Vote By Mail

Yes! There are many advantages to voting by mail:

• Voting by mail provides the most options for you to return your ballot!
• Skip the lines and crowds on Election Day!
• Mark your ballot in the safety, comfort, and privacy of your own home!
• Vote on your time-No need to wait for Election day to return your ballot!
• Take the time you need to make thoughtful decisions!
• No need to worry that a change in plans will stop you from voting on Election Day!
• By checking the box to join the Annual Mail-In Request, you can sign up one time each year and automatically receive Mail-In Ballots for every election that year

Not at all! These are the steps:

1. Request your Mail-In Ballot through the online application 
   • If you prefer, you can also print the application and mail it or return it in person to the Board of Elections. Online is easier and can save up to ten days.
   • If you choose to request online and provide your email to the PA Dept of State, you should
     receive email confirmation that your application has been received within a few days.
   • Ballots are allowed to be sent out 50 days prior to elections but actual mail dates will vary. Once you’ve requested your ballot you can track the status of your application and when your ballot is on its way
2. Fill out your Mail-in Ballot once it arrives in the mail
   • Ballots will be sent out by the Board of Elections 3-4 weeks before the election
3. Return your Mail-In Ballot as soon as you’ve filled it out in-person or by mail:

   Bucks County Board of Elections
   55 E. Court St.
   Doylestown, PA 18901
   215-348-6154, elections@buckscounty.org.

• • Once you’ve returned your ballot you can track the ballot and see when the Board of Elections receives it

Request Your Ballot Now and Return Your Ballot Immediately.

The number one reason Mail-In Ballots aren’t cast or counted is because they were misplaced or sent back too late, so make a plan to return it as soon as you fill it out. You can always hand-deliver your ballot to the Board of Elections during normal business hours up to and election day.

The deadline to request your Mail-In Ballot is 5:00PM on the Tuesday before the election 

The deadline to return your completed Mail-In Ballot is 8:00PM on Election Day.

The deadlines refer to when the Board of Elections must receive the mailed request and/or the Mail-In Ballot NOT when they are postmarked.

Yes! You can bring your ballot directly to the Board of Elections during normal business hours any day up to and including Election Day. 

Board of Elections Locations:

• Middle Bucks: 55 E. Court St, Doylestown, PA 18901 | 215-348-6154
• Lower Bucks: 7321 New Falls Rd, Levittown, PA 19055 | 267-580-3500
• Upper Bucks: 261 California Rd, Quakertown, PA 18951 | 215-529-7250

Yes!

First, you can always hand-deliver your ballot early to the Board of Elections any day including Election Day, during normal operating hours (M-F 8-4:30pm):

• Middle Bucks: 55 E. Court St, Doylestown, PA 18901 | 215-348-6154
• Lower Bucks: 7321 New Falls Rd, Levittown, PA 19055 | 267-580-3500
• Upper Bucks: 261 California Rd, Quakertown, PA 18951 | 215-529-7250

Voters can only deliver their own ballot. The Board of Elections will not accept ballots delivered on behalf of family, friends or neighbors.

You also have the option to bring your Mail-In Ballot to your polling place to vote in person on Election Day. If you have your ballot and both envelope, the Judge of Elections will void your Mail-in Ballot and you will be allowed to vote using the machine at the polling place. You will need to bring BOTH envelopes with you that come with the Mail-In Ballot.

If you lost, never received, or do not have both envelopes that came with your Mail-In Ballot, you can still vote in-person at the polls using a provisional ballot. Tell the Judge of Elections you’d like to fill out a provisional ballot. These ballots will be reviewed by the Board of Elections within a week of Election Day. Provided they did not receive a Mail-In Ballot from you and there are no other issues prohibiting you from voting, your vote will count.

The Board of Elections is legally allowed to begin mailing out ballots to voters starting fifty days prior to the election (Sept 14). Actual mailing dates will vary so check the tracker app to see when your ballot goes out.

Don’t worry-If it’s on or before Election Day, you can still vote!

1. Did you apply for your ballot? In order to vote by mail you must submit an application by 10/27. If you have not done this, you can sign up here. We will get you to the application AND you can choose to receive alerts from us about your ballot. Note: it takes a few days to process the application and mail the ballot to you, so if it’s close to Election Day, consider whether or not you have time to receive and return it to the Board of Elections by 8pm on Election Day.

2. Have you checked to see if your application was processed? If you have applied, you can check here to see if your application was received and processed. If your application has been processed, the table will show the word “pending” in the “Status” field.

*See below FAQ for detailed explanation

It may take a few days for this to appear. Do not apply twice as this simply slows down the process. If you’re sure you’ve applied and it’s been a few days, call the Bucks County Board of Elections office at 215.348.6154.

3. Vote On Demand. If you know you’ve applied successfully by 10/27 but you did not receive your ballot, you can visit one of the three Board of Elections locations and they can print your ballot on the spot. You can then fill the ballot out and hand it back to the staff to be counted with the rest of the Mail Ballots starting at 8am on Election Day.

Board of Elections Locations
Open from M-F (8:00am-4:30pm):

Doylestown: 55 E. Court St, Doylestown | 215-348-6154
Levittown: 7321 New Falls Rd, Levittown | 267-580-350
Quakertown: 261 California Rd, Quakertown | 215-529-7250

4. Vote Provisionally. As a last resort, if it’s Election Day and  you have no opportunity to go the Board of Elections, you can go to the polls and tell the Judge of Elections that you want to fill out a provisional ballot. These ballots will be reviewed by the Board of Elections within a week of Election Day. Provided they did not receive a Mail-In Ballot from you and there are no other issues prohibiting you from voting, your vote will count. Because its not a guaranteed vote, you should explore all other voting options before voting provisionally.

Yes-You can see the status of your application, when your ballot is on its way, and when the Board of Elections has received your ballot at VotesPa.com/MailBallotStatus. You can also sign up for alerts about your ballot and updates to voting by mail at BucksDemocrats.org/Track.

Great news! Due to a recent update to the law (March 27, 2020) which was intended to make the vote by mail process simpler for everyone, ALL VOTERS MAY NOW USE A MAIL-IN BALLOT

That means, even if you’ve voted by Absentee in the past you may now use a Mail-In Ballot!

When you sign up you will be asked three questions:

• Are you a military or overseas civilian absentee voter?
• Are you applying for a ballot because you will be absent from your municipality for the upcoming election?
• Are you applying for a ballot for the upcoming election because you cannot appear at your polling place due to an illness or physical disability?

Answer “No” to all three and proceed with your application

The provision for an Absentee Ballot is written into the Pennsylvania constitution, so rather than change the constitution (a daunting task), the legislature opted to simply add the Mail-In Ballot and retain the option of using an Absentee Ballot. 

No-Follow the steps above. You just need to make sure you request to have the ballot delivered to the address where you will be when ballots are sent out. Ballots are legally allowed to be sent out up to 50 days prior an election.

Don’t worry-you can update the mailing address provided when you requested your Mail-In Ballot, contact the Bucks County Board of Elections: 215-348-6154, elections@buckscounty.org.

No problem-You can request another ballot from the Bucks County Board of Elections: 215-348-6154, elections@buckscounty.org.

The Pa Dems have set up a hotline you can call with any questions. The team is fluent in Spanish and very responsive. They are also prepared to forward anyone who needs additional attention to our team at the BCDC.

PA Dems Voter Assistance Hotline
1-833-PAVOTES (1-833-728-6837)