CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. –The Franklin County Board of Election answers voters’ most frequently asked questions ahead of Pennsylvania’s Municipal Primary on May 19.
What time do polls open and close?
Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Registered voters who are in line at 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote.
Am I still registered to vote?
Voters can look up their voter registration status (active or inactive), party affiliation or polling place location on the SURE Public Portal, www.pavoterservices.pa.gov. Voters can also contact the Franklin County Voter Registration Office at 717-261-3886.
Where do I go to vote?There are 73 polling places in Franklin County. Voters need to vote at the polling place assigned to them based on their home address. Polling place locations are listed on voters’ registration cards. Polling place locations can also be verified at www.pavoterservices.pa.gov. This website also provides directions from a voter’s home to his or her polling place.
Has Franklin County changed any polling place locations since the last election? Fannett – Dry Run has a new permanent polling location at the Upper Path Valley Presbyterian Church located at 16950 Main St., Spring Run.
If I received an absentee or mail-in ballot, what is the deadline to return the voted ballot and where can I return it in– person?The deadline to return voted ballots is 8 p.m. May 19. Voters should mail their voted ballots as soon as possible so the Franklin County Voter Registration Office has ample time to receive them through U.S. mail. Voters who are concerned with their ballots arriving on time can deliver their voted ballots in person to the Franklin County Voter Registration Office, 272 N. Second St., Chambersburg. Voted ballots will not be accepted at a voter’s polling place.
For whom do I vote?
Offices on the May 19 General Primary ballot include governor, lieutenant governor, representative in Congress, representative in the General Assembly, and state and local party committee positions. Voters who are registered as Independent or with a minor political party will not be able to vote in this election.
Sample ballots are available on the Franklin County website, www.franklincountypa.gov. Sample ballots are also available at the Franklin County Commissioners’ Office, 272 N. Second St., Chambersburg.
What do I need to take with me to my polling place?
Voters who are voting in an election district for the first time will need an approved form of identification, either photo or non-photo. No other voter will be asked to present an ID.
Is my polling place handicapped accessible?
All Franklin County polling places are considered handicapped accessible.
May I receive assistance in voting?
No person is allowed to receive assistance in voting unless his or her registration record indicates the need for assistance, or the voter completes and signs a declaration of the need for assistance at the polling place prior to entering the voting booth. A voter may select anyone to assist them except the following individuals: the judge of election; the voter’s employer or agent of that employer; or an officer or agent of the voter’s union. Each polling place will have a magnifier with bifocal lenses available to assist those voters who may have trouble reading their ballot.
Are candidates allowed to pass out or display campaign literature at polling places?
The Election Code states that those individuals or candidates that are campaigning must remain at least 10 feet distant from the entrance of the polling place during the progress of voting.
Where can I find information about the candidates that will be appearing on the ballot? Check the local news organizations or contact either the Franklin County Democratic Committee (717-530-1662) or the Franklin County Republican Party (717-263-7999) for information.
Who do I contact with questions regarding voting or the Election Day process?
All voter registration questions should be directed to the Franklin County Voter Registration Office at 717-261-3886. All election related questions should be directed to the Franklin County Election Board at 717-261-3812. Additional election and voter registration information is available on the Franklin County website, www.franklincountypa.gov.
What type of voting system do we use in Franklin County?
For information on voting in Franklin County, you may watch an online demo and/or instructional video on voting a digital scan ballot using a DS200 Precinct Counter at www.votespa.com (Voting at a Polling Place; Know What to Expect; Find a video demo). Franklin County also has an assistive marking device for the blind or visually impaired in each polling place that is called an ExpressVote. A demo of this machine can also be viewed at that website.
Where can I view election results?
Franklin County results will be posted on the county’s website, www.franklincountypa.gov. To view results from other counties or for all of Pennsylvania, visit the Department of State’s website, www.pa.gov.
