The 2020 general election is a presidential election, which occurs every four years. This guide includes important information about the election, how you can participate, and your options for voting by mail.
Important dates
Please register to vote, apply to vote by mail, and turn in your mail-in ballot as early as possible.
While the mail-in ballot process is secure, you shouldn’t wait until the final deadlines to apply for and return your ballot.
Last day to register to vote in the general election
The Philadelphia County Board of Elections must receive your application for a mail-in ballot by 5 p.m.
Election Day
If you’re mailing your ballot, you should mail it as early as possible. It must be postmarked by Election Day.
You can also deliver your ballot to the Philadelphia County Board of Elections office, satellite office, or drop box. It must be received no later than 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.
On the ballot: Candidates
You’ll select a candidate for these offices.
- President of the United States, who’s the head of government and the commander in chief of the armed forces.
- Attorney General of Pennsylvania, who’s the state’s top law enforcement official.
- Pennsylvania Auditor General, who ensures the state’s money is spent legally.
- Pennsylvania Treasurer, who manages and invests the state’s money.
- Pennsylvania State Senators, who are members of the upper chamber of state government in Harrisburg. The state’s 50 senators pass laws and the state budget, and confirm nominations by the governor.
- Pennsylvania House of Representatives, who are members of the lower chamber of state government in Harrisburg. The state’s 203 representatives pass laws and the state budget.
On the ballot: Questions
There will be four questions on the ballot. For each question, you can vote “yes” or “no.”
If you vote “yes” to the ballot questions one, two, and three, it means you want to change the City of Philadelphia’s Home Rule Charter. The Charter sets the rules for City government.
Below are summaries of the ballot questions in the order they’ll appear on your ballot.
1. Stop and frisk
If you vote “yes,” you want the Philadelphia Police Department to end the practice of unconstitutional stop and frisk. That means that a police officer could not stop someone because of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religious affiliation or expression, or other protected characteristics. Rather, the officer must have reasonable suspicion that the person is engaged in criminal activity.
2. Office of the Victim Advocate
If you vote “yes,” you want the City to create an office that would advocate for the rights of crime victims.
3. Citizens Police Oversight Commission
If you vote “yes,” you want the City to create a Citizens Police Oversight Commission as a permanent part of City government. The commission would work to improve police officer conduct and hold the Philadelphia Police Department accountable for officers’ actions.
4. Borrowing money
If you vote “yes,” you want the City of Philadelphia to borrow $134 million to spend on:
- Transit.
- Streets and sanitation.
- Municipal buildings.
- Parks and recreation.
- Museums.
- Economic and community development.
Contact information for local election offices
You can find information about elections and voting in Philadelphia at philadelphiavotes.com. If you registered to vote in another Pennsylvania county, you can find your local election office at votesPA.com.
Philadelphia County Board of Elections
If you have questions about the general election, contact the Philadelphia County Board of Elections at (215) 686-3469. Interpretation services are available.
Philadelphia Voter Registration Office
If you have questions about registering to vote or confirming your voter registration, contact the Philadelphia Voter Registration Office at (215) 686-1591. Interpretation services are available.
Philadelphia City Commissioners
You can also contact the Philadelphia City Commissioners. The three commissioners are the elected officials in charge of elections and voter registration in Philadelphia. Go to philadelphiavotes.com to learn more.
In Pennsylvania, every registered voter is allowed to vote by mail-in ballot. If you need help completing your mail-in ballot application, contact the Philadelphia County Board of Elections at (215) 686-3469.
Applying to vote by mail
Online
To apply online, go to votesPA.com/ApplyMailBallot. The online application will be available in English and Spanish.
By mail
There are two ways to get a paper application. You can:
- Go to votesPA.com/ApplyMailBallot to download and print an application. On this site, you can also request to have an application mailed to you.
- Contact the Philadelphia County Board of Elections at (215) 686-3469 to request to have a form mailed to you. You can also contact a City Commissioner.
The paper application will be available in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Vietnamese.
If you need help filling out your application, call the Philadelphia County Board of Elections at (215) 686-3469.
The application asks you to provide information about yourself, including:
- Contact information: You can include a phone number and email in the “About you” section. If you provide an email address, you’ll get notifications about the status of your application and your mail-in ballot. It’s also helpful to include this information in case an election official needs to contact you. Your information isn’t shared outside the election office.
