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2022 General Election
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Vote by Mail Update
Mail-in and Absentee ballots were officially mailed out on 10/13/2022.
Deadlines for the November 8th, 2022 General Election
| October 24, 2022 | Last day to register to vote or change parties in the General Election |
|---|---|
| November 1, 2022 | Last day to apply for a mail-in or civilian absentee ballot |
| November 8, 2022 | Last day for County Board of Elections to receive voted mail-in and civilian absentee ballots (must be received by 8:00 P.M.) |
| November 8, 2022 | Election Day - Polling places are open from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. |
| November 9, 2022 | First day to REGISTER after the General |
| November 15, 2022 | Last day for County Board of Elections to receive voted military and overseas absentee ballots (submitted for delivery no later than 11:59 P.M. on November 7th) |
*Important: If you cast your vote by mail-in ballot, you cannot show up at a polling place to cast your vote. Polling places cannot receive completed mail-in ballot forms. TO VOTE YOU MUST COMPLETELY BLACKEN THE OVAL TO THE RIGHT OF YOUR CHOICE. An oval darkened to the right of any candidate indicates a vote for that candidate.
If you received a mail-in ballot but you wish to vote in person on November 8th, then you must bring with you the mail-in ballot and the envelopes it came with to your polling place on Election Day to cast a ballot in person. If you do not have your mail-in ballot and envelopes with you, you will be able to cast a provisional ballot at your polling place. Provisional ballots will be counted once it is determined your mail-in ballot was not cast--only one ballot will count per person.
When returning your completed ballot, be sure to place it in the Privacy envelope and seal it. Make no marks on the Privacy envelope. Then place the Privacy envelope into the larger return envelope, seal it and sign it. If the outer envelope is not signed or the ballot is not sealed in the inner privacy envelope, your ballot will not be counted.
Visit www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/pages/ballottracking.aspx to confirm your mail-in ballot was received by the Bureau of Elections.
Other Election Related Government Websites
Votes PA - VotesPA.com
Pennsylvania Voter Services - www.pavoterservices.pa.gov
Register to vote - www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/Pages/VoterRegistrationApplication.aspx
Check your Voter Registration status - www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/Pages/voterregistrationstatus.aspx
Request an absentee or no-excuse mail-in ballot - www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/OnlineAbsenteeApplication
Track your absentee or no-excuse mail-in ballot - www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/pages/ballottracking.aspx
United States Postal Service - USPS.com/votinginfo
Please send completed mail-in applications and ballots to:
Luzerne County Bureau of Elections
20 N. Pennsylvania Ave. Suite 207 Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701
When mailing completed ballots, please use the envelope that came with the ballot and remember to sign the envelope where indicated. Only one ballot per signed envelope.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I ensure that I am registered to vote in the 2022 General Election?
Check your registration status at www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/Pages/voterregistrationstatus.aspx or call the Luzerne County Bureau of Elections at 570-825-1715.
How do I confirm that my mail-in ballot application was received?
Visit www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/pages/ballottracking.aspx to see if your application was received and processed. If it is not showing received after a reasonable amount of time for delivery and processing, apply online at www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/OnlineAbsenteeApplication before November 1st or call the Luzerne County Bureau of Elections at 570-825-1715.
How do I confirm that my mail-in ballot was received and will be counted?
Visit www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/pages/ballottracking.aspx to confirm that your mail-in ballot was received. If it is not showing received by November 8th, you may go to your polling place and cast a provisional ballot. If your mail-in ballot is received by 8pm on Election day, that ballot will count--if not, your provisional ballot will count.
Can I still vote in person if I applied for a mail-in ballot?
If you requested a mail-in ballot, you MUST bring that ballot with you to the polling place in order to vote in person. If you returned the mail-in ballot, you have already voted--you will not be permitted to vote again in person. Once your mail-in ballot is received in the Election office, you will not be able to cancel it, nor will you be allowed vote in person.
What is all the fuss over "naked" ballots, and what are they anyway?
If you vote by mail, you will receive 2 envelopes with your ballot. An outer envelope which you must sign (like signing the poll book if you voted at a polling place), and an inner privacy envelope that holds your ballot. It is important that you place your completed ballot in the inner privacy envelope and seal it. Do not write or stamp any marks on the privacy envelope. Ballots not placed in the privacy envelope are called "naked" ballots, and cannot be counted by law.
If I vote in person, will I be filling out a paper ballot or using a machine to vote?
Luzerne County will use our Ballot Marking Devices (machines) for the 2022 General Election. The machine will print out a paper ballot that you can verify prior to placing into the Ballot Scanner.
Polling locations were changed for the 2021 General Election. Will they change again?
Luzerne County is attempted to return to as many regular polling places as possible. However, we recommend you check the Polling Place information page to confirm your polling place as changes may be required due to the ongoing pandemic.
How do I find my polling place?
Visit our Polling Place information page. This page will have the most up to date information on any changes to polling locations.
Do I need to pay for postage for my mail-in ballot?
First Class postage is required when returning your ballot by U.S. mail. Postage is not necessary when returning your ballot at a Drop Box location. To request a "no excuses" mail in ballot, visit www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/OnlineAbsenteeApplication.