CHAMBERSBURG– The Franklin County Board of Election answers voters’ most frequently asked questions ahead of Pennsylvania’s General Primary on April 23.
What time do polls open and close? Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Registered voters who are in line at 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote.
Am I still registered to vote? Voters can look up their voter registration status (active or inactive), party affiliation or polling place location on the SURE Public Portal, www.pavoterservices.state.pa.us. Voters can also contact the Franklin County Voter Registration Office at 717-261-3886.
Where do I go to vote? There are 73 polling places in Franklin County. Voters need to vote at the polling place assigned to them based on their home address. Polling place locations are listed on voters’ registration cards. Polling place locations can also be verified at www.pavoterservices.state.pa.us. This website also provides directions from a voter’s home to his or her polling place.
Has Franklin County Changed any polling place locations since the last election? Both Hamilton 1 and Quincy 4 have new polling locations in 2024. Hamilton 1 voters will now vote at the West Side Brethren in Christ Church at 2665 Lincoln Way West, Chambersburg. Quincy 4 voters will now vote at the South Mountain Bible Church at 11275 South Mountain Road, Fayetteville.
If I received an absentee or mail-in ballot, what is the deadline to return the voted ballot and where can I return it in-person? The deadline to return voted ballots is 8 p.m. April 23. Voters should mail their voted ballots as soon as possible so the Franklin County Voter Registration Office has ample time to receive them through U.S. mail. Voters who are concerned with their ballots arriving on time can deliver their voted ballots in person to the Franklin County Voter Registration Office, 272 N. Second St., Chambersburg. Voted ballots will not be accepted at a voter’s polling place.
For whom do I vote? Offices on the April 23 Presidential Primary ballot include U.S. president, U.S. senator, state attorney general, state auditor general, state treasurer, representative in Congress, senator in the General Assembly, representative in the General Assembly, and delegates to the Democratic and Republican national conventions. Voters who are registered as Independent or with a minor political party will not be able to vote in this election. A sample ballot is available on the Franklin County website, www.franklincountypa.gov. Sample ballots are also available at the Franklin County Commissioners’ Office, 272 N. Second St., Chambersburg.
The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court has ordered the name Joseph A. Vodvarka to be removed from the Republican primary ballot as a candidate for U.S. Senator. However, the candidate appealed the decision to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. In order to meet ballot printing and mailing deadlines, Franklin County had to finalize its ballot before the appeal could be settled andVodvarka was included on the ballot in case his appeal was successful.
Please be advised that the candidate has been removed from the ballot by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Any votes cast for Vodvarka, other than by a write-in vote, will not be counted or reported.
What do I need to take with me to my polling place? Voters who are voting in an election district for the first time will need an approved form of identification, either photo or non-photo. No other voter will be asked to present an ID.
Is my polling place handicapped accessible? All Franklin County polling places are considered handicapped accessible.
May I receive assistance in voting? No person is allowed to receive assistance in voting unless his or her registration record indicates the need for assistance or the voter completes and signs a declaration of the need for assistance at the polling place prior to entering the voting booth. A voter may select anyone to assist them except the following individuals: the judge of elections; the voter’s employer or agent of that employer; or an officer or agent of the voter’s union. Each polling place will have a lighted magnifier with bifocal len available to assist those voters who may have trouble reading their ballot.
Are candidates allowed to pass out or display campaign literature at polling places? The Election Code states that those individuals or candidates that are campaigning must remain at least 10 feet distant from the entrance of the polling place during the progress of the voting.
Am I allowed to display or wear any type of attire with a candidate’s name on it in the polls? The Franklin County Election Board reminds all voters that NO electioneering is allowed within a polling place. This includes the display of candidate names on buttons, signs or clothing within the polling place as well as items advocating a political party, etc. Voters will be asked to remove the item or to cover it up before receiving a ballot.
Where can I find information about the candidates that will be appearing on the ballot? Check the local newspapers or contact either the Franklin County Democratic Committee (717-530-1662) or the Franklin County Republican Party (717-263-7999) for information.
Who do I contact with questions regarding voting or the Election Day process? All voter registration questions should be directed to the Franklin County Voter Registration Office at 717-261-3886. All election related questions should be directed to the Franklin County Election Board at 717-261-3812. Additional election and voter registration information is available on the Franklin County website, www.franklincountypa.gov.
What type of voting system do we use in Franklin County?
For information on voting in Franklin County, you may watch an online demo and/or instructional video on voting a digital scan ballot using a DS200 Precinct Counter at the following website – www.votespa.com (Voting & Elections; Types of Voting; In Person). We also have an assistive marking device for the blind or visually impaired in each polling place that is called an ExpressVote and a demo of this machine can be viewed at this website as well.
Where can I view election results? Franklin County results will be located on the county’s website, www.franklincountypa.gov. To view results from other counties or for all of Pennsylvania, visit the Department of State’s website, www.electionreturns.state.pa.us.
