Montgomery County Board of Elections has announced they will install 12 secure ballot drop-off boxes and satellite offices throughout the county to help voters meet the Nov. 8 General Election deadline.
“We continue to see a high demand for mail-in voting in Montgomery County. Drop boxes and satellite offices allow voters to return their ballots directly to the county without using the US Postal Service. Their ballots are received by Voter Services the same day, which provides peace of mind to a lot of our voters.” said Kenneth E. Lawrence Jr., Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Elections. “We want to continue to make voting accessible, secure, and convenient for all of our residents by offering several options to cast their vote – by mail, in person on Election Day or through a satellite office.”
Mail-in ballots are being sent out this week to Montgomery County voters. To date over 110,000 county residents have requested to vote by mail.
“The deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot is Nov. 1 by 5 p.m., but we urge voters to apply immediately to ensure adequate turnaround time,” said Dr. Valerie A. Arkoosh, Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. “Voters can also check the status of their mail-in ballot online by visiting www.montcopa.org/VoteByMail.”
Secure Ballot Drop Boxes
Completed mail-in ballots and absentee ballots may be dropped off starting Saturday, Oct. 29, through Election Day on Nov. 8 from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. A secure ballot drop box will also be available in the lobby of County administration offices at One Montgomery Plaza in Norristown for extended hours.
Voter education staff will be on hand at each drop box location to assist voters with proper ballot return procedures. Ballots placed in the secure ballot drop boxes are delivered daily to the Montgomery County Voter Services by County Security, and date stamped when they are received. Voters choosing to utilize the secure ballot drop boxes may only return their own ballot.
Secure ballot drop box locations for the 2022 General Election are as follows
Before depositing mail-in or absentee ballots into the drop-off box, voter must make sure their completed ballot is placed inside the smaller, secrecy envelope first. Then, put the sealed secrecy envelope into the official return envelope and complete the voter’s declaration on the back. Ballots that are not in both envelopes cannot be counted per Pennsylvania Election Code.
Pursuant to the Pennsylvania Election Code, voted ballots may only be returned by the individual voter and not by any other individuals. All drop box locations are monitored using CCTV video surveillance. Anyone depositing a ballot that does not belong to them will be referred to the District Attorney’s Office.
If a voter has an illness or disability that prevents them from dropping off their ballot, they can designate an agent to pick up or drop off their ballot. The agent can only pick up or drop off ballots for voters who are in the same household, and the ballot can only be picked up at Montgomery County Voter Services located at 425 Swede St., 6th Floor, Norristown, PA 19401.
Voter Services Satellite Offices
Satellite offices will open on weekends beginning Oct. 22 for voters who want to apply for their ballot in person before the Nov. 1 deadline to apply. Residents can apply for a mail-in ballot, receive it, complete it, and place it in a secure ballot box at these locations. Appointments are not required; Montgomery County voters can visit any location.
Lansdale Satellite Office
Lansdale County Office, 421 W. Main Street, Lansdale. Open Saturday, Oct. 22 and Sunday, Oct. 30, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Pottstown Satellite Office
Montgomery County Office of Public Health, 364 King Street, Pottstown. Open Saturday, Oct. 22, and Sunday, Oct. 30, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Magisterial District Justice Office of Lower Merion
925 Montgomery Avenue, Narberth. Open Sunday, Oct. 23, and Saturday, Oct. 29, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Willow Grove Satellite Office
Willow Grove Annex, 102 N. York Road, Willow Grove. Open Sunday. Oct. 23, and Saturday, Oct. 29, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Norristown Voter Services Office
One Montgomery Plaza, 425 Swede Street, 6th Floor, Norristown. Open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 23, and Saturday, Oct. 29, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Norristown Mail-In Balloting Center – for ballot return only
1430 Dekalb Street, Norristown. Open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Upcoming Deadlines
Voters are strongly encouraged to check their voter registration to make sure that their address, name, and party affiliation is correct well ahead of the deadline. Montgomery County residents can check their voter registration online at www.vote.pa.gov. The voter registration profile will also provide residents the address of their polling location and indicate if they are on the list to receive a ballot by mail for the November Election.
Ballot status will update online at the Department of State website. Voters who provided an email address on their application will receive an email when the Montgomery County Election Board has received the ballot. All mail-in ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on Nov. 8 – postmarks do not apply.
Any voter who was approved for a mail-in or absentee ballot and later decides to vote in person may do so. Voters should bring their ballot and envelopes to the polls with them to be voided by a poll worker, enabling the voter to vote in person. If a voter does not bring their mail-in ballot they can fill out a provisional ballot, which will only be counted once the Election Board verifies that the voter did not cast a ballot any other way.
For more information about the November 8, 2022, General Election in Montgomery County and where to vote, visit www.montcopa.org/voterservices or call (610) 278-3280.
See also:
GOP Asks Pa. Supreme Court to Take Immediate Action to Enforce Ballot Dating Requirement
Wolf Admin Insists Undated Mail Ballots Will Be Valid this November as Counties Proceed with Caution
Pa. Department of State Anticipates ‘Several Days’ Worth of Work’ to Tally Election Results
Unresolved Gray Areas in Pa. Mail Voting Law Likely to Spur Fresh Confusion, Legal Challenges
COVID-19 Concerns Disappear from Key Pennsylvania Elections
