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1. Do I have to vote by mail?

No, every voter has a choice whether to vote by mail – via mail-in or absentee ballot – or to vote in person at the polls on Election Day.

2. What is the difference between an Absentee Ballot and a Mail-in Ballot?

An absentee ballot is requested for a specific reason such as working outside of the community where you vote, illness or handicap, etc. Mail-in ballot applications do not require the voter the present a reason for receiving a ballot. You can request a mail-in or absentee ballot at vote.pa.gov.

3. Can I still request a Mail-in or Absentee Ballot?

The Wayne County Election office will receive mail-in and absentee ballot applications until Tuesday, Nov. 1.. Keep in mind that the General Election will be held one week later on Nov. 8.

4. Once I fill out my ballot, do I have to return it by mail?

No. Mail-in and absentee ballots can be delivered in person to the Wayne County Courthouse by 8 pm on Election night. The Elections Office has made a secure drop box available, just inside the front entrance to the Courthouse, which can be accessed, without going through security, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday. The box is in full view of the Sheriff’s Deputy and under video surveillance.

5. When should I mail back my ballot?

Mail-in and Absentee Ballots can be sent to the Wayne County Bureau of Elections through the US Postal Service, which is urging customers to send them out at least seven days prior to the election. All ballots must be received in the County Elections Office by 8 pm on Election Night.

6. I received a mail-in ballot application in the mail that I did not request. What should I do?

The applications sent out by different organizations, such as the Center for Voter Information, are legitimate applications that can be submitted to the Wayne County Bureau of Elections to receive a mail-in ballot for the Nov. 8 General Election IF you want one. Every voter has a choice to vote at the polls on Election Day or to vote by mail.

7. Where did they get my information?

They did not receive your information from Wayne County. Where these organizations got the information to send, and in some cases populate, the applications is unknown, but it did not come from county government. The Wayne County Bureau of Elections will only mail you a ballot application if you request one by calling the office at 570-253-5970 ext. 4003, or requesting one on the county website or at vote.pa.gov.

8. If I get a mail-in ballot, can I go to the polls on Election Day?

If you voted the ballot and returned it, this is identified in the sign-in process at the polls and you WILL NOT be able to cast a vote in person on election day.

The mail-in ballot you received includes a bar code, so if you do not fill out the ballot and decide to vote at the polls, you must bring the ENTIRE MAIL-IN PACKET, which means ALL associated envelopes and papers, to your polling station. Your mail-in ballot can then be properly invalidated and you can vote at the polls.

If you do NOT have the ENTIRE MAIL-IN PACKET when you go to your polling location, you will be asked to complete a Provisional Ballot.

9. What is a provisional ballot?

A provisional ballot records your vote, while the County Board of Elections determines whether it can be counted. In the case of mail-in ballots, the board will determine if a properly completed mail-in ballot was returned. Previously, these were most often used when someone’s name did not appear on the voting rolls at the polling location. The Board of Elections conducts individual reviews of each provisional ballot, while still sealed, to determine if it should be counted. Wayne County Commissioner and Chair of the Board of Elections Jocelyn Cramer said the system is designed to give every voter the benefit of the doubt.

10. Who is on the County Board of Elections?

The Wayne County Board of Elections is made up of the three County Commissioners, Chairman Cramer and Commissioner Brian Smith and Judge Matthew Meagher. In elections when the commissioners are running for office, an independent board of elections is appointed before the Election cycles begins. The board is assisted by the county’s veteran Director of Elections, Cindy Furman, who has served as director for more than 15 years and worked in the department for more than 25 years.