Governor Wolf has signed Senate Bill 422, which reschedules the 2020 primary election from April 28 to June 2. The order includes other election process changes, including some due to the COVID-19 emergency. The bill provides process improvements to Act 77 of 2019, to allow counties to begin processing and tabulating mail ballots beginning at 7 a.m. on election day, rather than after the polls close at 8 p.m. Additionally, the measure allows counties to temporarily consolidate polling places without court approval and eases other rules regarding location and staffing of polling places for the primary to respond to county concerns about a potential shortage of poll workers and appropriate polling place locations.
The Governor stated that delaying this year’s primary election as several other states have done is in the best interests of voters, poll workers and county election officials.
The Department of State will continue to work with local election officials to ensure Pennsylvania has a fair and accessible election.
The last day to register to vote in the 2020 Primary is now May 18, 2020. All voter registration forms must be received by the Voter Registration Office by 4:30p.m. on May 18, 2020 and online (with a signature) by 11:59p.m. May 18, 2020. Registered voters do not need to file new applications despite the change in primary date.
Voters are also reminded of the new option to vote by mail-in ballot rather than going to a polling place on election day. The online application can be found here: www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/OnlineAbsenteeApplication/#/OnlineAbsenteeBegin
An FAQ section Regarding the June 2, 2020 Primary can be found here: https://www.delcopa.gov/electionsbureau/primaryfaq.html