WHO: Northampton County Elections Office

WHAT: Tips for voting on Election Day

WHERE: Northampton County

WHEN: November 3, 2020

On November 3, 2020, the Northampton County’s 154 precincts will be fully staffed for voters who want to cast their ballot on one of the 315 ES&S ExpressVote XL machines. Turnout is expected to be high, so voters should prepare for long lines by wearing comfortable shoes and bring a chair if standing for long periods is difficult.

All poll workers will wear PPE and each precinct will be supplied with hand sanitizer and tape to mark off spaces for social distancing. The County of Northampton requests that everyone wear a mask while at the polls.

What to expect at the polls:

Polls will be open from 7:00AM – 8:00PM. Voters will check in at the registration table on an E-poll book by giving their name or displaying the barcode on the back of their driver’s license. The E-poll book will indicate if the voter is eligible to vote and if they are at the correct polling place. If so, they will sign in on the computer screen.

Voters who applied for a mail-in ballot and have turned it in are not eligible to vote at the polls.

Voters who applied for a mail-in ballot, but have decided they’d rather cast their vote on the machine must give the ballot and the return envelope to the Judge of Elections. After spoiling the ballot, the Judge will have the voter sign a form. Only then will they be issued a machine ballot for the ExpressVote XL.

Voters who applied for a mail-in ballot, but do not have their ballot or the return envelope with them will be given a provisional ballot. The Elections Board will verify that the voter did not vote by mail before the provisional ballot can be counted.

An instructional video for voting on the ES&S ExpressVote XL is available online:

Casting a mail-in ballot on Election Day

The Elections Office reminds voters to follow the instructions included with their ballot carefully. The voter should use black or blue ink and must sign and date the back of the return envelope before sending it in. “Naked” ballots—those which have not been enclosed in the inner secrecy envelope—will not be counted. Mail-in ballots may also be declared void if the ballot or secrecy envelope includes any text, marks or symbols “which reveals the identity of the elector, the elector’s political affiliation or the elector’s candidate preference.”

Mail-in ballots can be turned in via the U.S. Mail or at a designated drop-off site. If submitted by mail, the ballot must be postmarked by 8PM on Nov. 3^rd and received by the Election Office by 5PM on Nov. 6^th to be counted. All return envelopes include postage, voters do not need to add a stamp.

Under Pennsylvania law, voters are only permitted to hand deliver their own ballots. Mail-in ballots may be dropped off in-person at the Elections Office at 669 Washington Street, Easton, PA 18042 until 8:00PM on Nov. 3^rd or at one of the county’s four official ballot drop-off boxes. The boxes will close at different times on Election Day.

·        Bethlehem City Hall Rotunda– 10 E. Church Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018- City Hall is closed on Election Day but the ballot drop-off box will be available in the Rotunda from 7:00AM – 8:00PM

·        Northampton County 911 Center – 100 Gracedale Ave. Nazareth, PA 18064 – open from 8:30AM – 4:30PM

·        Human Services Building – 2801 Emrick Blvd. Bethlehem, PA 18020 – open from 8:30AM – 7:00 PM

·        Rotunda of the Government Center – 669 Washington Street, Easton, PA 18042 – open from 8:30AM – 8:00PM