PITTSBURGH –The Elections Division today
announced that extended hours for in-person ballot return will be offered to voters participating in the September 19, 2023 Special Elections by mail-in and absentee ballot. Extended hours, including weekend hours, will be available beginning Wednesday, September 13, 2023. To date, 5,751 voters have applied for a mail-in or absentee ballot and 2,665, or 46%, have returned their ballots to the Elections Division. Currently, ballot return is available in the lobby of the County Office Building at 542 Forbes Avenue in downtown Pittsburgh. Once extended hours kick in, elections staff will be located at the Ross Street entrance of the building. As has been done in the past, the right lane of Ross Street, closest to the County Office Building, will be sectioned off to allow motorists to easily pull over near the entrance and temporarily park their vehicle while they return their completed ballot. Voters are reminded of the following:
State law requires that voters return their own ballot; they may not return the ballots of others;
Ballots must be placed in the secrecy envelope; "naked" ballots will not be counted;
Voters should not mark the secrecy envelope in any way; and
Voters must sign and correctly date the declaration envelope; if either the signature or date, or both, are missing, or an incorrect date is on the envelope, the ballot cannot be counted
Ballot Return, Ross Street Entrance
Over-the-Counter Voting, Office Hours Over-the-counter voting will remain available through 5 PM on Tuesday, September 12, which is the deadline to apply for a mail-in or absentee ballot for the special election. Staff are located in the lobby of the County Office Building at a kiosk. Voters in the 21st Legislative Districts may apply for, receive, complete and return their ballot in one visit. If a voter has made an error on their ballot, or has not received one previously applied for, the Elections Division can reissue the ballot at the kiosk or in Elections’ main offices during regular business hours,
Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, provided that the original application was received prior to 5 PM today on September 12, 2023. The Elections office is located on the third floor of the County Office Building. Voters should follow signage to the office when they exit the elevator on that floor. On Election Day All polling places in the 21st Legislative District will be open on the Special Election Day of September 19. Hours are from 7 AM to 8 PM, and anyone in line at 8 PM will be allowed to vote. To verify your polling place, visit https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/pages/pollingplaceinfo.aspx. The state’s site is set up to use your mailing address, NOT your municipality. All voters residing in the districts included in the special elections will receive letters from Elections advising of their polling place for the September 19 special election, if
they wish to vote in person. First-time voters at a polling place are reminded that they will be asked to show identification. Accepted forms are listed here: https://www.votespa.com/Register-to-Vote/Pages/Voter-ID-for-First-Time-Voters.aspx.
