When it comes to voting, college students in Pennsylvania have multiple options. Here’s what you need to know ahead of the Nov. 5 election.
Elizabeth Estrada of Spotlight PA
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters.
HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania is home to nearly 300 colleges, universities, and technical schools. If you are one of the hundreds of thousands of students who attend any of these institutions and are eligible to vote, you have options on how to do so in the upcoming election on Nov. 5.
Whether you are voting for the first time, choosing to vote by mail, or simply updating your registration, here’s everything you need to know about how to cast a ballot as a college student in Pennsylvania:
Can college students vote in Pennsylvania?
Yes, as long as they meet the requirements to register to vote in Pennsylvania:
- Be a citizen of the United States for at least one month before the election;
- Be a resident of your election district for at least 30 days before the next election;
- And be at least 18 on Election Day.
If you meet those requirements, you can choose the address at which you register — though you can pick only one.
You can register to vote where you currently live, whether it’s on or off campus, or at your prior home address, as long as you still have family or a guardian that resides there.
If you register at your prior home address and plan to vote in person, it’s important to consider how feasible it will be to travel to your polling place. Plan your Election Day accordingly and remember that as long as you are in line to vote by 8 p.m., you are allowed to cast your vote.
If I am new to Pennsylvania and moved here to attend college, can I still register to vote with my college address?
As long as you have lived in the voting district where you plan to vote for at least 30 days before the election, you can register to vote with your college address.
What if I live off campus?
If you live off campus, you can use that address to register to vote.
What if I moved to a new address on or off campus?
If you are already registered to vote, have moved to a new address, and would like to vote from this address, you must update your voter registration by Oct. 21.
Am I eligible to vote if I turn 18 on Election Day?
As long as you meet the additional requirements of being a United States citizen and being a resident of the election district where you plan to register for at least 30 days, you are eligible to vote if you are at least 18 years old on or before Election Day. This is true whether it’s a primary, special, municipal, or general election.
The last day to register to vote for the upcoming general election is Oct. 21.
I’m voting for the first time. How do I prepare and what should I expect?
Voting for the first time is very exciting! If you plan to vote in person, look up your polling place ahead of time and plan when and how you will get there. You can make it an activity and bring your friends and family if they will be voting at the same location as you. In Pennsylvania, polls open at 7 a.m., and as long as you are in line by 8 p.m., you are allowed to cast your vote.
Any time you vote for the first time at a new location you will need to show a photo or non-photo ID, so make sure you have that with you.
It’s good practice to take a look at a sample ballot ahead of time by visiting your local county website. This will inform you what races you will be voting on and if there are any ballot measures.
For the upcoming Nov. 5 election, Pennsylvanians will cast their votes for president, U.S. House and Senate, state row offices (attorney general, auditor general, and treasurer), and the legislature. If you are looking for detailed information about Pennsylvania’s statewide races, check out our Election Center, where you can find detailed guides on candidates.
What if I want to vote by mail?
In Pennsylvania, all voters can vote by mail if they choose to.
To request a mail ballot, you have to be registered to vote. Keep in mind that you will need time to fill out and return your mail ballot. You also have the option to return your completed ballot to your county election office or a drop box, if your county has them.
Remember: Mail ballots must be received by the county election office before 8 p.m. on Election Day. Postmarks do not count.
Visit vote.pa.gov to read the Pennsylvania Department of State’s rules for mail ballots.
I’m studying abroad. How can I vote?
If you will be out of the country on Election Day, you can still vote. The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) provides support to U.S. citizens who are overseas so that they can cast their ballots from afar.
First, you must be registered to vote. You can register using any official registration form — online, by mail, or in-person.
If you are overseas, you can vote using an absentee ballot. There are various ways to request one:
- Apply online or via a mail-in application.
- Request an application be sent to your email by reaching out to stsvcuocavaabs@pa.gov, or request a paper application be mailed to you by emailing ST-UOCAVAQues@pa.gov.
- Complete the Federal Post Card Application and send it to your county election office. Depending on where you live, you might have the option to mail it to your local election office, or send the application via email or fax.
The deadline to request an absentee ballot is Oct. 29 and the application must be received by 5 p.m. on that day by your county election office. However, it is highly recommended that you submit your application as soon as possible to ensure it is processed and sent out in a timely manner.
If you don’t receive your ballot in time, contact your local election office — you might be eligible to vote via a Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB). In Pennsylvania, you are required to register and request an absentee ballot before filling out the form for a FWAB.
Visit fvap.gov for more information about the process of voting while abroad.
Read Spotlight PA’s complete coverage, including candidate and election guides, primers on misinformation, and more, at our 2024 Election Center.
BEFORE YOU GO… If you learned something from this article, pay it forward and contribute to Spotlight PA at spotlightpa.org/donate. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results.
