What is a provisional ballot?
Watch this space for election and voting updates, and visit the CivicCLP website for current civic and political information. A full calendar of upcoming election dates and deadlines is available at vote.pa.gov.
Answer
Provisional ballots are a way for election officials to determine a voter's eligibility to vote. A provisional ballot records your vote while the county board of elections determines whether it can be counted.
You may asked by an election official to fill out a provisional ballot for the reasons below:
- Your name was not in the poll book or supplemental poll book.
- For example, you reported to the wrong precinct; or
- You did not report a recent change in residence to the county election office.
- You are required to show ID, but cannot show ID.
- Your eligibility was challenged by an election official.
- You were issued but did not successfully vote an absentee or mail‐in ballot and you do not surrender your ballot at the polling place to be spoiled.
- You returned a completed absentee or mail‐in ballot that was rejected by the county board of elections and you believe you are eligible to vote.
- There is a special court order with respect to your registration status.
- There is a special court order related to extending the hours of voting.
- You believe that you are registered in a political party, but your voter record indicates otherwise (for primary elections only).
For more information visit https://www.vote.pa.gov/
