Assistance in Voting at the Voting Place

Under Federal and Pennsylvania law, a voter with a disability that prevents the voter from entering the voting booth or using the election system used by the county, or that prevents the voter from being able to read or understand the ballot and election instructions and explanations, has the right to select a person of the voter's choice (except the voter's employer, an agent of the employer, an officer or agent of the voter's union, and the judge of elections) to enter the voting booth or voting compartment with the voter to assist him in voting. Before doing so, the voter whose registration record does not include notation of the voter's need for assistance will have to complete and sign a form provided by the elections officials at the polling place.

Absentee Voting
Any registered voter who, because of illness or physical disability, is unable to attend his or her polling place, or to operate the voting system in use at the voter's polling place, is entitled to apply for and vote by Absentee Ballot. An absentee voter may receive necessary assistance in completing the absentee ballot from a person of the voter's choosing, except the voter's employer, an agent of the employer, or an officer or agent of the voter's union.

Except in the event of unexpected disability or illness, the county Board of Elections must receive an application for absentee ballot and voted absentee ballot. For further information please visit our Absentee Ballot page.