Dauphin County Commissioners urge residents to vote by mail due to COVID-19 concerns

HARRISBURG, PA (March 20, 2020)Casting a mail-in ballot for the April 28 primary is urged for residents concerned about COVID-19, especially for the elderly or those with respiratory or immune system issues, the Dauphin County Commissioners said today.

Anyone can vote using a mail-in ballot instead of going to the polls – no excuse or reason is needed.

“Due to the concern that public gatherings can help spread the coronavirus, we want residents to know how to apply for mail-in ballots,’’ said Commissioners Jeff Haste, Mike Pries and George P. Hartwick, III. “Voting by mail is a safe and secure alternative.’’

To vote by mail:

  • To apply online, you must enter a valid PA Driver’s License or PennDOT ID number.
  • Voters without proper ID need to download the application and use the last four digits of their Social Security number.
  • Mail applications to: Dauphin County Bureau of Elections and Voter Registration, P.O. Box 1295, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1295.
  • Applications can also be dropped off in a locked box outside the entrance of the Dauphin County Administration Building, 2 South 2nd St, Harrisburg, PA 17101.

Important deadlines to use mail-in ballots for the April 28 primary:

  • 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 21: Deadline to get completed mail-in ballot application to the county election office.
  • 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 28: Deadline to return voted mail-in or absentee ballot.

To date, the office has processed more than 3,000 applications for absentee or mail-in ballots. If any of these individuals, especially college students, have changed their address, please contact the office at 717-780-6360 or election@dauphinc.org. Please include name, date of birth, driver’s license number, previous address and new address.

Also, the new voting system training sessions that were to be held throughout the county in March and April have been postponed until further notice.

For more information, visit www.DauphinCounty.org/Votes