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By Elizabeth Estrada | Spotlight PA

Pennsylvania is home to nearly 300 colleges, universities and technical schools. If you are one of the hundreds of thousands of students who attend one of these institutions and are eligible to vote, you have several options for doing so in the upcoming November 5 election.

Whether you’re voting for the first time, voting by mail, or simply updating your registration, here’s everything you need to know about voting as a college student in Pennsylvania:

Can college students vote in Pennsylvania?

Yes, as long as they meet Pennsylvania voter registration requirements:

• Be a citizen of the United States for at least one month before the election;
• Be a resident of your constituency for at least 30 days before the next election;
• And be at least 18 years old on election day.

If you meet these requirements, you can choose the address where you register — However, you can only select one.

You can register to vote at your current place of residence (on campus, off campus) or at your previous home address if you have a family member or guardian living there.

If you plan to register at your current home address and vote in person, it’s important to consider how feasible it is to travel to your polling place. Plan your election day accordingly, and remember that you’re allowed to cast your vote as long as you’re in line by 8 p.m.

If I am new to Pennsylvania and moved here to study, can I still register to vote using my college address?

If you have lived in the constituency in which you wish to vote for at least 30 days before the election, you can register as a voter using your university address.

What happens if I live off campus?

If you do not live on campus, you can register to vote at this address.

What happens if I get a new address on campus or off campus?

If you are already registered to vote, have moved to a new address, and would like to vote from that address, you must update your voter registration by October 21.

Am I eligible to vote if I turn 18 on election day?

As long as you meet the additional requirements of being a U.S. citizen and having resided in the precinct where you wish to register for at least 30 days, you are eligible to vote if you are at least 18 years old on or before Election Day, whether it is a primary, special, local or general election.

The last day to register to vote for the upcoming parliamentary elections is October 21.

I’m voting for the first time. How do I prepare and what can I expect?

Voting for the first time is very exciting! If you plan to vote in person, find your polling place in advance and plan when and how you will get there. You can make an activity out of it and bring your friends and family if they are voting at the same location as you. In Pennsylvania, polls open at 7 a.m. and as long as you are in line by 8 p.m., you are allowed to cast your vote.

Each time you vote for the first time at a new location, you will be required to show a photo ID or a non-photo ID, so make sure you have it with you.

It’s a good idea to look at a sample ballot on your county’s website in advance to see which elections you’re voting on and if there are any voting measures.

In the upcoming November 5 election, Pennsylvania residents will cast their votes for president, the U.S. House and Senate, state offices (Attorney General, Auditor General and Treasurer) and the Legislature. If you’re looking for detailed information on Pennsylvania’s statewide elections, visit our Election Center where you’ll find detailed guides to the candidates.

What if I want to vote by mail?

In Pennsylvania, all voters can vote by mail if they wish.

To request a mail-in ballot, you must be a registered voter. Keep in mind that you will need time to complete and return your mail-in ballot. You also have the option of returning your completed ballot to your county election office or to a drop box if your county has one.

Remember: Postal ballots must be received by the district election office before 8 p.m. on election day. Postmarks do not count.

Visit vote.pa.gov to read the Pennsylvania Secretary of State’s rules on voting by mail.

I’m studying abroad. How can I choose?

If you’re out of the country on Election Day, you can still vote. The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) helps U.S. citizens abroad cast their vote remotely.

First, you must be registered to vote. You can register using any official registration form – online, by mail, or in person.

If you are abroad, you can vote by post. There are several ways to apply for one:

The deadline to request a mail-in ballot is October 29, and the request must be received by your county election office by 5 p.m. that day. However, it is strongly recommended that you submit the request as soon as possible so that it can be processed and mailed in a timely manner.

If you don’t receive your ballot in time, contact your local election office. You may be able to vote via Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB). In Pennsylvania, you must register and request a mail-in ballot before completing the form for a FWAB.

For more information about voting abroad, visit fvap.gov.

Read Spotlight PA’s full coverage, including candidate and voting guides, primers on misinformation, and more, in our 2024 Election Center.

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