Tuesday, November 1^st was the deadline to apply for a mail-in or absentee ballot for the upcoming General Election. The Northampton County Elections Office approved 41,387 applications and all ballots have been mailed out.

Voters who applied for a ballot, but do not receive it by November 8^th should call the Elections Office for guidance at 610-829-6260 or cast a provisional ballot at the polls.

The Elections Office reminds voters to carefully follow the instructions included with their ballot. Only use blue or black ink and the voter 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.”

We recommend that any voter who has completed their mail-in ballot return it to the Elections Office as soon as possible. Ballots returned via the U.S. mail must be received by the Elections Office by 8:00PM on Election Day to be counted. Postmarks will not be considered. Ballots may also be dropped off at one of the County’s four official ballot drop-off boxes until November 8^th. Voters may only drop off their own ballots. 

Third-party return of ballots is prohibited unless the person returning the ballot is rendering assistance to a disabled voter or emergency absentee voter and has a “Certification of Designated Agent” form on file at the Elections Office.

 

Hours for Secure Ballot Drop-off Boxes on Election Day, November 8^th

• Rotunda of the Government Center – 669 Washington Street, Easton, PA 18042

o  8:30AM – 8:00PM

• Human Services Building – 2801 Emrick Blvd. Bethlehem, PA 18020

o  8:30AM – 7:00PM

• Northampton County 911 Center – 100 Gracedale Ave. Nazareth, PA 18064

o  8:30AM – 8:00PM

• Bethlehem City Center Rotunda – 10 E. Church Street, Bethlehem, PA

o  7:00AM – 8:00PM

Voters who applied for a mail-in ballot, but decided they would prefer to vote at the polls must bring both their ballot and the return envelope with them. The Judge of Elections will spoil the ballot and allow them to cast their vote on the machine.

Voters who applied for a mail-in ballot, but do not have their ballot and the return envelope, will only be allowed to cast a provisional ballot at the polls.

 

Information provided to TVL by:
Becky Bartlett
Deputy Director of Administration
Northampton County Government Center
669 Washington Street
Easton, PA 18042
https://www.northamptoncounty.org/

 

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