- Address: You must write your address exactly as you registered to vote. You can check your voter registration at pavoterservices.pa.gov or call the Pennsylvania Department of State at 1 (877) 868-3772.
- Identification: You’ll be asked to provide your Pennsylvania (PA) driver’s license or PennDOT-issued photo identification number. Or, you can provide the last four digits of your Social Security number.
If you don’t have these forms of ID, mark the box that reads: “I don’t have a PA driver’s license or a PennDOT ID card or a Social Security number.” You’ll have to submit a photocopy of an acceptable ID with your application.
To learn about acceptable forms of ID, call the Pennsylvania Department of State at 1 (877) 868-3772.
If you’re filling out your application on paper, keep the following in mind:
- You must fill in your paper application using a black ink pen. Please write clearly.
- You’ll need an envelope and postage stamp to mail your application.
You should apply as early as possible. Applications for mail-in ballots must be in the physical office of the Philadelphia County Board of Elections by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, October 27, 2020. The office is located at City Hall, Room 130, Philadelphia, PA 19107.
If your application arrives after the deadline, the postmark won’t be accepted as meeting the application deadline, and you won’t be able to vote by mail.
The current deadline could change. To confirm deadline information and how to submit your application, please contact the Philadelphia County Board of Elections at (215) 686-3469.
Once you submit your mail-in ballot application, you can check its status by going to pavoterservices.pa.gov. You can also call the Pennsylvania Department of State at 1 (877) 868-3772.
If you apply online, you’ll be able to view the status of your application within 48 hours after submitting it.
In addition, if you provide an email address when you apply, you should receive emails from Pennsylvania Voter Services. These messages will alert you to the status of your application and tell you when you should receive your ballot in the mail.
This part of the guide describes how to fill out and return your ballot. After you submit your mail-in ballot, you can check its status at pavoterservices.pa.gov or by calling the Pennsylvania Department of State at 1 (877) 868-3772.
Voting by mail
After you apply, you’ll receive your mail-in ballot at the address you submitted. Inside, you should find:
- Your two-sided ballot.
- Ballot instructions.
- A document that explains the questions on the ballot.
- A small secrecy envelope to seal your ballot.
- A large “Voter Declaration” envelope for mailing your sealed ballot.
If you’re missing something, call the Philadelphia County Board of Elections at (215) 686-3469.
If you don’t receive your mail-in ballot, check its status at pavoterservices.pa.gov or contact the Philadelphia County Board of Elections at (215) 686-3469.
The instructions will be labeled “Instructions for voting by mail-in or absentee ballot.” They’ll remind you of the mail-in ballot deadline and explain how to complete your mail-in ballot.
Your mail-in ballot will be two-sided. You should only use blue or black pen ink to complete your ballot.
If you make a mistake on your ballot, don’t cross out anything or make a note. Instead, visit ballotform.philadelphiavotes.com or call the Philadelphia County Board of Elections at 215-686-3469 to request a replacement ballot.
You should complete your ballot in privacy, unless you’re receiving assistance.
Fill in the oval next to the candidate you want to vote for.
If you’d like to write in a candidate, fill in the oval next to “Write-in.” Then, write their name to the right of the oval.
Pay attention to how many votes you’re permitted to cast per category. For example, this illustration says “Vote for 1.”
If you vote for more than what’s asked of you, your vote won’t be counted.
If you decide to not vote for a candidate or ballot question, that’s okay. Your ballot will still be counted.
To vote “yes” on a ballot question, fill in the “yes” oval.
To vote “no” on a ballot question, fill in the “no” oval.
- Refold the ballot as it was sent to you.
- Place it in the smaller envelope that’s labeled “Official Election Ballot.” Don’t put anything else inside or write on the envelope.
- Wet the glue on the envelope fold.
- Close the secrecy envelope to seal your ballot.
- Place your sealed ballot in the larger “Voter Declaration” envelope. Don’t put anything else inside.
- Wet the glue on the envelope fold.
- Close the mailing envelope to seal it.
- Write your address in blue or black ink in the upper left corner of the envelope.
If you complete your ballot on your own:
- Sign the left side of the envelope in the rectangle marked with an X and labeled “Voter.”
