PA Mail-In Ballots Will Include Postage-Paid Return Envelopes

PENNSYLVANIA — As Pennsylvania prepares for a 2020 general election like none in its history, the state is working to find ways to improve the mail-in voting process. Residents are strongly encouraged to vote by mail to help promote social distancing amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Officials announced this week that the state is providing funding so that all mail-in and absentee ballots can be returned at no cost to the voter.

“Our goal is to make voting as accessible, safe, and easy for eligible voters as possible,” Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth Boockvar said.

More than 1.5 million Pennsylvanians voted by mail-in ballot during the primary in June, and many more are expected to do so come November.

Residents can apply for their mail-in ballot online by filling out this short form.

Many individual counties offered postage for mail-in ballots during the primary, but it was not a statewide initiative. County leaders praised the move, and said it would improving voting access.

“It’s our job as public servants to make the voting process as seamless as possible for our citizens," David Pedri, the county manager of Luzerne County, said in a statement.

Vote by mail has become a point of partisan contention in Pennsylvania and nationwide, with Republicans saying the process is not secure and slow. It took weeks for some counties in the state to fully count their ballots following the primary. But officials are optimistic things can be improved for the general election.

"There was definitely a learning curve there," Montgomery County Commissioner Ken Lawrence told Patch, expressing optimism that things would run more smoothly in November. "We haven't dealt with this before."

The state is working with individual counties to determine the best way to fund the postage for mail-in ballots. Options include metered postage, Business Reply Mail postage costs, or simply reimbursement for stamps.

Meanwhile, polling places will remain open for voters who choose to vote in person on Election Day, Nov. 3, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.