and State House Districts,and most important, your polling place address along with municipality, ward and precinct.

I am listed as "INACTIVE". You have to use it so you don't lose it! This simply means you have registered in the past, but haven't voted in recent elections.
There are two easy ways to change your "inactive" status to "active".

You can go to your polling place on election day and sign a form that changes your status to "active". You will be given a regular ballot
and then may cast your vote.

Or, you can register to vote, online or with a downloaded application, on or before the voter registration deadline for the next election (below).

I am NOT LISTED. If you are not listed, it means your County Election Office does not have a record that you registered to vote. You need to register to vote, online or with a downloaded application, on or before the voter registration deadline for the next election (below).

Voting Tip: Your Voter Registration ID Card wil also list all of your voter information and can be used at your Polling Place as approved ID. Your County Election Office can replace your card if you have lost it.

Am I ELIGIBLE to Vote? Qualifications

Qualifications to Register

To register to vote in Pennsylvania, EVERY individual:

Must be a US Citizen for at least 30 days prior to the next election,

Must be 18 years old on or by the next election day,

Must be a PA resident for 30 days prior to the next election, and

Must have a PennDOT ID, a PA Driver's License, OR the last four digits of a Social Security number.

NEW "Automatic" Voter Registration in PA (Department of Transportation)

NEW Way to Register to Vote

In 1993, Congress passed the National Voter Registration Act ("Motor Voter Act"). This act required states to provide the option to register to vote when individuals applied for or updated a driver's license or PennDOT ID. Pennsylvania citizens were able to "opt in" to voter registration during this process.

September 2023: Governor Shapiro announced that PA citizens who are applying for new or renewed driver's licenses and PennDOT ID cards will be routed to screens to register to vote, unless they opt out.

VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATIONS

ONLINE Voter Registration

Click here for Online Register online using your PA Drivers License or PennDOT ID number or your Social Security #, with an uploaded signature.

Instructions for Online Registration See this short LWVPGH Instruction VIDEO (right) with tips for completing the form.

While it is not required to register, you can find your municipality here.

If not in Allegheny County, find your County Election Office here.

PA ONLINE Voter Registration Instructions

https://youtu.be/5DwxjZevuUE?feature=shared

PRINTED Voter Registration Application to Download

Click here for Printed Download a printed, paper application or call 412-350-4500 to have a printed application mailed to you.

INSTRUCTIONS for Downloaded Voter Registration & Mail-in Ballot App Instructions for the new 2-page printed application (right). The old 1-page application will continue to be accepted.

Send or take your completed voter registration application to: Allegheny County Elections Office, 542 Forbes Ave., Suite 312, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Phone: 412-350-4500

While it is not required to register, you can find your municipality here.

If not in Allegheny County, find your County Election Office here.

Instructions for Printed Application
https://www.lwvpgh.org/docs.ashx?id=1032599

VOTER REGISTRATION VIDEOS

Why Vote?

How to REGISTER to VOTE in PA

For Out-of-State Students

UPDATING your Voter Registration

UPDATE Voter Registration:
Address Change or
Name Change

moving truck blue on white
UPDATE your address and look for a new Voter ID card in the mail after reading the information, below.

Rules for voters who have moved:

moved within PA less than 30 days before an election: Must go to your old polling place; vote there and update your registration in person or online following the election. You may also vote with a mail-in ballot. The ballot can be mailed to your new address, although it will reflect the races in your old precinct.

moved within PA more than 30 days before an election, but didn't update your registration. You can vote at your old polling place in the next scheduled election--Primary or General. If you vote in person at your old polling place, election officials can help you update your address while you are at the polling place, or update your registration yourself following the election.

moved within PA more than 30 days before an election and still have time to update your registration. Do it!

moved to PA; must be a PA resident at least 30 days to be eligible to vote. Register to vote in PA (above) before the voter registration deadline.

moved to a new state: cannot vote in PA. Cancel your PA registration and register to vote in your new state.

Voting After a Move Video

Address Change or
Name Change (Cont.)

