Make Sure Your Mail Vote Counts - Pennsylvania
Recently, we have seen news about last-minute change in Pennsylvania’s voting rules on “naked ballots” and secrecy envelope. If you put your ballot in a postage-paid addressed return envelope, but not in the secrecy envelope, you did not follow the instruction. Your ballot will be considered a “naked ballot” because the secrecy envelope was not put in the post-age paid addressed return envelope. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that the election officials will have to throw out your ballot. Therefore, your vote will not count.
There are various public service announcements to remind the public of this rule. We found City Commissioner Al Schmidt’s October 3rd instruction helpful. We summarized steps that you can take to ensure your mail vote count:
Know what comes in the mail: ballot, instruction card, sheet with ballot questions, secrecy envelope, and outer envelope (Voter Declaration Envelope)
2. Use a blue or black ink pen to fill out your ballot. If you make a mistake, you can get a replacement ballot from the county election office.
3. Put your ballot into the secrecy envelope. Then insert the secrecy envelope into the voter declaration/return envelope and seal the envelope.
4. Look at the back of the outer envelope/voter declaration envelope. Sign next to the appropriate X, write down the date, and print your name and address.
5. Submit your envelope at your local Board of Elections offices, or drop it in the mail. Ideally, if you are mailing your envelope by mail, you’ll want to do this at least two weeks before Election Day.
