FAQs • Montgomery County, PA • CivicEngage

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Absentee Voting

1. Can I vote in person after requesting a ballot?

If you change your mind and want to vote in person after being approved for a mail in ballot you can bring your ballot & the envelopes to the polls with you. You will give your ballot & envelopes to a Poll Worker and they will void it for you; enabling you to vote in person.

The Poll Workers will be able to tell who has requested a mail-in ballot, so if you forget to bring your mail-in ballot & envelopes with you so that it can be voided you will be given a provisional ballot to complete at your polling location. This ballot will only be counted once we verify that your mail-in ballot has not been received by the Election Board.

2. When are ballots being mailed to people who applied to vote by mail?

Ballots for the 2021 Primary will be mailed in April to voters who apply to vote by mail.

3. I received a mail-in ballot application but want to vote in person, what do I need to do?

If you receive a 2021 Mail-In or Absentee ballot application and want to vote in person, you can simply dispose of the application. No further action is required on your part. You will be able to vote in person on a standard ballot at your assigned polling location on Election Day. Ballots are only mailed to registered voters who apply for them.

If you’d like to be removed from the annual application mailing list, you must complete this form and mail it to our office.

Ballots for the May 18th Primary will begin to be mailed in April 2021.

If you have already received your ballot and decide that you would rather vote in person at your assigned polling location, you can bring your ballot & the envelopes to the polls with you. You will give your ballot & envelopes to a Poll Worker and they will void it for you; enabling you to vote in person.

4. My mail-in ballot application was declined because it was a duplicate, what does that mean?

It means that we have already received your application. So, if you apply again, it will be considered a “duplicate” and rejected. This does not cancel your previous application.

We strongly recommend checking your status before submitting a second application.

Click here to track your ballot application.

There are a few different statuses that can appear:

No Record: This means that you haven’t applied yet or that we have not processed your application. Please allow 10-14 business days from the time you submit your application for processing.

If you provided your email address on your application, you will receive an email indicating that your application was processed.

Pending: This means that your application was received and approved, but that your ballot has not been mailed yet. We will begin mailing ballots in late September.

Processed: This means that your application was received and approved, and your ballot has been mailed.

Vote Recorded: This means that we received your ballot and have recorded your vote.

The PA State system only recognizes an email address once, so if you and another member of your household provided the same email address you will only receive an email for one ballot

5. Can I fax or email my application?: No, original voter signatures are required for the application to be valid unless you are a qualified military or civilian overseas voter. You may apply using the online application, which can be found at www.votespa.com

6. I applied for an absentee/mail-in ballot online but have not heard back. Do I apply again?

No, thank you! You can track your application by clicking here.

There are a few different statuses that can appear:

No Match: This means that you haven’t applied yet or that we have not processed your application. Please allow 10-14 business days from the time you submit your application for processing.

If you provided your email address on your application, you will receive an email indicating that your application was processed.

Pending: This means that your application was received and approved, but that your ballot has not been mailed yet. We will begin mailing ballots in late September.

Vote Recorded: This means that we received your ballot and have recorded your vote.

If you gave us your email address in your application, you will receive an email when your application has been processed. You will also receive an email when your vote has been recorded. The PA State system only recognizes an email address once, so if you and another member of your household provided the same email address you will only receive an email for one ballot.

7. I cannot get out to pick up an application, is there another way to apply?

Yes, you may send us a letter requesting an absentee ballot. The letter must include the following information:

Address where the ballot is to be mailed
Date of birth
Name of voter
Reason for requesting absentee ballot
Registered Montgomery County address
Signature of voter

As well as one of the following: PA Driver’s license/PennDOT ID #, last four digits of your SS #, or a copy of an accepted photo identification.

You can also apply online here.

8. How do I change or add my email address on the mail-in ballot application?: You can simply email that change to us! Be sure to include your name and date of birth so that we can ensure the correct record is being updated. Email us at voters@montcopa.org.

