Released: November 4, 2023
Sample Ballots, In-Person Polling Places, Secured Ballot Drop Boxes, Naked Ballots, and more
The Delaware County Bureau of Elections is in the final stages of preparation for the November 7, 2023 Municipal Election and continues to work to ensure that voters are well-prepared to cast their ballot, have clear expectations of the election process, and experience a safe, sound, and secure Election Day.
On Tuesday, all Delaware County polls will open at 7:00 a.m. and remain open until 8:00 p.m. Here is a rundown of what Delaware County voters should know before heading out to the polls or a ballot drop box.
Who Can Vote?
Registered voters from all political parties (Democratic, Republican, Independent, unaffiliated, other so-called “third parties”) are all eligible to vote in the Nov. 7, 2023 Municipal Election. Delaware County residents who are unsure if they are registered to vote, or unsure if their registration information is up-to-date (perhaps due to a recent change of address or change of name), can check their registration status on the Pennsylvania Department of State’s Votes PA website at DelcoPA.Gov/RegStatus.
Although the October 23 deadline to register to vote for the November 7, 2023 Municipal Election has passed, residents who wish to vote in the 2024 Primary and General Elections can submit a new or updated registration any day of the year. Residents can register online, by mail (paper registration forms can be downloaded in multiple languages), or in-person at the Voter Service Center, located in the Government Center Building at 201 W. Front Street in Media, PA. Details can be found on the Delco Votes! website at DelcoPA.Gov/Registration.
Sample Ballots
Unsure which offices are up for election, and who are the candidates running for them? Voters are encouraged to review a Sample Ballot for their precinct before voting. This will help voters familiarize themselves with the candidates and reduce time spent voting at the polling place, which will expedite the process for all voters. Personalized Sample Ballots, dynamically generated for each voter based on their municipality, ward, and precinct, can be viewed on the Delco Votes! website at DelcoPA.Gov/Sample.
Where to Vote In-Person
Unsure where to vote? Delaware County voters can locate their polling place for the November 7, 2023 Municipal Election on the Delco Votes! website at DelcoPA.Gov/Polls. Polling places can be determined by using a simple look-up tool, an interactive web-based map, or by downloading a PDF listing all polling places alphabetically.
While the majority of polling places usually remain consistent across elections, there are instances where a small number of polling places undergo changes. These changes can occur in response to community feedback, infrastructure construction projects, accessibility improvements, or other logistical considerations. The goal is to ensure that the voting process remains as convenient and accessible as possible for all eligible voters.
New polling places for the November 7, 2023 Municipal Election include:
Chester Township 2 - Wilson Center Chester Twp Admin Bldg, 1150 Engle St, Chester
Concord 9 & 10 - Garnet Valley High School, 552 Smithbridge Rd, Glen Mills (precincts now in school library; previously in gym)
Darby Borough 2-2 – Penn Wood Middle School, (7th & Fern entrance-Gym) 121 Summit St, Darby
Edgmont 2 - White Horse Village, 535 Gradyville Rd, Newtown Square
Haverford 5-3 - Haverford College – Facilities Mgmt Bldg, Equipment Garage Bay, 370 Lancaster Ave, Haverford
Middletown 3-1 - Riddle Village Retirement Community, 1048 W Baltimore Pike, Media
Norwood 1 & 2 - Norwood Fire Company, 336 Chester Pike, Norwood
Prospect Park 4 & 5. - Prospect Park Elementary School, 901 Pennsylvania Ave, Prospect Park
Thornbury 5 - Glen Mills Community Center, 54 Three Woods Dr, Glen Mills
Upper Darby 1-1, 1-2, 1-5, 1-9, 3-5 and 3-10. – Aronimink Elementary School, 4611 Bond Ave, Drexel Hill
Upper Darby 2-7 - Primos Branch Upper Darby Library, 409 Ashland Ave, Secane
As a reminder, by law, voters must go to their designated polling location to vote in-person on election day.
Election Day Issues
Voters who have questions or experience issues on Election Day can call the Delaware County Election Hotline at (610) 891-VOTE (8683). The hotline is staffed by trained employees prepared to answer Delaware County residents' questions and provide a variety of services, and is open Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Election Hotline will be open on Election Day from 7:00 a.m. - 12 midnight.
Voters can also call the PA Department of State at (877) 868-3772. Interpreters will be available for PA DOS calls.
The Voter Service Center
The Delaware County Voter Service Center is open and will provide a variety of in-person voter services on weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday morning from 9 a.m. to noon. On Election Day only, the Voter Service Center will open at 7 a.m. and remain open through the close of polls at 8 p.m.
