Deployed Military Members Encouraged to Request Absentee Ballot

New Option Can Provide Quicker Ballot Access

HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Department of State and the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs want to ensure that Pennsylvania's deployed military personnel vote in the Nov. 2 general election by using an official absentee ballot, which they now can request to receive electronically.

"One of the best ways we can honor the sacrifices of our soldiers serving overseas is to ensure they have the information they need to vote and access to the ballot," Secretary of the Commonwealth Basil L. Merenda said today. "We are going to great efforts to inform our Pennsylvania military personnel that they now have an option to receive their absentee ballots electronically, which will expedite the process for our deployed troops to vote."

On Nov. 2, Pennsylvania voters will cast ballots for candidates for a variety of offices, including governor, lieutenant governor, state senator and representative, U.S. senator and U.S. representative.

The Federal Post Card Application for an absentee ballot may be downloaded from the Federal Voting Assistance Program website, www.fvap.gov, or the Department of State website at VotesPA.com.

Military voters may request electronic delivery of their ballot by indicating this preference on their application form or by contacting their county board of elections.

When complete, the application for an absentee ballot must be mailed to the board of elections of the county where the military member legally resides. However, to ensure prompt delivery of an absentee ballot, military members are strongly urged to fax or e-mail a copy of the signed application to their county board of elections in addition to sending it by mail. The absentee ballot will be mailed or delivered electronically to the military member promptly upon receipt of the fax or e-mail.

Under the state Election Code, requests that are made by fax or e-mail still require that a signed paper application for the absentee ballot be received by the county board of elections prior to Election Day. An original signature is required by law.

In addition, completed absentee ballots must be postmarked no later than the day before the election. Voted absentee ballots from members of the military must be postmarked no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 1, and received by the county board of elections by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 9.

"I ask all family members to contact their deployed service members to encourage them to request an absentee ballot so that they can vote in Pennsylvania's upcoming election," said Maj. Gen. Jessica L. Wright, the state's adjutant general. "The right to vote is one of the many freedoms vitally important for all Pennsylvanians, particularly those warriors who serve to protect our freedoms each day."

For more information on voter registration and absentee balloting, including contact information for county boards of elections, call the Department of State's toll-free hotline at 1-877-VOTESPA (1-877-868-3772), or visit VotesPA.com.

Media contacts:

Leslie Amoros, Dept. of State, 717-783-1621

Joan Z. Nissley, Dept. of Military & Veterans Affairs, 717-861-8720

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of State

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