On Nov. 7, Philadelphia will elect a new mayor, and voters statewide will pick judges to serve in Pennsylvania courts, including the state's Supreme Court. Even if that’s news to you, there’s still time to register.
With the registration deadline coming up on Oct. 23, it’s best to use the state’s online form or to register in person at a county election office. You can also mail in your application, but it must be received by the election office by the deadline, so we wouldn’t recommend that at this point. To be eligible to register in Philadelphia, you must be a U.S. citizen for at least a month before the election, a resident of Philadelphia and your election district for at least 30 days, and be at least 18 years old by election day.
If you’re planning to cast a mail or absentee ballot, the deadline to apply is Oct. 31 at 5 p.m. Once your voter registration is completed, you can apply online or by mail. Just remember that, as with registration, the election office needs to receive all mail applications before the deadline.
If you plan to vote in person, you can look up your polling place here.
One more note: If it’s your first time voting, or first time voting after changing your address, you’ll need to show a valid form of identification, such as a driver’s license, student ID, or bank statement. Also, if you’ve moved within Pennsylvania since the last election but haven’t had time to update your registration, you’re allowed to vote at your old polling place this time.
