How to register to vote in Pennsylvania

The information on this page applies to the November 3, 2020 General Election. Voting for that election has ended in all states.

Who can vote

To register in Pennsylvania you must:

be a citizen of the United States at least one month before the next election
be a resident of Pennsylvania and your election district at least 30 days before the election
be at least 18 years of age on the day of the next election
You may also register if you:
are a pretrial detainee, confined in a penal institution awaiting trial on charges of a felony or a misdemeanor
got released or will get released by the date of the next election from a correctional facility or halfway house (this must be upon completion of the term of incarceration for conviction of a misdemeanor or a felony)
are on probation or released on parole
are under house arrest (home confinement)
*find more information on voting rights restoration here

Online voter registration

Pennsylvania offers online voter registration.
You should know: If you have a Pennsylvania ID, you can complete the voter registration process online. Your signature on file at PennDOT will be sent to your county voter registration office and become part of your voter record. If you do not provide a PennDOT number or if PennDOT cannot verify the information you enter on the form, you can upload a digital image of your signature to submit with the voter registration application form. If you don't have a Pennsylvania ID, and are unable to upload a signature, you can still register by mail to vote.

By-mail voter registration

Use the Pennsylvania voter registration form

You can also register to vote using the Pennsylvania voter registration form. Be sure to read the instructions carefully and fill it out completely. Send the completed form to your local election official

Use the National Voter Registration Form

Print and fill out the National Voter Registration Form.
Box 6 - ID Number: You must supply your Pennsylvania driver's license number, if you have one. If you do not have a driver's license number, you must supply the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you do not have a Social Security number, please write "NONE" in the box.
Box 7 - Choice of Party: Pennsylvania requires that you register with a party to participate in partisan primary elections. You should register with the party whose primary you would like to vote in.
Box 8 - Race or Ethnic Group: You are requested by the Federal Voting Rights Act to fill in this box.
Review the "Who can vote?" section above and check that you're eligible.
Sign the form.
Send the completed form to your local election official
If you are registering to vote for the first time in your jurisdiction and are mailing this registration application, Federal law requires you to show proof of identification the first time you vote. Proof of identification includes: A current and valid photo identification or A current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or government document that shows your name and address. More information here.

Election Day registration

Pennsylvania does not offer registration on Election Day.

In-person voter registration

Due to COVID-19, in-person services may have limited availability. Contact your local election office to confirm. See CDC guidance on safe in-person registration and voting.

You can also register to vote in person. Contact your local election office for information on when and where to register to vote.
Learn more by visiting the Department of State for Pennsylvania or contacting your local election official.

Get step-by-step help

If you’d like more help planning how to register, TurboVote can walk you through the process! They can also help you start the absentee/mail-in ballot request process, send you election reminders, and more.

Military and overseas voters

Active-duty military, their families, and overseas citizens can register to vote and request their absentee ballot using the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). The FPCA process is done by mail, but your state may offer other options to request and return ballots. Please contact your election official for more information about delivery and return methods, including email, fax, and state online portals. To follow the FPCA process:

Fill out the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), or download a copy. Your election official may have questions, so please provide an email address or phone number where they can reach you.
Send the application to your election official.
It is never too early to submit an FPCA! Please do so as soon as possible.
Please fill out and send back your ballot as soon as you receive it.
States begin mailing absentee ballots at least 45 days before Election Day. If you haven't received your ballot by 30 days before Election Day, contact your local election office.

If after submitting your FPCA, your ballot does not arrive, contact your election official first. Then:

You can still vote using the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB). Print, sign, and mail your FWAB to your local election office.
If you mail a FWAB and then receive your regular absentee ballot, you should complete and mail your absentee ballot also. Election officials will ensure that only one ballot is counted.

The Federal Voting Assistance Program – FVAP.gov offers additional information on military and overseas voting in Pennsylvania. You can also call 1-800-438-VOTE or email vote@fvap.gov

Check your voter registration status

You can look up your voter registration record and verify that your information is correct using Pennsylvania's voter registration lookup tool.

Election contact information for Pennsylvania

Address:
Department of State
210 North Office Building, 401 North Street
Harrisburg, PA 17120

Phone Number:
(717) 787-5280

Do you have feedback on the content you see here? From an incorrect date to insight on a rule change, we’d love to hear from you! Please fill out this form to share with us. Thank you!