Allegheny County voters can apply for mail-in ballots now, but strict rules must be followed to ensure ballots are counted.
PITTSBURGH —
Allegheny County voters can vote early by mail-in ballot, with applications available online or in person at the election office in downtown Pittsburgh.
“It’s pretty popular — 919,000 registered voters, and 125,000 so far are going to vote by mail,” Allegheny County Elections Division Manager David Voye said.
Voye said the convenience of mail-in voting encourages many voters to skip the polls.
“You can vote and have your ballot received on time and counted without having to leave your house,” he said.
To ensure mail-in ballots are counted, voters must place their completed ballot into a yellow secrecy envelope, then insert that envelope into the outer envelope. The outer envelope must be signed and dated using the date the ballot was filled out, not Election Day.
“If it is not dated, we can accept it. We will hold it separately, but we will open it and count it on Election Day, just in case any of the rules will change in the meantime,” Voye said. “But if it’s not signed, or if it’s not in the secrecy envelope, we will return your unopened ballot to you with instructions on how to cure it. Your ballot still must be back in our possession by 8 p.m. on Election Day.”
As Election Day approaches, Voye recommends dropping off completed ballots at the election office at the County Office Building on Forbes Avenue or one of several drop-off locations in the county to ensure they are received by 8 p.m. on Nov. 3. He also encouraged voters to apply for mail-in ballots as soon as possible.