- Write in the date when you completed your ballot, your name, and your address on the horizontal lines above the labels.
If someone completed your ballot for you:
- Sign the right side of the envelope in the rectangle marked with an X and labeled “Voter.”
- The person who assisted you should write the date when your ballot was completed. They should also enter their address and signature on the horizontal lines above the labels “Date” and “Witness.”
By mail
You can return your ballot by mail. The postage is prepaid. The last day to have your ballot postmarked is Election Day. If you plan to return your ballot by mail, please do so as early as possible.
In person
Most voters must return their own ballots. However, if you have a physical disability, you may choose someone to return your ballot for you.
Returning your own ballot
You can drop off your ballot at one of the following locations:
- The Philadelphia County Board of Elections (City Hall, Room 130, Philadelphia, PA 19107)
- A satellite election office
- A drop-off box
Designating someone to return your ballot
If you’re physically unable to return your own ballot, you may choose another person (or “designated agent”) to drop it off. To do so, you must complete a designation and certification of agent form (PDF).
Your designated agent must return this form and your sealed ballot to the Philadelphia County Board of Elections. If you have questions about choosing someone to return your ballot, contact the board at (215) 686-3469.
The current deadline and procedures could change. To confirm, contact the Philadelphia County Board of Elections at (215) 686-3469.
Once you submit your mail-in ballot, you can check its status by going to pavoterservices.pa.gov. You can also call the Pennsylvania Department of State at 1 (877) 868-3772.
If you provided an email address when you applied for your mail-in ballot, you should receive an email when your completed mail-in ballot is received.
About the 2020 general election
-
Important dates
Please register to vote, apply to vote by mail, and turn in your mail-in ballot as early as possible.
While the mail-in ballot process is secure, you shouldn’t wait until the final deadlines to apply for and return your ballot.
Important dates
Please register to vote, apply to vote by mail, and turn in your mail-in ballot as early as possible.
While the mail-in ballot process is secure, you shouldn’t wait until the final deadlines to apply for and return your ballot.
October 2020October 19Last day to register to vote in the general election
October 27The Philadelphia County Board of Elections must receive your application for a mail-in ballot by 5 p.m.
November 2020November 03Election Day
If you’re mailing your ballot, you should mail it as early as possible. It must be postmarked by Election Day.
You can also deliver your ballot to the Philadelphia County Board of Elections office, satellite office, or drop box. It must be received no later than 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.
- On the ballot: Candidates
You’ll select a candidate for these offices.
- President of the United States, who’s the head of government and the commander in chief of the armed forces.
- Attorney General of Pennsylvania, who’s the state’s top law enforcement official.
- Pennsylvania Auditor General, who ensures the state’s money is spent legally.
- Pennsylvania Treasurer, who manages and invests the state’s money.
- Pennsylvania State Senators, who are members of the upper chamber of state government in Harrisburg. The state’s 50 senators pass laws and the state budget, and confirm nominations by the governor.
- Pennsylvania House of Representatives, who are members of the lower chamber of state government in Harrisburg. The state’s 203 representatives pass laws and the state budget.
- On the ballot: Questions
There will be four questions on the ballot. For each question, you can vote “yes” or “no.”
If you vote “yes” to the ballot questions one, two, and three, it means you want to change the City of Philadelphia’s Home Rule Charter. The Charter sets the rules for City government.
Below are summaries of the ballot questions in the order they’ll appear on your ballot.
1. Stop and frisk
If you vote “yes,” you want the Philadelphia Police Department to end the practice of unconstitutional stop and frisk. That means that a police officer could not stop someone because of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religious affiliation or expression, or other protected characteristics. Rather, the officer must have reasonable suspicion that the person is engaged in criminal activity.
2. Office of the Victim Advocate
If you vote “yes,” you want the City to create an office that would advocate for the rights of crime victims.
3. Citizens Police Oversight Commission
If you vote “yes,” you want the City to create a Citizens Police Oversight Commission as a permanent part of City government. The commission would work to improve police officer conduct and hold the Philadelphia Police Department accountable for officers’ actions.
4. Borrowing money
If you vote “yes,” you want the City of Philadelphia to borrow $134 million to spend on:
- Transit.
