Mail-in and absentee ballots are currently being mailed to those who applied for them.
Uniontown, PA - Fayette County mail-in and absentee voters should begin receiving ballots for the 2023 Primary Election this week.
On Friday, the Fayette County Election Bureau began mailing the first batch of more than 5,200 mail-in and absentee ballots to those who applied to receive them. Election Bureau Director Marybeth Kuznik said additional ballots will be sent out “as they are ready.”
“With so many Fayette County voters receiving their ballots in the coming days, this is a good time to remind everyone how to protect their vote and make sure it’s counted,” Kuznik said.
Upon receipt of a mail-in or absentee ballot, Kuznik said, voters should remember to complete the following steps:
- Fill out the ballot completely, in black or dark blue ink. Do not make any additional marks on the ballot or accompanying secrecy envelope.
- Place the completed ballot inside the secrecy envelope, before placing it in the return envelope.
- Sign the “declaration” section on the return envelope. Write the date that you signed the envelope under your signature.
- Mail the ballot so that it arrives before 8 p.m. on Election Day, May 16.
Voters may also drop ballots off at the Fayette County Election Bureau, 2 West Main Street, Suite 111 in Uniontown before 8 p.m. on Election Day. Voters must drop off their own ballot and cannot deliver another person’s ballot without filling out the required paperwork for applicable exceptions.
The last day to request a mail-in or absentee ballot is May 9. Kuznik cautioned that waiting until the deadline to request a mail-in or absentee ballot may be “too late to use the mail.”
“If you wait until a week or two before the deadline to apply – to be safe, you really should come into the Election Bureau and just pick up your ballot in person,” she said. “At that point, there might not be enough time for your ballot to get out to you and back to us by the final deadline of 8 p.m. on Election Day. The safest thing is to mail it or bring it in to the Election Bureau as soon as possible.”
Kuznik said voters who “change their mind” after receiving a mail-in or absentee ballot can always go to the polls and vote in person. To do so, the voter should bring their entire mail-in or absentee ballot, including the envelopes that come with it, to their polling place and surrender everything to the Judge of Elections.
Voters who forget to bring all these materials with them will be able to vote via Provisional Ballot.
“Whether you vote by mail or in person, we want your vote to count,” Kuznik said. “This Primary, there are many local and county offices on the ballot, as well as judges at all levels. These offices affect your life on a day-to-day basis, so vote and have your say in how our local communities work.”
The deadline to register to vote in the May primary, or to change your address or party, is May 1. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. May 16.
Kuznik said another “fantastic way to get involved in our elections” is to serve as a poll worker on Election Day. Positions include the judges of elections, inspectors of elections, and election clerks. She said many of the county’s 77 precincts still have open positions.
To be appointed, poll workers must be registered voters in Fayette County and attend poll worker training.
“Depending on the position, volunteers are paid as much as $200 for training and Election Day combined,” Kuznik said.
Anyone interested in serving should contact the Fayette County Election Bureau at 724-430-1289.
The Fayette County Election Bureau is located at 2 West Main Street, Suite 111 in Uniontown (the former Gallatin Bank Building).
For downloadable election forms and much more, visit www.FayetteCountyPA.org/230/Election-Bureau or the state’s website, www.vote.pa.gov.
To learn more about Fayette County, visit www.fayettecountypa.org.
Editor's Note: Image attached (Primary Election Updates Graphic)
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This communication, among other initiatives, is funded through the 2016 Fayette County Local Share Account (LSA) in cooperation with the Fayette County Board of Commissioners, Fayette Chamber of Commerce, The Redevelopment Authority of the County of Fayette, The Redstone Foundation and other partners. This funding has been designated for the continued promotion and marketing of Fayette County, PA.
For more information, contact Kristi Kassimer Harper, Public Relations Specialist, at 724-437-4571, kkassimer@fayettecountypa.info or Kaylie Moore, Community Relations Coordinator, at 724-430-1200 Ext. 1611, kmoore@fayettepa.org.