9. Why was my mail-in ballot application declined?

Applications can be declined for a few reasons. Here are the most common:

Duplicate - It means that we have already received your application. So, if you apply again, it will be considered a “duplicate” and rejected. This does not cancel your previous application

Incomplete address – Voter is registered in Montgomery County but the address on their mail-in application doesn’t match their Voter Registration. Click here to update your voter registration.

Not registered – Voter is not currently registered in Montgomery County. Click here to register to vote.

10. I am moving to a new address in Montgomery County in October, after the date the ballots are going out. How do I make sure I get my ballot?

Ballots are not forwarded by the USPS, so if you’re now living at a different address than the one you provided on your mail-in ballot application; you will need to call our office at 610¬-278¬-3275. A representative will need to void the ballot that was sent to your former address and assist you as you complete a change of delivery address form. After that, we will mail a new ballot to your new address or you can come to our office at 425 Swede St in Norristown to pick up your ballot.

You cannot submit another application or the change of delivery address form without having your original ballot voided first. Otherwise, our system would identify it as a duplicate or second request for a ballot and reject the application. This helps ensure that every voter only receives one ballot.

11. How do I change the address that my ballot is being mailed to?

Ballots are not forwarded by the USPS, so if you’re now living at a different address than the one you provided on your mail-in ballot application; you will need to complete this form.

This form can be emailed to us at voters@montcopa.org or mailed to us:

If using the USPS, please send to:
Montgomery County Voter Services
P.O. Box 311
Norristown, PA 19404-0311

If using FedEx, UPS or other courier service:

Montgomery County Voter Services
One Montgomery Plaza
425 Swede St.
Suite 602

Norristown, PA 19401

12. Is photo ID required when voting via absentee?: You must provide one of the following as proof of identification when voting via absentee: PA Driver’s license/ PennDOT ID #, last four digits of your SS #, or a copy of an accepted photo identification.

13. Can I drop off a family member’s ballot?

No. Similar to voting in person, you are only able to cast your own vote. You cannot collect, drop off or deliver ballots for other people.

If you know a voter who has an illness or disability that will prevent them from dropping off their ballot, they can designate an agent to pick up or drop off their ballot. The agent can only pick up/drop off for voters who are in the same household. The ballot can be picked up at one of our office locations and returned along with the ballot to a secure drop box or office location.

Click here to access the form.

14. Can I email a mail-in or absentee ballot application form?

No. Ballot applications must be mailed to our office (please see mailing address below) or submitted online by clicking here.

If using the USPS, please send to:

Montgomery County Voter Services

P.O. Box 311

Norristown, PA 19404-0311

If using FedEx, UPS or other courier service:

Montgomery County Voter Services

One Montgomery Plaza

425 Swede St

Suite 602

Norristown PA 19401

15. I do not have a driver's license; how do I request a mail-in ballot?

In order to apply for a mail-in ballot, you must supply your PA Driver’s License or PennDOT issued photo ID card number in the Identification section. If you do not have a PA Driver’s License or PennDOT issued photo ID card, you must apply by mail by supplying the last four (4) digits of your Social Security number in Section 5.

If you do not have a valid form of either of these types of identification, please check the box titled “I do not have a PA driver’s license or a PennDOT ID card or a Social Security number” in the Identification section. If you choose this option, you must enclose a photocopy of an acceptable ID that indicates your eligibility to vote.

The application can be found here.

16. I would like to apply to vote by mail but do not have a computer. What can I do?: Constituents can call the Election Board at 610¬-278¬-3275 and provide their name and mailing address to a representative. We will send you the proper forms through the mail.

17. How can I cancel my request for an absentee or mail-in ballot?

If you requested a mail-in ballot and would like to cancel your request, you will need to complete one of these forms:

If you applied to vote by mail in the 2020 General Election only, click here to access the Single Use Ballot Cancellation form.

If you applied for Permanent Mail-In Ballot Status, click here to access the Permanent Status Cancellation form.

Please note, if your ballot has already been mailed we will not be able to cancel your request.