VOTING AND ELECTION INFORMATION

PENNSYLVANIA VOTING REQUIREMENTS

To vote in Pennsylvania, a person must:

• be at least 18 years of age by Election Day;
  
• have been a U.S. citizen at least 30 days;
  
• have resided in the state and election district where voting at least 30 days prior to the election;
  
• be registered to vote.
  

     Registration — The National Voter Registration Act of 1993, known informally as the Motor Voter Act, was designed to encourage voter registration, and as a result, at the application for, or renewal of, the driver’s license persons are asked if they wish to complete a voter registration application, which can be done quickly and easily via computer prompts.

     The Act has also caused the state to provide for registration in all public assistance and military recruiting offices and offices with state-funded programs for the disabled. Following are additional procedures currently available in Lancaster County.

     Everyone who meets the requirements for voting by Election Day may register during the regular registration period preceding that election. The voter registration office, located in the county courthouse, is open for registration weekdays except during the period 30 days before a primary or election.

     A person also may register by mail on forms available at the voter registration office, and at various locations such as post offices, banks, municipal offices, libraries, and through the League of Women Voters. The closing date to register before an election generally is widely publicized.

     Registration is permanent, with the only reasons for removing a name being the death of the voter, on the voter’s request, or upon notification that the voter has registered to vote at another address.

     Election Dates — Primary Elections are held on the third Tuesday in May, except in presidential election years, when they are held on the fourth Tuesday in April. The main purpose of a Primary is the nomination of candidates; Pennsylvania has a so-called closed Primary, meaning that only registered members of a party may vote to choose that party’s candidates.

     Those not registered in a party may vote only on any questions which may appear on the Primary ballot. They also may vote in any special election (sometimes held in conjunction with a regular Primary or fall election to fill a vacancy in a federal, state, or local office).

     General Elections, at which state and/or federal officials are elected, are held in even-numbered years on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November. Municipal Elections, at which local officials are elected, are held on the corresponding day in odd-numbered years. Polls are open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. for all elections.

     Absentee ballots are available to qualified voters who are unable to appear at the polls because of disability or duties, occupation, business, or vacation which require one to be out of the county during voting hours. A person employed outside the municipality of residence may apply for an absentee ballot if the scheduled work hours prohibit getting to the polling place on election day.

     Applications for civilian absentee ballots may be made in person or by mail and must be received in the office of the County Board of Elections not earlier than 50 days before the election and not later than 5 p.m. on the Tuesday prior to Election Day.

     Emergency applications may be made on the Wednesday, Thursday and until 5 p.m. Friday before Election Day by anyone who did not know earlier that an absentee ballot was needed. Those emergency applications require the applicant’s notarized signature, and if the emergency is medical, the doctor’s notarized signature as well.

     Completed absentee ballots must be returned through the mail or delivered in person by the voters themselves. Deadline for the return of the completed ballot to the County Board of Elections is 5 p.m. the Friday before Election Day.

     Conduct of Elections — Elections are administered by the County Board of Elections, which is composed of the three county commissioners. Within each precinct or district, the local election board has authority.

     This board consists of a judge of elections and a majority and a minority inspector, all of whom are elected officials who serve four-year terms. In voting machine districts, the minority inspector appoints one clerk, and if more than one voting machine is used, the County Board of Elections appoints a clerk for each additional machine.

     These officials are paid within limits set by law. Provision also is made for poll watchers, who are appointed and paid by candidates for the primaries and by political parties for all other elections.

     Watchers who are electors of the districts where they serve must be certified by the County Board of Elections; watchers may also serve in other districts of their municipalities if appointed by the Court of Common Pleas.

     Lancaster County Election Information — In November of 2001, there were 269,710 residents of Lancaster County registered to vote. Some 165,391 were registered as Republicans, 67,921 as Democrats, and 36,398 in other designations.

     The maps on page 36 show the various federal and state legislative districts. Both U.S. and Pennsylvania General Assembly representatives are elected for two-year terms; State senators are elected for four-year terms, and U.S. senators for six years. All of those elections take place in even-numbered years.