Submitted by CashierHound t3_yfyckb in pittsburgh
For those voting by mail, you'll receive two envelopes that both say "Official Election Ballot": one with a mailing address / declaration, and one that's otherwise blank. Make sure to place and seal your completed ballot inside the mostly-blank envelope first.
The instructions are flagrantly ambiguous and your vote could be thrown out if not sealed in the correct sequence of envelopes. Voter suppression in action!
I know I did it wrong and I have three degrees…so, thanks OP
I have zero degrees and found the instructions to be very clear.
What the hell did you study, and who let you?
Maybe I'm biased because I'm used to the tedious instructions associated with mailing antlerless deer hunting license applications. By comparison the mail in ballot rules are almost simple. Sorry to hear you had trouble!
For real, doe tag apps are hard mode by comparison. Damn you, pink envelope!
There's a state bill being considered that would allow for antlerless application via the website. I forget the exact bill number, but it's a clean bill and seriously needs to pass.
Are they business degrees or something?
And I will strongly argue that the instructions were ambiguous. See the highlighted sentences https://imgur.com/PSqeuy5
The issue is that both envelopes contain the phrase "Official Election Ballot", and the instructions tell you to seal one (irreversible) before disambiguating which is which
It's quite obvious once you read further but I guarantee I'm far from the only one who messed this up.
"Put ballot inside the mostly blank envelope (Official Election Ballot envelope), and put that envelope inside the envelope that has the address (Elections Division) and Voter's Declaration on it."
Im not trying to rail on you OP, but this isnt voter suppression.
Honestly I think just a tiny amount of critical thinking could save you a ton of trouble. One envelope is basically blank, the other contains an address for it to be mailed. Which would you think needs to be in the outside?
Also, maybe read all the instructions before getting started. I’ll agree that they could have been more clear in general (a numbered list would grade been nice) but the overall process is pretty straightforward.
If one reads over the instructions once or twice then it’s hard to make a mistake. I agree it would have been easier if they just had a 1 and a 2 on each envelope and gave numbered directions.
I don't understand why you're being downvoted. I had the same flag when I read the instructions – that both envelopes say "Official Election Ballot."
Also make sure you stamp it!! I walked out the door ready to mail them without stamps, im glad I looked before tossing them in the mail
We still mail them out regardless. But yes put a stamp on it.
Wait I didn’t stamp mine, will it be counted?
Yes, they still get sent to the elections office regardless.
It literally said it doesn’t need postage, wtf, stop spreading misinformation
Mine said it required postage in the stamp corner
It explicitly says on the outside envelope that postage is paid by the addressee (so the government), that would be a huge voter suppression move if they made postage required and illegal in the state of PA
Not all counties pay postage. In Allegheny mine needed a stamp.
Oh maybe it’s a county by county thing. I’m in Montgomery. If it does then that’s mad confusion
Just had to grab one here to double check. In the top right corner, “first-class postage required”. Not sure where you’re looking.
First class postage PAID BY THE ADDRESSEE aka the government! You can just put it in the damn box! Just because it says that doesn’t mean you have to put a stamp on it! It means it’s paid for by the govt!
Yeahhhh, no
Ok apparently different counties have different rules according to some other people on here
I thought it was pretty clear? Though I was not expecting to have to stamp it
You don't have to stamp it
Yes, you do.
You do….
This is my first time voting in PA. Can I check to make sure my mail-in ballot was counted? Where I was before, I could see on election day that it was (and if it wasn't, you could go vote in person).
You get an email back stating the following:
Your ballot has been received by xxxxxxxx County on xx /xx/2022.
Your ballot status has been updated to reflect your official ballot has been received timely and recorded.
Please note: You are no longer permitted to vote at your polling place location now that you have returned your ballot timely.
Thank you for your reply, it was helpful.
Voting here is less convenient than in Florida (and I thought everything in Florida was worse)! Would it kill them to let us go to the polls all week?
> Would it kill them to let us go to the polls all week?
No, but different people might get elected.
Heck, they can't get enough people to fully staff the polls for ONE day.
Wouldn't mail-in voting always be more convenient than having to go to a polling place, even if they were open for a week?
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Go here: https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/pages/ballottracking.aspx
"Vote recorded" means they received your ballot and put it the the pile to count. The state bans them from opening the envelopes before the polls open on election day.
Still haven’t received mine and I double checked my info was submitted and accurate. When should I start worrying? I’ll unfortunately be out of state during election week.
https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/pages/ballottracking.aspx
It's getting pretty close to worry time if you're not planning on dropping it off in person.
I’ve been tracking mine and it says it was dispatched from the office 3 weeks ago and it still hasn’t arrived. I have no idea what happened to it or where it is. I’m an 8 hour drive away and I plan on driving the entire way there and back on Election Day to vote because this is bullshit
You might have some options so that you're not traveling 16 hours on election day. Per this news release (PDF download), "the Elections Division can reissue the ballot in its main offices during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM." Elsewhere on their site they say, "If you do not receive your ballot within 7-10 days of it being sent, please contact the Elections Division to determine what options you may have."
Since you've already applied for the ballot, I would suspect that the Nov. 1 application deadline does not apply to you. You could show up downtown, get a reissued ballot, and return the voted ballot. On election day, just go to your polling place. Be aware that you'll only be able to vote a provisional ballot unless you can surrender the original ballot.