- Streets and sanitation.
- Municipal buildings.
- Parks and recreation.
- Museums.
- Economic and community development.
- Contact information for local election offices
You can find information about elections and voting in Philadelphia at philadelphiavotes.com. If you registered to vote in another Pennsylvania county, you can find your local election office at votesPA.com.
Philadelphia County Board of Elections
If you have questions about the general election, contact the Philadelphia County Board of Elections at (215) 686-3469. Interpretation services are available.
Philadelphia Voter Registration Office
If you have questions about registering to vote or confirming your voter registration, contact the Philadelphia Voter Registration Office at (215) 686-1591. Interpretation services are available.
Philadelphia City Commissioners
You can also contact the Philadelphia City Commissioners. The three commissioners are the elected officials in charge of elections and voter registration in Philadelphia. Go to philadelphiavotes.com to learn more.
- On the ballot: Candidates
Applying for a mail-in ballot
-
Applying to vote by mail
1Choose how you’d like to apply.
Online
To apply online, go to votesPA.com/ApplyMailBallot. The online application will be available in English and Spanish.
By mail
There are two ways to get a paper application. You can:
- Go to votesPA.com/ApplyMailBallot to download and print an application. On this site, you can also request to have an application mailed to you.
- Contact the Philadelphia County Board of Elections at (215) 686-3469 to request to have a form mailed to you. You can also contact a City Commissioner.
The paper application will be available in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Vietnamese.
2Complete and submit your mail-in ballot application.If you need help filling out your application, call the Philadelphia County Board of Elections at (215) 686-3469.
The application asks you to provide information about yourself, including:
- Contact information: You can include a phone number and email in the “About you” section. If you provide an email address, you’ll get notifications about the status of your application and your mail-in ballot. It’s also helpful to include this information in case an election official needs to contact you. Your information isn’t shared outside the election office.
- Address: You must write your address exactly as you registered to vote. You can check your voter registration at pavoterservices.pa.gov or call the Pennsylvania Department of State at 1 (877) 868-3772.
- Identification: You’ll be asked to provide your Pennsylvania (PA) driver’s license or PennDOT-issued photo identification number. Or, you can provide the last four digits of your Social Security number.
If you don’t have these forms of ID, mark the box that reads: “I don’t have a PA driver’s license or a PennDOT ID card or a Social Security number.” You’ll have to submit a photocopy of an acceptable ID with your application.
To learn about acceptable forms of ID, call the Pennsylvania Department of State at 1 (877) 868-3772.
If you’re filling out your application on paper, keep the following in mind:
- You must fill in your paper application using a black ink pen. Please write clearly.
- You’ll need an envelope and postage stamp to mail your application.
Current application deadlineYou should apply as early as possible. Applications for mail-in ballots must be in the physical office of the Philadelphia County Board of Elections by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, October 27, 2020. The office is located at City Hall, Room 130, Philadelphia, PA 19107.
If your application arrives after the deadline, the postmark won’t be accepted as meeting the application deadline, and you won’t be able to vote by mail.
The current deadline could change. To confirm deadline information and how to submit your application, please contact the Philadelphia County Board of Elections at (215) 686-3469.
3Check the status of your mail-in ballot application.Once you submit your mail-in ballot application, you can check its status by going to pavoterservices.pa.gov. You can also call the Pennsylvania Department of State at 1 (877) 868-3772.
If you apply online, you’ll be able to view the status of your application within 48 hours after submitting it.
In addition, if you provide an email address when you apply, you should receive emails from Pennsylvania Voter Services. These messages will alert you to the status of your application and tell you when you should receive your ballot in the mail.
Voting by mail-in ballot
-
Voting by mail
1Receive your ballot in the mail.
After you apply, you’ll receive your mail-in ballot at the address you submitted. Inside, you should find:
- Your two-sided ballot.
- Ballot instructions.
- A document that explains the questions on the ballot.
- A small secrecy envelope to seal your ballot.
- A large “Voter Declaration” envelope for mailing your sealed ballot.
If you’re missing something, call the Philadelphia County Board of Elections at (215) 686-3469.
If you don’t receive your mail-in ballot, check its status at pavoterservices.pa.gov or contact the Philadelphia County Board of Elections at (215) 686-3469.