On both the printed and online form, select the ‘Reason”in box #3 that says, 'Change of ADDRESS',
· Printed form--write your new address in #5 and your previous address in #9.
· Online form-- in #10, complete the lines that light up with a red line.

If you change your name, for example after marriage or divorce, you must update your voter registration.
On both the printed and online form, select the ‘Reason’ in box #3 that says, 'Change of NAME.'
Printed form--write your new name in #1 and your previous name in #9.
Online form-- in #10, complete the lines that light up with a red line.
Bring ID with new name to polling place.

Updating_Your_Voter_Registration_7.21.24.png

Updating Your Voter Registration 2024

UPDATE Voter Registration:
Change Political
Party

Update Voter Registration if you want to change your PARTY AFFILIATION, you can change it at any time.

On both the printed and online form select the ‘Reason' in box #3 that says, 'Change of Party.' You will check the box in #8 with your new party or complete the ‘Other’ line.

VOTING TIP: In order to vote in Pennsylvania's "Closed" Primaries", you must be registered in one of the two major political parties, either Democratic or Republican. See the graphic and chart to the right to learn more about "Closed Primaries" and increase your voting power! See below to figure out if joining a political party is for you.

Accordion Widget

Join a Political Party, or Not?

Having trouble figuring out if you want to join a political party (and be able to vote in PA's Closed Primaries)?

Need help figuring out which political party you wish to belong to when you register to vote? Not sure if you're a Democrat, Republican, or other?

Take the Pew Political party typology quiz here.

In Pennsylvania, there are only two major political parties-- Democratic and Republican-- and only candidates from those two political parties appear on the ballots in PA's Closed Primaries. In other words, in PA's Closed Primaries, Democrats vote for Democrats and Republicans vote for Republicans on different Primary ballots.

However, any voter may vote, even in a Primary, if there is a ballot question, constitutional amendment, or a special election. In a Primary, there will be a special ballot for these unaffiliated voters. The winners of the Primaries then appear on the fall General Election ballot (which is the same for all voters).

In addition to the Democratic and Republican candidates on the General Election ballot, there may be candidates from the minor parties (Green and Libertarian), or from"political bodies" (like the new Keystone and Forward parties) whose candidates may appear only on a General Election ballot. There is no "Independent" party recognized in PA.

Remember, ANY registered voter may vote for ANY candidate in ANY party on a General election ballot!

CHANGES in your IDENTIFICATION

Accordion Widget

You want to change your name via a Court Order.

You must file a formal request with your county’s Court of Common Pleas to change your name in Pennsylvania. Some counties require name change applicants to use the forms provided by their county’s court, so check with your local court clerk or Prothonotary’s office to make sure you’re following the proper filing procedures.

You will be required to publish notice of the court hearing for the name change in two newspapers for a specific period of time. This requirement can be waived (and court records sealed) for your safety.

If the court approves your name change, you will receive a court order that can be used to update the name on your ID documents.

Accordion Widget

Updating Gender Marker on Birth Certificate

Submit a request to Pennsylvania’s Division of Vital Records to amend your birth certificate.

You will need to provide a physician’s statement (on letterhead) confirming that you have received “appropriate” medical care for your gender transition.

To apply for an updated Pennsylvania birth certificate, you will need to provide:

Notarized birth certificate correction form (PDF)
Letter from the attending physician who is providing the appropriate clinical treatment for your gender transition (Example PDF)
Copy of current government-issued photo ID or two current documents that verify your name and current address
Payment of applicable fee(s)

Note: You must update your birth certificate with the state where you were born.

Accordion Widget

Update Gender Marker on License or State ID

Pennsylvania allows residents to mark M, F, or X on their state-issued ID. No medical certification is required.

To update the gender marker on your state-issued ID, visit a Pennsylvania Driver License Center and submit:

Completed Request for Gender Change form (PDF)
Application for ID (PDF)
Certified copy of name-change court order if applicable

UPDATE Voter Registration
Student Moving to PA or
Living Away from Home

Accordion Widget

I want to vote in my HOME district

PA law allows eligible students living away from home to choose either their home address or their new address when registering to vote.

Choice #1: I want to vote at my HOME polling place.

