Victory for Mail-In Ballots
In a triumph for PA voters, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania upheld the constitutionality of no-excuse mail-in voting yesterday. Read the full decision here. The Court ruled that Act 77, the bipartisan legislation that brought "no-excuse" absentee voting to Pennsylvania, is constitutional and will apply to voters this election season. This decision allows eligible Pennsylvanians to vote by mail-in ballot in the November 8th general election.
The League has worked tirelessly in support of this decision by filing an amicus brief in February in support of Act 77 and are proud of our judicial process in defending the democratic process for Pennsylvania voters.
We believe that ALL Pennsylvania voters, no matter their party, should be able to cast a no-excuse mail ballot. Voting by mail is convenient and secure and has resulted in an incredible boost in voter turnout in Pennsylvania in recent elections. Voter data indicates that 168,680 registered voters in Pennsylvania did not vote by any method in any primary or general election from 2016 through 2019, yet they voted by mail in the 2020 Presidential Election. These voters did not vote until they were able to vote by mail.
If we want high quality elections, we need to ensure that we maintain a modernized system for voting, which includes individual freedom and convenience, and the appropriate systems. The PA Supreme Court’s decision affirms this vital principle. Important Deadlines for Mail-in Voting:
To vote by mail, you must be registered to vote by the PA voter registration deadline, Oct 24, 2022. Register to vote here.
If you’re planning to vote by mail and are registered, you have until 5 p.m. on November 1st, 2022, to request a mail-in ballot. The League encourages voters to request a mail-in ballot as early as possible to avoid possible delays.
Your completed ballot must be received by your local county election office by 8 p.m. on Election Day. There are two ways to return your ballot:
Mail your ballot: Using the return envelope supplied with your ballot, make sure you use the proper postage (if needed) and that it arrives to your county election board by 8 pm on election day. Postmarks do not count. If your ballot is not received by the county election board by 8 pm on election day, it will not be counted.
You can hand-deliver your ballot before 8 pm on election day to your:
Some counties are providing drop-boxes for mail ballots.
Voters can find important election dates on our website and the 2022 election calendar and more election-related information at vote.pa.gov.
Thank you for your continued support of our mission to empower voters and defend democracy. Please consider donating to the League today to help make voting safe and secure for all Pennsylvanians.