Important info about mail-in voting in Pennsylvania ahead of Election Day

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- With the 2022 midterm elections a week away, Pennsylvania's state and local election officials are urging people to get in mail-in votes as soon as possible.

Your mail-in ballot must be received by your county's election office by 8 p.m. on Election Day, which is November 8.

"Postmarks are not enough," according to the Pennsylvania Department of State.

(Note: We have updated this post to clarify the deadline for applications to be received on Election Day)

Pre-canvassing begins at 7 a.m. on Election Day.

But because Act 77 was only just passed in 2019, mail-in voting is still relatively new to many Pennsylvania voters and officials want to remind people of the important details to cast their votes properly.

This is also the first time Pennsylvanians can cast a mail-in ballot in a midterm election.

The deadline to request a mail-in ballot has passed. Voters who did not request one in time will have to vote at the polls unless they have an emergency and need an emergency absentee ballot.

Those who lost their mail-in ballot need to contact their county election board or they can vote provisionally at their polling location on Election Day.

You can only drop off or mail your own ballot unless you have a special exception -- in that case you need to contact your county election board.

Lisa Deeley is the Chairwoman of City Commissioners and said they have 18 drop boxes located throughout the city.

Additionally, they will have some mobile units including one at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday with Eagles cheerleaders and Swoop.

Deeley said voters must closely follow the instructions when they cast their mail-in ballot.

"You want to be sure to put your ballot in the blue secrecy envelope," said Deeley, who walked Action News through the process.

"You want to put the secrecy envelope with your ballot inside in the declaration envelope, seal it, sign it and date it," said Deeley.

Late Tuesday, the Supreme Court ordered county election boards to segregate and to not count undated ballots that have been returned. In response, the office of the Secretary of State said people who think they may have made an error can contact their county election board for guidance.

Acting Secretary of State Leigh Chapman held a news conference Tuesday urging people to stay connected with county election boards or to call her office's toll-free number 1-877-VOTESPA to combat disinformation about the election.

As of mid-day Tuesday, Chapman said 1,419,140 people had requested mail-in ballots, and so far 918,975 had been returned statewide. That's a 65% return rate.

"More than 500,000 voters still have their mail ballots in hand and county election offices must receive those ballots by 8 p.m. Election Day," said Chapman, urging people who have received their ballots to get them in as soon as possible.