Accessible Voting in Pennsylvania
For the Tuesday, November 8, 2022 General election in Pennsylvania
- You must be registered to vote.
- All voters can request a ballot by mail.
- Early voting locations are open before Election Day
- All voters can use an accessible vote-by-mail system.
- All voters are asked to show a photo ID.
Accessible Voting Tips
As a voter with a disability, you have a right to vote privately and independently, at an accessible voting location, on an accessible voting system.
If you need more information or assistance using your right to vote, these organizations can help
- Visit your state Accessible Voting for Citizens with a Disability page or call (717) 787-5280 for the options available in your state.
- Contact your local election office for help voting and details about local support for accessible voting.
- Your local Center for Independent Living has information and other support.
- Call your state National Disability Rights Network (NRDN) Protection & Advocacy office if someone is interfering with your right to vote.
- If you are a first-time voter or moved recently, check the voter ID requirements in your state. VoteRiders has information about the types of identification accepted.
- You can also call 1-800-OUR-VOTE to report any problems voting.
Your rights
As a voter with a disability, you have a right to:
- Vote privately and independently
- At an accessible polling place
- Using an accessible voting system
If you need assistance you can:
- Ask an election worker, or
- Bring someone to help you
You may request your local election officials to tell you about any voting aids, voting assistance, and absentee ballot procedures that are available.
Election officials must make any reasonable accommodations you need to vote. This might include
- A place to sit if you have trouble standing
- A quiet, private place to vote
You cannot be refused the right to vote because an election worker thinks your disability means you are not qualified to vote.
Open the sections on this page to learn more about accessible options for early voting, voting in person on election day, and voting by mail.
Accessible voting features in Pennsylvania for voters with disabilities
- Sign up each year to receive a ballot by mail for all elections
- All voters can use an accessible vote-by-mail system
Ask your local election office about other support for accessible voting, like:
- Election and voting information in large print, audio, or Braille versions.
- Curbside or drive-up voting, so you don’t have to get out of your car.
- Ballot delivery to your home or a “ride to the polls” program.
- An opportunity to practice using the accessible voting system.
- Emergency voting options if you are hospitalized or ill.
- How to get assistance in marking and casting your ballot.
- Other services or assistance for voters with disabilities.
Learn more about the laws that protect your rights
Early voting is voting in person before Election Day, which is usually less crowded than going to vote on Election Day itself. There are different kinds of early voting, so check the options available for you. They might include:
- vote centers where you can vote at any location in your jurisdiction
- super polling places where you are assigned a location
- voting at an elections office or satellite office
- in-person absentee, where you go to an elections office, get your mail ballot, and then mark and cast it in the office.
Early voting is called in-person absentee voting in Pennsylvania.
September 14 through October 27, early voting is available at your local election office.
Early voting hours and locations can vary. Check with your local elections office.
- You can drop off your ballot at all early voting locations for your jurisdiction.
Find an early voting center near you.
When you vote in person on Election Day, you go to a voting center to mark and cast your ballot in person. Every in-person voting location is required to have accessible voting systems available.
Polling places are open from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
You can drop off your mail ballot at your local elections office on Election Day.
Find your polling place.
Accessible voting systems for in-person voting
The accessible voting systems used in Pennsylvania are shown below. Contact your local election office for more information or a change to practice using the system you will vote on.
Clear Ballot ClearAccess
A ballot marking device.
It has a touchscreen, audio, and tactile controls on a small keypad.
The printed ballot is a facsimile of a hand-marked paper ballot.
Ballots are cast at a separate scanner.
Learn more about using ClearAccess
- Short video tutorial from Clear Ballot (YouTube 1:49)
- Clear Access product page
- Information about ClearAccess 2.0 from Pennsylvania
Dominion ImageCast X
A ballot marking device.
It has a touchscreen, audio, and tactile controls on a small keypad.
The ballot is printed using a separate printer.
The printed ballot has a list of the voter’s selections and a QR code.
The ballot is cast at a separate scanner.
Learn more about using Dominion ICX
- Short video tutorial from Pennsylvania (YouTube 2:32)
- Short video tutorial from Sacramento (You Tube 3:40)
- Longer instructional video from Michigan (YouTube 15:16)
- Information about Dominion ICX from Pennsylvania
ES&S ExpressVote
A ballot marking device.
It has a touchscreen, audio, and tactile controls on a small keypad.
The printed ballot is a list of selections printed on a narrow card.
Ballots are cast at a separate scanner.
Learn more about using ExpressVote
- Short video tutorial from Pennsylvania (YouTube 1:53)
- Video from Michigan (You Tube 12:29)
- Information about ExpressVote from Pennsylvania
ES&S ExpressVote Tabulator
A ballot marking device.
