Allegheny County Making Primary Mail-In Voting Option Easy

PITTSBURGH, PA - Allegheny County will send registered voters mail-in ballot applications for the June 2 primary, the county elections division announced Friday. While some overlap is expected, the applications will be sent to registered voters who have not yet applied for an absentee or mail-in ballot.

The mailing will include the mail-in ballot application and a postage-paid, addressed envelope to return that application to the elections office. Voters are also encouraged to apply online for the
ballot which also offers an opportunity to receive email updates on the status of the application and ballot throughout the election season.

Information on how to apply and links to the online application can be found at alleghenyvotes.com.

“We hope that voters will continue to seek mail-in ballots as it is the safest option for them, and for all of our residents, during this pandemic,” County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said in a release.

The county has 1,323 polling places requiring 6,615 poll workers (five per location) to run those sites. Additional staff and resources are needed for overall election operations. The bulk of those workers are seniors who have been canceling or are expressing concerns for their own health and well-being if they work at a poll.

Additionally, polling locations like schools, churches and senior apartments are indicating concerns with opening their locations to the public as well. This will leave the county to find other, alternative sites that are accessible and can accommodate an election.

As of Friday, more than 71,000 absentee and mail-in applications have been received from voters. More than 20,000 of them have been processed and the first mailing of ballots is now beginning.