Mail/Absentee Ballots (Also known as Vote-by-Mail Ballots)
The bulk of Delaware County mail/absentee ballots requested to-date for the November 7, 2023 Municipal Election have been mailed. Voters who requested their mail/absentee ballot within a few days of the October 31 deadline to request a ballot application should receive their mail/absentee ballot in the mail within 5 business days. Voters who have recently applied to vote using a mail/absentee ballot and have NOT yet received their ballot should contact the Election Hotline at (610) 891-VOTE (8683) or visit the Voter Service Center, located in the Government Center Building at 201 W. Front Street, in Media. The Voter Service Center is open on Election Day, Tuesday, November 7, from 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Don't Mail Your Mail/Absentee Ballot on Election Day
Ballots mailed through the US Postal Service on the Monday before Election Day, or on Election Day itself, are unlikely to reach the County by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. Ballots delivered after 8:00 p.m. on Election Day, regardless of the postmark date, cannot be counted.
Delaware County Elections voters who have yet to return their mail/absentee ballot are advised to use any of the more than three dozen ballot drop boxes located throughout Delaware County, or return their in-person at the Voter Service Center.
Returning Your Mail/Absentee Ballot at a County Ballot Drop Box
Delaware County voters may return their mail/absentee ballot at any of the approximately three dozen secured drop boxes located in municipalities across the County.
Drop boxes are large white metal receptacles with red, white, and blue decals, similar in size to a USPS mailbox, and clearly marked with the wording “Official Ballot Drop Box” and “Delaware County Board of Elections.” These drop boxes are located at safe, secure, ADA-compliant locations and are under video surveillance. Postage is not required to return a Delaware County mail/absentee ballot.
A list of drop box locations (and hours of operation) was included with the vote-by-mail ballots mailed by the County and drop box locations are also accessible on the Delco Votes! website at DelcoPA.Gov/Dropbox. Most ballot drop boxes are open 24/7 through Election Day (Note: Chadds Ford closes at 4:00 p.m. each weekday, including Election Day. Ridley Park Borough Hall, which typically closes at 4:00 p.m., will remain open until polls close at 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.
Don't Return Mail/Absentee Ballots for Friends and Family!
Voters are reminded that they are permitted to return only THEIR OWN mail/absentee ballot. Voters cannot return ballots for spouses, family members, or other individuals—unless an official ‘3rd Party Delivery Form’ (formerly called the “Authorize a Designated Agent to Help You Obtain and/or Return Your Mail-in or Absentee Ballot”) has been submitted and approved by the PA Department of State. Voters who attempt to return ballots on behalf of other voters without authorization will be referred to the Delaware County District Attorney for investigation.
Don't Vote Naked!
Voters who are casting a vote-by-mail ballot must mark their ballots in blue or black ink. Once the ballot has been completed, voters should place the ballot into the smaller of the two envelopes (marked Official Ballot Envelope), seal that envelope, and then place that into the larger pre-paid return envelope. Ballots returned without the Official Ballot Envelope are called "Naked Ballots" and cannot be counted.
Voters must also complete the voter declaration section on the exterior of the return envelope, being sure to include their signature, printed name, address, and date. Incomplete or inaccurate voter information may disqualify the ballot.
Correcting Flawed Ballot Envelopes
The Delaware County Bureau of Elections is responsible for reviewing all mail/absentee ballot envelopes that are returned before they may be opened, and the ballots can be counted. Mail/absentee envelopes with legal flaws are then segregated, and the Bureau attempts to contact voters to give the voter a chance to obtain a new ballot at the Voter Service Center or request a replacement mailed ballot, if time permits, or to cast a provisional ballot on election day.
Any mail/absentee ballot envelope with a legal flaw is disqualified. These flaws include unsigned, undated, improperly dated, unsealed, or not placed in the “secrecy envelope,” which then must be –placed in the “Ballot Return Envelope.” By law, the Delaware County Bureau of Elections is prevented from processing the ballots from flawed envelopes.
Voters who receive notice that the ballot envelope has a flaw must correct the ballot in-person at the Voter Service Center, located on the 1st floor of the Government Center Building, at 201 W. Front St., in Media, PA. If time permits, the voter may ask for a replacement ballot to be mailed. The last option is for the voter to cast a provisional ballot in the voter’s precinct polling place on Election Day.
Voters who included an email address on their applications should check their inbox (or spam box) for notification.
Military/Overseas Ballots
Military and overseas voters must complete their ballot and submit it for delivery by mail no later than 11:59 p.m. on the day before Election Day. The Bureau of Elections must receive voted military and overseas absentee ballots no later than 5:00 p.m. one week after Election Day.
Our Delco Votes! Website
For more election information, voters are reminded that the Delaware County’s election website — Delco Votes! — provides news, sample ballots, ballot drop box locations, polling location information, access to downloadable and online forms, livestreams and recordings of Board of Elections meetings, and more at DelcoPA.Gov/Vote.