As National Voter Registration Day passes and Election Day quickly approaches, the Butler County Democratic Committee reminds students of the importance of their vote.
Regina Greenwald, a Democratic committeewoman for the Slippery Rock borough, wants voters to understand how to vote by mail and be informed of the polling locations in the community.
Greenwald said a person’s most important responsibility is the right to vote, and she encourages students and faculty to vote in the November election.
Mail-in and absentee ballots
In the state of Pennsylvania, voters can request a mail-in ballot or an absentee ballot. Both types of ballots must be requested, completed and returned to the voter’s county election office.
Any voter is able to apply for a mail-in ballot. Voters can request this ballot without reason.
Voters can request an absentee ballot if they plan on being out of the municipality on Election Day or have a disability or illness. This ballot requires the voter to list the reason for the ballot choice.
Students or faculty that are not registered to vote in Slippery Rock are able to request an absentee ballot in order to vote in the election.
“Mail-in ballots are an extremely safe way to vote, so go for it,” Greenwald said.
In order to apply for an absentee or mail-in ballot, voters must provide proof of identification. Options to include on the form include current and valid Pennsylvania driver’s license, PennDOT photo ID card or the last four digits of your social security number. For other options, visit the votespa.com website under mail and absentee ballots.
Voters must apply for a mail-in or absentee ballot for the Nov. 3 general election by Oct. 27 at 5 p.m.
In order to request either ballot type, a person must be registered to vote. Students and faculty can visit the check your registration status webpage to review their registration information.
Completed mail-in ballots must be sent to the voter’s county election office by Nov. 3 at 8 p.m.
In-person voting and poll locations
If students and faculty decide to vote in person, Greenwald encourages them to check the votespa.com website for the nearest polling location.
Voting systems vary from county to county. Students and faculty can learn more about the voting system of their county by visiting the votespa.com website.
If students and faculty run into a problem or have any questions when voting in person at a polling location, they can ask a poll worker.
Volunteering at the polls
Students and faculty can become a poll worker by filling out the poll worker interest form on votespa.com.
Once a student has submitted a form, their county’s election office will contact them. Students may have to reach out to the election office to follow up on the form.
Those who are interested in working the polls must be registered to vote in the county that they will work in.
According to votespa.com, poll workers generally work the entire day on Election Day. The polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.
Counties train poll workers on the day of their duties.
Greenwald expressed how great of an opportunity it is to work the polls and earn a little extra money, as all poll workers are paid for the time that they work on Election Day.
“[Volunteering at the polls] is a great way to participate in our democracy,” Greenwald said.
Poll worker positions include judge of elections, majority inspector, minority inspector and machine operator.
Any additional information related to Election Day can be found at votespa.com.
