Any U.S. citizen who will be 18 by Election Day is eligible to vote. You can register to vote at age 17 if you will be 18 by Election Day. Visit vote.gov to find the voter registration form for your state.

Unsure about whether you are already registered or where you are registered? Check your registration status.

The candidates who show up on your ballot vary from election to election. In Pennsylvania, federal and state-wide elections occur in even-numbered years. Municipal elections occur in odd-numbered years. Examples include:

• Federal elections include: President and members of Congress (Senators and Representatives)

• State elections include: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, members of the state General Assembly (state Senator, state Representative), and “row office” positions such as Attorney General, Auditor General, and Treasurer

• Municipal elections include: Judges, magisterial district judges, county officials such as county commissioners and sheriffs, and local officials such as borough council members and school board members.

Other states may hold their state and municipal elections on different cycles. Find election dates for your home state. Visit Spotlight PA’s Election Center for more information about Pennsylvania’s elections and candidates.

As a college student, you have the option to register to vote at your home address or to register at your campus address (if you are a residential student). Elections occur on Tuesdays, with Pennsylvania’s polling places open from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. Think about where you will be on Tuesdays in the spring and the fall to help determine where you want to register to vote.

• Register to vote in Pennsylvania
• Register to vote in a different state

The location where you vote is determined by the address where you are registered. Be sure to check your polling location before each election because the physical address of the polling place sometimes changes. You can look up your polling place on the PA Voter Services website.

There are at least two elections every year in Pennsylvania. In the spring, Pennsylvania holds its primary elections.

In a primary election, multiple candidates from the same political party run against each other. You vote for the candidate that you want to represent your political party in the upcoming November’s general election. If only one person runs for their party’s nomination, a primary election will not be held for that position. Note that to vote in a party’s primary in Pennsylvania, you must be registered with that political party. Voters not affiliated with any political party or registered as an independent cannot vote in primaries in Pennsylvania.

In a general election, you vote for the candidate you want to hold each of the offices listed on the ballot. You can vote for a candidate of any party or write in a candidate.

Special elections for state-level candidates occur throughout the year as candidates resign their positions.

Keep an eye on your county’s Office of Elections website for information about election dates and special elections.

Almost everyone can think of at least one thing about life that doesn’t seem fair, doesn’t work right, or needs fixing. One of the most effective ways to voice our concerns and opinions is at the voting booth. While much of our attention focuses on presidential elections, local elections—often referred to as 'down-ballot'—can have an even greater impact on our day-to-day lives. Those elected officials decide the legislation that affects things like street conditions, school policies, tax rates, and community investments.

It can sometimes seem frustrating, overwhelming, or pointless to vote. But our votes really can make a difference if we get excited about voting and share our excitement with others.

Your enthusiasm can inspire others to participate. In fact, there are so many college students in Pennsylvania – if all of them voted, college students would decide the results of Pennsylvania elections!

Voting hasn’t always been a right for everyone in the United States. Throughout history, many have fought tirelessly to secure the right to vote, and even today, some groups still face barriers to accessing this fundamental right. Being able to elect your leaders is both a privilege and a responsibility. Make your voice heard—exercise your right to vote by casting your ballot!

Our democracy is participatory, so find something you’re passionate about and work to elect leaders who share your concerns and passions. Spread your enthusiasm to your friends and you can make a difference for your community at the ballot box!

You have two options for how to vote in Pennsylvania – you can vote in person or vote by mail.

To vote in person, you must vote at your assigned polling place on Election Day while the polls are open – in Pennsylvania, this is from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. You can find your polling place on the PA Voter Services website.

To vote by mail, you must request a mail-in ballot. Pennsylvania voters can request a ballot through the PA Voter Services website; voters in other states can find information on requesting a mail-in ballot. If you are registering to vote for the first time or filling out a voter registration form to update your voting address, you can request a mail-in ballot on the voter registration application.

Mail-in ballot requests are due to your county elections office one week before the election – although we recommend submitting as early as possible. Mail-in ballots must reach your county elections office by 8 p.m. on Election Day, so be sure to mail them at least a week in advance of the election date.

Whether you are registering for the first time or updating your registration to your campus address, you can do so using the PA Voter Registration Application. This form can also be used to request a mail-in ballot, change your party registration, or update your legal name.

Print the form or stop by the CCCE (BSC 247) to pick up a form. We will even help you fill it out and put it in the mail for you!

To register at your campus address, fill out your voter registration form with the following information:

• Box 5 (Your Address):
  • Address line: Your residence hall (e.g., Schlosser Hall)
  • City/Town: Elizabethtown
  • Zip code: 17022
  • Municipality: Elizabethtown Borough
  • County: Lancaster
• Box 6 (Mailing address for voter registration):
  • Address line: Your Mail Services box number (e.g., #### Baugher Ave.)
  • City/Town: Elizabethtown
  • State: PA
  • Zip code: 17022

If you are a resident of Pennsylvania, you can use the PA Voter Registration Application to register to vote, update your address, request a mail-in ballot, change your party registration, or update your legal name. Fill out box 5 with your home address and select “same as above” in box 6.

