Election Q & A

These are the most frequently asked questions about elections in Allegheny County (and the answers). If you have other questions not answered here, look elsewhere in our web pages or call our Community Information Center.

When is the next election?
The next election is a General Election on Tuesday, November 4, 2008
 
What time are the polls open?
7 AM to 8 PM
 
Can I still register to vote?
Registration closes 30 days before an election -- October 6, 2008.
 
I will be 18 after registration closes, but before the election. May I register?
Yes, if your birthday is the day of the election or before. "A voter becomes of age on the day before his eighteenth birthday." (county Digest of Election Laws.)
 
Am I still registered to vote? I can't remember when I last voted?
If you registered in or after June, 1993, you cannot be disqualified from voting in elections because you have not voted.
However, if you registered before that and did not vote for 5 years, you may have been removed from the state registration list and you cannot vote until you re-register. Call the Division of Elections to find out your status.
 
I moved after registration closed. Can I vote?
 
Where can I get a mail registration form?
The forms should be available in Driver's License Centers, State Liquor Stores, Welfare Centers, Libraries, League of Women Voters Community Information Center, and at the Division of Elections. Some municipal buildings, banks, grocery stores, and post offices also have the forms.
 
I changed my name? Can I vote?
Yes, you may vote under your old name as long as you wish. However, we recommend reregistering by filing a new form.
 
How do I get an absentee ballot?
Call the Division of Elections, 412-350-4520, for Absentee Ballot Application Form. The last day to apply is Tuesday, October 28, 2008. The application must be at the Division of Elections by 5 PM. The absentee ballot must be returned before 5 PM Friday, Ocotber 31, 2008.
 
It's 2 days before the election. I am going out of town unexpectedly, or I am sick, or a member of my family is going to the hospital. Can I vote?
No. You are out of luck. State law requires that absentee ballots be in the Division of Elections Office at 5 p.m. the Friday before the election.
 
I am registered as an independent. Can I vote in a primary election?
Sort of.
The following pertains to a primary only:
Pennsylvania is a closed Primary state - party members, only, may nominate candidates for the General Election. BUT you CAN vote on all ballot questions - amendments to the state constitution, bond issues and special elections.
 
What Identification do I need at the pools?
If you are voting at your polling place for the first time, you must bring a Photo ID such as a driver's license, student ID or some other form of US or PA government issued ID or a US or PA government issued non-photo ID such as a voter identification card, a firearm permit, or a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or government check. Click here for a complete list of acceptable forms of ID.
 
What do I do if my right to vote is challenged at the polls?
See the Judge of Elections: If your right to vote is challenged at the polls on election day, you are in the right polling place, and the problem cannot be resolved by the judge of elections, you have the right to ask for and vote by provisional ballot. If it is later determined that you were eligible to vote your ballot will be counted. You will be given instructions on how to determine if your vote was counted.
 
Where is my polling place?
Final polling places are printed in two major newspapers the Tuesday before the election. The only changes then are emergency ones, like changes due to fire in the building.
You can also call our Community Information Center and we will attempt to determine your polling place from street lists.
 
Do I need my Voting Registration Card to vote?
No, you do not need the card to vote.
 
Where can I get information on the candidates?
The LWV 2008 Voters Guide to the General Election will be on this web site in mid-October and we expect it to be published in The New Pittsburgh Courier on October 29. Parts of the guide may also be published in The Jewish Chronicle and the Hazelwood Homepage.
 
You can attend candidate forums, watch TV debates, read local newspapers, and visit candidate web sites.
 
You may also get information from the political parties
 
What offices are on the ballot?
see Election Facts.

What ward and district am I in? Call the Community Information Center and we will attempt to determine that for you from our street lists.

Who are my representatives? Check Facts for Citizens or call our Community Information Center .

My son/daughter is in the service. How can he/she vote? You can write to the Division of Elections, and request a military ballot. They do not have to be registered, but must be 18 by the day after the election. You may pick up a request for a military ballot for the service person and fill it out. Spouses of military personnel must be registered in Pennsylvania.

I am blind. Can the League of Women Voters help me with information on the candidates and ballot questions?
You can call the Community Information Center and we can read the Voters Guide to you over the phone. For general elections, the Guide is also available at:

1. Radio Information Service, 2100 Wharton St., #140, Pittsburgh 15203. Phone 412-488-3944

2. Pittsburgh Blind Association, 300 S. Craig St., Oakland 15213

3. Greater Pittsburgh Guild for the Blind, 311 Station St. Bridgeville.

How may I get voting assistance at the polls? You may have assistance if it is so noted on your registration card. Call the Division of Elections, 412-350-4500. This form must be in the Division's hands November 27 . Anyone can help except the voter's employer, an agent of the employer, an officer or agent of the voter's union, and the judge of elections. However, if the disability is not recorded on the elector's registration card, the elector may receive assistance if the elector completes a declaration in the polling place. (This is a change from prior election policy.)

How do I use a Voting Machine?

How long do I have in the voting booth? You have three minutes (state law) but you may take longer IF it is not crowded. Study the sample ballot which must be posted at each polling place.

Will there be a sample ballot in the newspapers? No: there must be one posted in each polling place. (In Allegheny County alone there are 69 varieties. The cost is too high for duplication in the newspapers.)

Can I change my party by mail? Yes, you may change your party by mail.

If your question has not been answered , please check the FAQ on the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania web site which contains some additional information.

This page was created by Carolyn and Jim Ellis. It is currently maintained by Suzanne Broughton.  Page last revised on July 20, 2008.

Permission is granted to freely copy this document in electronic form, or to print it for non-commercial use as long as credit is given to the League of Women Voters.

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