Great that I can get a new ballot in person but doesn’t really solve the problem of being 8 hours away…I take it there’s not some fast tracked process? I can only get out of my current city for that day so either I drop money on a plane ticket or I’m driving 16 hours
Yep. Just checked and saw mine got mailed out three weeks ago too. I gotta make some phone calls and cancel my trip now.
I think some places you can go in person and request one in person and just vote on sight?
In Allegheny county, if you haven't already requested a ballot online or through the mail, you can request one in person at the city county building. They'll issue it immediately, and you can fill it out and return while you're there.
But what if you ordered one though the mail on purpose cause you’d be out of town and it didn’t come in? It can’t just be your SOL
I can't answer that, you'd have to ask the elections office. I imagine they have ways to help you out.
When did you apply for the mail in ballot?
My application was already on-file from the primaries, and I received and returned my ballot weeks ago.
So unless you just recently applied, I'd say you should have started worrying a week or two ago.
You can come in and actually be re-issued a ballot until 5pm on the first of the month (430 Monday) . Weekdays only. Might even be me doing it. If it’s after the first, you will have to complete an emergency ballot application instead. Same process.
If you happen to end up not traveling out of town then show up to vote in person and explain the situation. They'll let you do a provisional vote. Good luck to you.
Got an email on the 27th saying this
“ Your ballot is almost ready, and it is being prepared for mailing. If you do not receive your ballot within 7 days, please contact your county election office.”
Not feeling confident
I have received 17 reminder flyers to vote but no fucking ballots
Check your status:
https://www.pavoterservices.pa.gov/pages/ballottracking.aspx
Says it was mailed on 10/7. I did not get it
You'll probably have to visit the election office downtown, or vote provisionally in person then. Sounds like it's lost in the mail
Edit:
The ACLU actually filled a complaint with the county over this issue.
https://www.wesa.fm/politics-government/2022-10-26/pa-aclu-details-concerns-about-mail-in-ballots-in-letter-to-county-elections-officials
Why don't people go to booth for voting ?
I’ve always voted in person, unfortunately I’m out of town for work in election day. Glad to have the option of voting by mail, but definitely prefer in person.
Or, you could just go vote in person. 🥴
I called the voting office and was told that could reseal the other envelope then initial next to it and my vote would be counted.
Voter suppression is when not reading directions
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Just because I’m a voter who happens to be mail doesn’t mean I can’t handle two envelopes…
Thanks for the heads up! Just filled ours out!
Voting in person to make sure it counts!!!
Or the government making an easy task more complicated than it needs to be…if privacy is the purpose of the second envelope, the ballot could just have easily been folded over on itself to hide the votes…
Sometimes the ballot has two sides.
This election is very important for both sides of the aisle. I wouldn't risk mail in voting if you are physically capable of voting in person. Obviously if you're not physically capable or going to be out of town then use mail-in voting.
I mailed in my ballot already, not because I expect to be unavailable to vote in person, but because I have two young kids and who the heck knows what unexpected emergency might pop up on Election Day that keeps me away from my polling location. A mailed-in vote still counts, so I just went with that route to hedge my bets against a sudden lack of availability.
I completely respect that decision. I know it's difficult with a couple of kids.
I refuse to cede the right to vote by mail. Either the votes count or they don’t. Either mail in votes matter, or they don’t.
Stop victim blaming people and instead demand fair process.
How are they victim blaming? The fuck?
People who have their votes frivolously discarded (assuming they followed the directions in good faith) are victims. The person I replied to is implying that if they (we) get fucked over, it is their fault for voting by mail instead of voting in-person.
Now, look - I know you're thinking "they never said that." But what they are doing is de-legitimizing mail-in ballots. They are accepting and perpetuating that mail-in ballots are unreliable when that is just not the case. I've voted by mail my entire adult life (with the exception of two primaries that I voted in-person). Each and every time I received my ballot in a timely manner and received confirmation that it had been received by the county - including when I lived in a red state. There was never any issue until Republicans started making it an issue in 2020, because Democrats understood COVID-19 for the threat that is was while Republicans denied that it was a threat at all. It was always about making sure "our team" was scared away from the polls while "their team" had no fear (even if they should have). Fuck them - the system works so long as you give it the proper resources and aren't trying to threaten poll workers just trying to do their jobs. If we don't give the proper resources and don't allow poll workers to do their jobs, we are already failed as a democracy.
Instructions are very clear. If you are confused by it, ask for assistance. Or.... Get your ass up (provided that you are able) and vote like like normal able people.
I think Fetterman is the OP.
Sorry to inform you, mail in voting is the new normal for even able people. If not already, it soon will be.
No need to be sorry.
I'm sorry you find instructions so complicated.
You're right, there was no need for me to put in an insincere apology.
Why would I be sorry that a form of balloting used since the civil war is finally catching on as the new normal?
cowboyjosh2010 t1_iu5ux5d wrote
Disagree pretty strongly that the instructions are ambiguous. The instruction card in my mail-in ballot materials package was very clear about what to do, and in what order to do it. The only thing it didn't cover was whether or not it was necessary to hand write your return address on the outer mailing envelope. But I know how mail works...letters need a return address, and this outer envelope has a space for a return address to be hand-written in. So I filled it in despite the lack of instruction addressing this.
But like, just read the instructions people! They tell you what to do, and it's pretty darn important that you do it.