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Thousands of mail-in ballots did not count in Pa.'s primary. Here's how to prevent it from happening on November 3

Roughly 20,000 votes by mail-in ballots were canceled and did not count in the state’s primary election. Nearly 3,000 of those votes came from South Central PA.

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Many people believe the next president will be decided by the voters of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Keystone State could be the tipping point in the 2020 presidential election. 

With only 16 days until November 3, county election officials are hoping to avoid what happened in the June primary election.

Roughly 20,000 votes by mail-in ballots were canceled and did not count in the state’s primary election. Nearly 3,000 of those votes came from South Central Pennsylvania. County election officials are working to ensure the same thing doesn’t happen in the general election on November 3, especially as counties report record number of new voter registrations and mail-in ballot applications.

“In the primary, we had a record total of mail-ins in Dauphin County—40,250 folks applied for mail-ins and 31,000 voted in-person,” said Dauphin County Commissioner, Mike Pries. “For the first time in Dauphin County history, more people voted by mail in the primary election than in person.”

According to data from the Pennsylvania Department of State, votes by mail-in ballots were canceled because they were returned after the deadline, did not have a signature, or had an issue with identification.

Some county election officials are encouraging voters to include an email on applications for mail-in ballots so that they can quickly reach out to voters about any issues. They also recommend applying for a ballot well before the October 27 deadline to ensure it arrives on time and counts on November 3.

“If we see something wrong with a mail-in ballot, we will do our best to contact the voter and give them an opportunity to change that,” explained Commissioner Pries. “If we get them in postmarked by November 3 and see something wrong with them, then we will separate them, put them aside and then allow the election board or a county judge to make a decision on whether that vote is accurate.”

If you plan on voting in person on November 3, but fall sick or test positive for COVID-19 just days before heading to the polls, you can file for an emergency ballot. Contact your local county election office to learn how.

Visit our Voter Access Team's 2020 Election Guide for more information.

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