2Read the instructions that are included with your ballot.The instructions will be labeled “Instructions for voting by mail-in or absentee ballot.” They’ll remind you of the mail-in ballot deadline and explain how to complete your mail-in ballot.
3Fill out your ballot.Your mail-in ballot will be two-sided. You should only use blue or black pen ink to complete your ballot.
If you make a mistake on your ballot, don’t cross out anything or make a note. Instead, visit ballotform.philadelphiavotes.com or call the Philadelphia County Board of Elections at 215-686-3469 to request a replacement ballot.
You should complete your ballot in privacy, unless you’re receiving assistance.
Fill in the oval next to the candidate you want to vote for.
If you’d like to write in a candidate, fill in the oval next to “Write-in.” Then, write their name to the right of the oval.
Pay attention to how many votes you’re permitted to cast per category. For example, this illustration says “Vote for 1.”
If you vote for more than what’s asked of you, your vote won’t be counted.
If you decide to not vote for a candidate or ballot question, that’s okay. Your ballot will still be counted.
To vote “yes” on a ballot question, fill in the “yes” oval.
To vote “no” on a ballot question, fill in the “no” oval.
4Place your ballot in the smaller secrecy envelope.- Refold the ballot as it was sent to you.
- Place it in the smaller envelope that’s labeled “Official Election Ballot.” Don’t put anything else inside or write on the envelope.
- Wet the glue on the envelope fold.
- Close the secrecy envelope to seal your ballot.
Note: Ballots returned without the secrecy envelope will not be counted.5Place your sealed ballot in the larger "Voter Declaration" envelope.- Place your sealed ballot in the larger “Voter Declaration” envelope. Don’t put anything else inside.
- Wet the glue on the envelope fold.
- Close the mailing envelope to seal it.
- Write your address in blue or black ink in the upper left corner of the envelope.
6Sign the voter’s declaration on the back of the envelope.If you complete your ballot on your own:
- Sign the left side of the envelope in the rectangle marked with an X and labeled “Voter.”
- Write in the date when you completed your ballot, your name, and your address on the horizontal lines above the labels.
If someone completed your ballot for you:
- Sign the right side of the envelope in the rectangle marked with an X and labeled “Voter.”
- The person who assisted you should write the date when your ballot was completed. They should also enter their address and signature on the horizontal lines above the labels “Date” and “Witness.”
7Turn in your mail-in ballot.By mail
You can return your ballot by mail. The postage is prepaid. The last day to have your ballot postmarked is Election Day. If you plan to return your ballot by mail, please do so as early as possible.
In person
Most voters must return their own ballots. However, if you have a physical disability, you may choose someone to return your ballot for you.
Returning your own ballot
You can drop off your ballot at one of the following locations:
- The Philadelphia County Board of Elections (City Hall, Room 130, Philadelphia, PA 19107)
- A satellite election office
- A drop-off box
Exact drop-off locations are still being determined. If you have questions about where to return your ballot, visit philadelphiavotes.com or contact the Philadelphia County Board of Elections at (215) 686-3469.Designating someone to return your ballot
If you’re physically unable to return your own ballot, you may choose another person (or “designated agent”) to drop it off. To do so, you must complete a designation and certification of agent form (PDF).
Your designated agent must return this form and your sealed ballot to the Philadelphia County Board of Elections. If you have questions about choosing someone to return your ballot, contact the board at (215) 686-3469.
If you can’t turn in your mail-in ballot by the deadline, you can vote at your polling place on election day. To do this, you should bring your mail-in ballot and “Voter Declaration” envelope to the polling place so they can be voided by the Judge of Elections. If you can’t return your mail-in ballot and “Voter Declaration” envelope, you can still vote by provisional ballot.The current deadline and procedures could change. To confirm, contact the Philadelphia County Board of Elections at (215) 686-3469.
8Check the status of your mail-in ballot.Once you submit your mail-in ballot, you can check its status by going to pavoterservices.pa.gov. You can also call the Pennsylvania Department of State at 1 (877) 868-3772.
If you provided an email address when you applied for your mail-in ballot, you should receive an email when your completed mail-in ballot is received.
Download the mail-in ballot guide
An illustrated, printer-friendly version of this guide is available in multiple languages.