Update: Lehigh County launching early voting
Mail-in ballots sent out had incorrect instructions
Update: Lehigh County announced that instructions sent out with mail-in and absentee ballots incorrectly stated that secrecy envelopes for ballots are white. They are yellow.
Lehigh County has begun sending out mail-in ballots and ballot-on-demand voting will begin on Oct. 16.
Under ballot-on-demand, Lehigh County residents who are eligible can come to county Office of Voter Registration, 17 S. Seventh St., Allentown, register if they still need to, fill out a ballot application, vote on a paper ballot and turn it in all in the same visit.
You must bring a valid ID with you to receive your ballot.
Registered voters who have already applied for a mail-in ballot are not eligible for ballot-on-demand and must wait to receive their ballot in the mail.
Ballot-on-demand voting was made possible under the 2019’s Act 77, which legalized no-excuse, mail-in-ballot voting.
Mail-in ballots are being sent out and ballot drop boxes are ready to accept them, according to Tim Benyo, Lehigh’s chief clerk of elections.
Northampton County began early voting and activated drop boxes last week. For drop-box locations and other details, click here.
Eligible residents of Pennsylvania have until Oct. 23 to register to vote and have until Oct. 31 to request a mail-in ballot. For more details, click here.
Voters can track the status of their mail-in or absentee ballots at Online/Absentee Ballot Tracking (pa.gov).
The Lehigh County Office of Voter Registration is open weekdays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. except on Oct. 31, the last day for mail-in ballot applications, when it will be open until 5 p.m. The office will also be open from 9 a.m. to 1 pm. on Saturday Oct. 28 and Nov. 4 p.m. and Election Day, Nov. 7 until 8 p.m.
Lehigh County ballot drop boxes
Ballots can be dropped off at these locations instead of by mail or by handing them to a voter registration office employee.
District 1: Whitehall Township Municipal Building
3219 MacArthur Road, Whitehall
Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
District 2: Lehigh County Authority lobby
1053 Spruce Road, Wescosville
Monday to Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
District 3: Fountain Hill Borough building
941 Long Street, Fountain Hill
Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
District 4: Lehigh County Government Center
17 South 7th Street, Allentown
Available 24/7 at main entrance
District 5: Macungie Borough building
21 Locust St., Macungie
Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Mail-in ballots must meet the following criteria to be counted:
The ballot is enclosed in the yellow secrecy envelope and sealed.
There are no identifying marks or symbols on the secrecy envelope.
The return envelope is signed and dated on the back in the appropriate yellow boxes.
The ballot is returned to the Election’s Office no later than 8 p.m. on Nov. 7. Nov. 7 postmarks will not count if received after this deadline.
Under state law, voters may only drop off their own ballots. Third-party return of ballots is prohibited unless the person returning the ballot is rendering assistance to a disabled voter or emergency absentee voter and has a signed “Certification of Designated Agent” form on file at the Elections Office. A copy of this form can be downloaded at Authorize Designated Agent Form (pa.gov).
Editor’s note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the date that ballot-on-demand begins.