by Barbara Codispoti
I also wrote some tips for you which are on our blog. The most important changes are not to tell people to use the US Mail to send ballots anymore. They should use ballot boxes or vote in person.
If they do vote in person they need to try to bring any ballots mailed to them with them to the polling place. That’s best. If they cannot locate this ballot, they should just go to the ballot place and report that, then they will be given a provisional ballot.
For up to date information, you and the people you call should go to iwillvote.com/pa.
You should always follow the script on thrutalk as faithfully as possible.
We are in the final and most important month to turn out the vote! We are entering the final phase before election day and here are updates that we should be aware of as we place our calls.
- I have been informed that Board of Elections Offices in Pa are not answering their phone due to very heavy volume. If voters have questions they are advised to call our hotline no. 1-833-728-6837 for the latest updates or go to Iwillvote.com/pa or to www.votespa.com to find status of requested ballots, location of drop boxes, early voting sites.
- The only site with ballot tracking info is www.votespa.com
- There are a number of counties (i.e. Allegheny, Westmoreland, etc.) where ballots are being resent due to errors on the ballots or a delay caused by the company mailing them out. Voters can wait for their new ballot to arrive and then NOT put them in the mail. The mail is delayed. Then they have two options:
– – taking to a drop box, or
– returning to an early voting site or to their Board of Elections office. - If a voter does not receive his requested ballot, he can go to an early voting site or to the Board of Elections Office to request a ballot and complete it there and hand it in and he has voted. He should tell them that he had requested a ballot (they will void the barcode on the original ballot) and they will allow him to vote then and there.
- Rural counties can only vote early at the Board of Elections offices as they do not have satellite polls open.
- Larger counties do have early voting sites available.
- If a voter has received a mail ballot and decides he wants to vote on Nov. 3rd he must take the mail ballot and both envelopes with him so he can vote at the polling place.
Any questions please contact me, Barbara Codispoti.
These blog posts are meant to provide helpful information for callers. This is part three of a series on calling PA for Joe Biden. See my earlier posts Week 1 , Weeks 2-3 and Week 4.
Thanks to everyone for their commitment to ensuring that everyone’s vote should count!
— Barbara Codispoti
Early In-Person Voting
Early voting begins is open through 10/27 (the final day). They should contact their county Board of Elections or go to Iwillvote.com/pa for early voting sites and open hours.
If they have not requested a mail-in ballot, they can go to an early in-person voting site and request an absentee or mail-in ballot at that time and complete it and hand it in right there. Then they will have voted.
Remember, if a voter has requested a mail-in ballot and has not received it within 10 days, they need to check on the status of the ballot with their board of elections. That is because that voter must bring the mail-in or absentee ballot AND both envelopes with him to prove he is not voting twice. He should not go to the early voting site until he has received his mail-in ballot. If election day comes and he has still not received his mail-in ballot he needs to go in-person and vote by a provisional ballot.
Remember, if a voter has received a mail in ballot and then decides to vote early or in person on Nov 3rd, then that voter must bring the mail-in or absentee ballot AND both envelopes with him to prove he is not voting twice.
How to Get Specific Locations
For locations of ballot boxes and early polling sites, they can go to Iwillvote.com/pa or call their county Board of Elections.
For Help
Any questions, please contact us. The PA Voter Information Hotline is 1-833-728-6837.
