Updated: October 29, 2021
Delaware County Elections has completed the printing and release of all vote-by-mail ballots requested by Delaware County voters for the Nov. 2, 2021 Municipal Election, including mail-in, absentee, and Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB) ballots requested by military and overseas voters.
Voters who have received their vote-by-mail ballot are reminded that the ballot must be received by Delaware County Elections by 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tues. Nov. 2. Vote-by-mail ballots can be returned at any official Delaware County drop box (see delcopa.gov/dropbox for locations) or in-person at the Voter Service Center in Media. Delaware County Elections is advising voters to avoid using the U.S. Postal Service due to an inability to guarantee delivery by the November 2 deadline. Postmarks will not be honored.
Voters casting a vote-by-mail ballot are reminded that they will receive two ballots, clearly marked “Ballot A” (that lists all contests for state and local elections) and “Ballot B” (that lists judicial-retention questions). The “Ballot A” and “Ballot B” sheets should be returned together in the secrecy envelope, marked “OFFICIAL ELECTION BALLOT.” Voters are not required to vote both ballots but only those ballots returned in the privacy envelope inside the envelope that is signed and dated by the Voter will be counted.
Delaware County voters who applied for—but still have NOT received—a vote-by-mail ballot have the following options:
Replacement Ballots. Voters who previously applied for a vote-by-mail ballot will be able to receive a replacement ballot at the Voter Service Center in Media, mark it, and submit it on-site. The Voter Service Center is located on the 1st Floor of the Government Center Building, 201 W. Front St., in Media. Voter Service Center hours are:
- Friday, Oct. 29: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 30: 9:00 a.m. – 12 noon
- Monday, Nov. 1: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, Nov. 2, Election Day: 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Voters may also take the replacement ballot home and return it to any of Delaware County’s 40+ secured ballot drop boxes by 8 p.m. on Election Day, Tue. Nov. 2. The list of drop boxes is available at delcopa.gov/dropbox. Vote-by-mail ballots must be received by Delaware County by close of polls at 8 p.m. on Tue., Nov. 2—regardless of postmark date—in order to be counted.
Please note that voters who have lost, damaged, or made irreversible errors on their vote-by-mail ballot can also obtain a replacement ballot in-person at the Voter Service Center.
Provisional Ballots. Under Pennsylvania law, voters who have not received their vote-by-mail ballot by Election Day may cast a provisional ballot at the voter’s home precinct polling place on Election Day (Nov. 2) between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. If a completed vote-by-mail ballot is not received by the County and the voter’s registration is valid, that provisional ballot—per Pennsylvania law—will be counted.
Vote-By-Mail Voters Who Decide to Vote In-Person. Voters who applied to vote by mail but change their mind and decide to vote in their home precinct on Election Day must return their ballots (both “Ballot A” and “Ballot B”) and their bar-coded return envelopes at their precinct polling place in order to receive a standard ballot. If the voter lacks these items, the voter may cast a provisional ballot.
Voters are reminded that, per Pennsylvania state law, the third-party return of ballots is prohibited unless the person returning the ballot is rendering assistance to a disabled voter or an emergency absentee voter. Such assistance requires a declaration signed by the voter and the person rendering assistance. Copies of this form can be found on the Delco Votes! website at delcopa.gov/vote.
Questions? Call our Election Hotline at (610) 891-VOTE (8683), Mon-Fri, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., and Sat., 9 a.m. – 12 noon.