The state’s online application system for mail-in and absentee ballots is now live, Allegheny County officials announced Tuesday.
County election officials urged registered voters to apply, if they haven’t already, to avoid delays and in order to get their ballots in plenty of time to return them before the November election deadline. If a person has already applied online or by paper to receive mail-in or absentee ballots for the rest of the year, another application is not needed.
In the April primary, just under 96,000 voters cast a mail-in ballot in Allegheny County, in what was a low turnout election, according to David Voye, the county’s elections manager. But Mr. Voye and other officials anticipate the general election will see much higher turnout, in part because of the competitive presidential election between presumptive nominees Joe Biden, the Democratic incumbent, and former president Donald Trump, a Republican.
Both Democrats and Republicans have encouraged the use of mail-in ballots throughout Pennsylvania. Democrats have historically been more active in recent election cycles in promoting that type of voting. In the 2020 election, Joe Biden received about 1.4 million more mail-in ballots than Joe Biden.
But this year, GOP officials and a super PAC called Keystone Renewal are trying to get more Republicans to vote by mail. Keystone Renewal has spent more than $10 million in its efforts to encourage the practice.
At-large County Council member Sam DeMarco, a Republican, has said that GOP officials need to encourage mail-in balloting. Mr. DeMarco said he consistently combats misinformation about that type of voting, and that Democrats have an advantage if they use the voting method more than Republicans.
Voters can check their mail-in ballot application status at the state website, and election officials advise voters to wait three days after submitting it.
First Published: June 11, 2024, 9:33 p.m.
Updated: June 12, 2024, 3:21 p.m.