Election Day 2026: What PA Voters Should Know

PENNSYLVANIA — The Pennsylvania Department of State has released comprehensive information for voters ahead of Tuesday's General Election.

Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt said Monday that voters should know all of their rights at the polls and be informed about how best to make their vote count.

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"I also want to remind everyone that carefully counting ballots takes time, and county elections officials rightly prioritize accuracy over speed," Schmidt said in a statement.

"We urge patience after the polls close as county election officials do their jobs and accurately count the ballots. If a race is close, it may take more time to determine who the winner is as provisional ballots and military and overseas civilian absentee ballots are counted after Election Day."

Here's what to know about Election Day:

Polls will be open across the state from 7 a.m.-8 p.m.m. Any voter in line by 8 p.m. will be allowed to cast their ballot. Voters can find their polling place here.

If a voter requested a mail ballot but wants to vote in person instead, they should surrender their mail ballot, including the outer envelope, at their polling place and vote there. Voters who no longer have their mail ballot, or never received one, can vote by provisional ballot at their polling place.

First-time voters, or those voting for the first time in a new precinct, must show identification. Both photo and non-photo identification is acceptable.

If a voter's name is not in the poll book, poll workers can call the county board of elections to see if the voter is listed in another precinct in the county. A registered voter who is in the wrong polling place should go to the correct polling place. A voter who still believes they are registered in that precinct can vote there by provisional ballot.

According to the Department of State, voters who moved within Pennsylvania but did not update their address before the election can vote at their previous precinct, as long as they update their address at the polling place.

Another provisional ballot option exists for voters who have been told by their county that their mail ballot may not be counted due to an error – such as a missing signature or secrecy envelope.

In an unanticipated illness, disability, or last-minute absence from their municipality, voters can request an emergency absentee ballot. The deadline to submit that application and ballot to their county elections office is 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Voters have the right to language and literacy assistance at the polls. Anyone can assist as long as the person is not the voter's employer, union representative, or the polling place's Judge of Elections. A voter also has the right to privacy at the polling place.

Voters have the right to vote without being subjected to intimidation, harassment, or discriminatory conduct. A voter who experiences any of the above should report it to their county board of elections or their county district attorney's office. They can also call the Department of State's year-round voter hotline at 1-877-VOTESPA (1-877-868-3772).