This is easy. Just make sure you use your home address when you register to vote and that you are home to vote at your polling place on Election Day.

Graphic below.

Accordion Widget

I want to vote with a MAIL-IN ballot

Choice #2: I am not going home, but I want to vote for candidates from my HOME district. (This is especially important for Municipal Elections.)

Use your home address when you register to vote.
Apply for a Mail-in Ballot online at vote.pa.gov or at your state's voter registration portal.
When you receive your Mail-in ballot, immediately follow the directions to complete and return it to the address provided.

Graphic below.

Accordion Widget

I want to vote at my CURRENT ADDRESS

Choice #3: I want to vote where I CURRENTLY live (receive my mail) in Pennsylvania.

Register to vote in PA before the deadline at vote.pa.gov or at your state's voter registration portal.
If you are already registered to vote, update your voter registration with your current address on or before the deadline (at least 15 days before the election).Y
You should also cancel your previous voter registration or at your home state's voter registration portal.

Graphic below.

Accordion Widget

For OUT-of-STATE students

Out-of-State graphic below.

graphic describes 3 choices for students to register to vote

3 Choices for Students

https://www.lwvpgh.org/docs.ashx?id=1018389

graphic explains voter registration for out-of-state students

Out-of-State Students
https://www.lwvpgh.org/docs.ashx?id=1018390

Handling Challenges at Your Polling Place

RULE #1: Eligible voters have the right to cast either a regular or a Provisional Ballot in their polling places.
RULE #2:  A correctly cast Provisional Ballot by an eligible voter will count just like a regular ballot.
RULE #3: Within seven days after the election, the Elections Division will verify whether the voter casting a Provisional Ballot was eligible and the vote was counted.

VOTING TIP:  If the poll book information does not match what you believe to be true (for instance, you are a registered voter, you are in the right precinct, or you are registered for a certain party), you may ask the Judge of Elections to check the supplemental list and/or call the Elections Office.

If your information is still challenged, request and cast a Provisional Ballot . Your provisional vote will be counted once your new registration information is confirmed. If you vote with a Provisional Ballot but are not voting in your correct precinct, only the votes for candidates who were also on your ballot in your own precinct will be counted.

There are many situations where a voter may cast a Provisional Ballot to be verified following the Election. See the explainer (right) and the In-Person Votingweb page, for more.

Provisional_Ballot_Explainer-_Guide_for_Voters-_2024.png

Provisional Ballots- Guide for Voters

Voter Registration & Accessibility

ACCESSIBLE VOTING
for Voters with a Disability
and Voters Over 65

ACCESSIBLE VOTING See this vote.pa.gov web page for the details about registering to vote, voting with an absentee ballot, voting with an alternative ballot, or voting with a permanent absentee ballot.

Questions? Call your County Election Office . In Allegheny County, call 412-350-4500.

VOTING TIP: Every polling place in PA must have at least one accessible voting system. Sometimes it can be used by all voters but other times it may be a separate system.

See Voting System Demos and Disability Pride PA for more.

Help for NON-ENGLISH SPEAKERS

This website has a Google Translate "Select Language" Menu in the upper right of every page.
Recursos para votantes. en Espanol webpage aqui.

See vote.pa.gov- Espanol .

Updated 2023 Language Access Guidelines from PA Department of State.

Problems? See About Language Minority Voting Rights (justice.gov) .

Can You Register and Vote?
for Reentering and
Incarcerated Citizens

Find all the information you need at "Voting Rights for Incarcerated and Reentering Citizens" web page here.

You Can Vote with a Criminal History

https://youtu.be/yTVTPDXAopE?feature=shared

Voter Registration ID CARD

About 3 weeks after you register to vote for the first time, or if you update your information, you should receive your VOTER ID Registration Card from your County Election Office. It will be delivered by mail in an envelope marked "Official Election Mail":

Your Voter Registration ID card will include your Voter ID number, name, address, municipality, ward, and precinct, DOB, political party affiliation, if any, and your polling place address.

VOTING TIP: You may use it as a form of approved ID the first-time you vote in a polling place.

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