If you live in a state other than Pennsylvania, you can find information about registering to vote in your state at vote.gov.

As someone not registered at your campus address, you may want to request a mail-in ballot. If you are registered to vote in Pennsylvania, you can do that using the PA Voter Registration Application. Complete the application form, inputting the below information in the specified boxes:

• Box 3 (Reason): Check “Mail-in voting”
• Box 5 (Your address): List your home address
• Box 6 (Mailing address for voter registration): List your campus address where you receive mail (e.g., #### Baugher Ave. Elizabethtown, PA 17022)
• Box 12 (I want to request a mail-in ballot): Choose which option you prefer
• Box 13 (Mailing address for mail-in ballot): Check “Mailing address in Section 6”

If you are registered in a state other than Pennsylvania and wish to receive a mail-in ballot, visit vote.gov to find instructions for requesting a mail-in ballot in your state. Use your campus address (#### Baugher Ave. Elizabethtown, PA 17022) as the address where you will receive the mail-in ballot.

Students who are registering to vote in Pennsylvania can access the voter registration form at pa.gov. This form can also be used to update your address, request a mail-in ballot, change your party registration, or update your legal name.

Follow the guidance below to fill out your voter registration form. Fill out the form using black ink.

• Box 1 – Print your name: If you have a Pennsylvania driver’s license or ID card, write your name as it appears on your license/ID card.
• Box 2 – Eligibility: If you answer “No” to either question, you’re not eligible to vote.
• Box 3 – Reason: You can check multiple options here as they apply to you.
• Box 4 – About you: Fill out the required items as well as either email or phone so the county Office of Elections can contact you if they have questions about your form.
• Box 5 – Your address: This is the address where you are registering to vote. If you are registering at home, this is your home address. If you are registering at campus, fill it out as follows:
  • Address line: Your residence hall (e.g., Schlosser Hall)
  • City/Town: Elizabethtown
  • Zip code: 17022
  • Municipality: Elizabethtown Borough
  • County: Lancaster
• Box 6 – Mailing address for voter registration: If you are registering to vote at home, check “Same as above.” If you are registering to vote at your campus address, fill it out as follows:
  • Address line: Your Mail Services box number (e.g., #### Baugher Ave.)
  • City/Town: Elizabethtown
  • State: PA
  • Zip code: 17022
• Box 7 – Identification: Include at least one of these options. You may choose to include both but do not have to.
• Box 8 – Political party: You may choose whichever political party you’d like to register with, including writing in a party in “Other.” You do not have to register with a political party. If you want to vote in primary elections in Pennsylvania, you must register with either the Democratic or Republican party. Pennsylvania has closed primaries, meaning if you register as a Democrat, you can only vote in the Democratic primary, and if you register as a Republican, you can only vote in the Republican primary.
• Box 9 – If your name or address has changed: Fill out this box if you are using the form to update your legal name or if you are already registered in Pennsylvania at a different address and are using the form to register at a new Pennsylvania address.
• Box 10 – Voting assistance: Leave this blank if you do not need language or other assistance (such as reading or marking your ballot) at the polls. You can still request assistance when you go to the polls to vote but will have to complete a form. Marking this box if you need assistance puts a note in the poll books so you do not have to fill out a form at the polling place every time you require assistance voting.
• Box 11 – Be a poll worker: Check this box if you would like to sign up to be a poll worker on Election Day. You must serve in the county in which you are registered to vote.
• Box 12 – I want to request a mail-in ballot: Choose the appropriate option in this box only if you want to receive your ballot by mail instead of voting in person on Election Day.
• Box 13 – Mailing address for mail-in ballot: If you are using this form to request a mail-in ballot, choose the appropriate option here. If you are registering at your home address in Pennsylvania and requesting a mail-in ballot be sent to you at your campus address, select “Mailing address in Section 6.”
• Box 14 – Declaration and signature: Sign in the box by the X and print your name underneath. Include the date you are completing the form.
• Box 15 – Help with this form: Leave this box blank unless someone else physically filled out the form for you because you were unable to.

That’s it, you’ve filled out your voter registration application! If you bring your form to the CCCE (BSC 247), we will put postage on it and mail it for you.

If you are unable to stop by the CCCE or would like to mail the form yourself, complete the following steps:

1. Put your name and campus address in the “Your address” section in the upper left-hand side.
2. Write your county election office address where indicated. You can find your county’s address on page 2 of the form. You do not have to include the phone number when you write the address.
3. Place a stamp on the corner where indicated. Fold your form as indicated and tape it shut. Drop it off at Mail Services, and you are all done!

If you are registering to vote on campus, send your form to:

Lancaster County Election Office
PO Box 2139
Lancaster, PA 17608

If you are registering at a different Pennsylvania location and are not sure what county you’re registering in, you can look it up using the Find My Township website (click on “Find Your Municipality” at the bottom of the page).