It has a touchscreen and tactile controls on a small keypad.
The printed ballot is a list of selections printed on a narrow card.
Ballots are cast and counted at the ballot marking device.
Learn more about the ExpressVote Tabulator
ES&S ExpressVote XL
A ballot marking device with a very large screen.
It has a very large touchscreen, audio, and tactile controls on a small keypad.
The printed ballot is a list of selections printed on a narrow card.
A paper ballot is printed and viewed behind glass.
Ballots are cast and counted at the ballot marking device,
Learn more about using ExpressVote XL
- Short video tutorial from Pennsylvania (YouTube 2:05)
- Information about ExpressVote XL from Philadelphia
Hart InterCivic Verity Touch Writer
A ballot marking device.
It has a touchscreen, audio, and tactile controls using the Hart “move wheel.”
The printed ballot is a facsimile of a hand-marked paper ballot.
The ballot is cast at a separate scanner.
Learn more about using the Touch Writer
- Short video tutorial from Hart (YouTube 2:29)
- Longer instructional video from Michigan (YouTube 11:36)
- Information about Verity Touch Writer from Pennsylvania
- Verity Touch Writer product page from Hart InterCivic
Unisyn OpenElect Freedom Vote Tablet (FVT)
A ballot marking device.
It has a touchscreen, audio, and tactile controls on a small keypad.
The ballot is printed on a small strip of paper using a built-in printer.
Learn more about using the Freedom Voting Tablet
- Short video tutorial from Unisyn (Vimeo 3:47 - no captions)
- OpenElect FVT product page from Unisyn
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Voting by mail can be an accessible option for voters with disabilities. It lets you vote at home, so you can mark, verify and return a paper ballot privately and independently. Some states have emergency options if you are hospitalized or ill. |
Deadline to return your ballot:
Received by the close of polls on November 8.
How to get your ballot
- All voters can request a ballot.
- Voters can sign up to receive a ballot request for all elections in a year.
- Voters with disabilities can sign up to receive a ballot for all future elections.
To get your ballot you can:
- Request a ballot online.
- Download, print, and mail a request form.
Request a ballot on the state voter registration form.
- You must provide the number from your state-issued photo ID, such as your driver's license.
- If you don't have a state-issued photo ID, you can use your Social Security Number.
How to return your ballot
By mail
At a secure drop box
At your local elections office
At an early voting location
At any ballot drop-off location
Find a ballot drop-off location near you at your local elections website.
Make sure your ballot counts! Remember...
Return your ballot promptly. Postmarks don't count.
Put enough postage on the envelope.
Make sure your ballot is sealed in the envelope.
Sign the form on the envelope.
- Voters with disabilities can appoint someone to return their ballot for them. Contact your local elections office for more information.
- If someone helped you, have them complete the form for assistants.
Learn about accessible voting by mail options in the next card.
Accessible voting by mail allows voters with disabilities to mark a mail-in ballot electronically, using their own technology and assistive tools.
To use accessible tools for voting by mail, typically voters:
- Download an electronic ballot to mark using personal technology
- Print the ballot and any signature form
- Seal the ballot in an envelope
- Return it by mail or to a ballot drop off locatoin
Some states allow electronic return by email, fax, or a secure portal.
There is a statewide accessible vote by mail program in Pennsylvania called accessible remote ballot
- You can use accessible vote by mail if you are a registered voter.
You must apply for an absentee or mail-in ballot first. Then wait at least 24 hours to use the online form to submit a request for an {accessible_vbm_name}.
Your local election office will
- Mail you a packet of materials that includes your return and secrecy envelopes.
- Send you an email with instructions for how to access the ballot, mark it, and return it.
Deadline to return your ballot:
Received by the close of polls on November 8.
Returning a printed ballot
- Print the marked ballot and check it to be sure it is marked correctly
- Follow the instructions to complete any forms that must be returned with the ballot.
- Seal the ballot in the secrecy envelope.
- Put the secrecy envelope in the return envelope
- Sign the voter’s signature form
To return your ballot:
- By mail
- At your local election office
The systems in use in Pennsylvania for accessible voting by mail are:
DemocracyLive OmniBallot Portal
Accessible system for voting by mail.
Delivers and returns ballot through a secure online portal.
Creates a paper facsimile of a hand-marked paper ballot for tabulation.
Voters have the option to print and mail their ballot.
Claims WCAG 2.0 Level AA accessibility.
Learn more about using Omni Ballot
- Democracy Live Website
- Short tutorial from Democracy Live (YouTube :30)
- Electronic return process from Democracy Live (YouTube 11:28)
Learn more about accessible voting options in Pennsylvania