Pennsylvanians can now apply online to vote by mail, without an excuse

The new application website comes courtesy of Act 77, which expands voting laws. Lawmakers passed it in an effort to boost participation.

• Katie Meyer/WITF
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  Katie Meyer was WITF’s Capitol Bureau Chief from 2016-2020. While at WITF, she covered all things state politics for public radio stations throughout Pennsylvania. Katie came to Harrisburg by way of New York City, where she worked at Fordham University’s public radio station, WFUV, as an anchor, general assignment reporter, and co-host of an original podcast. A 2016 graduate of Fordham, she earned several awards for her work at WFUV, including four 2016 Gracies.
  
  Katie is a native New Yorker, though she originally hails from Troy, a little farther up the Hudson River. She can attest that the bagels are still pretty good there.
  
  WITF's Capitol Bureau Chief Desk is partially funded through generous gifts made in the memory of Tony May through the Anthony J. May Memorial Fund.
  
  For more information about Tony May, click here.

 Rich Pedroncelli / AP Photo

FILE PHOTO: In this photo taken Feb. 24, 2012, mail is deposited into an outdoor postal box at the Sacramento Processing Center in West Sacramento, Calif.

(Harrisburg) — Pennsylvanians can now apply online to vote by mail, without an excuse.

It’s one of several changes the commonwealth is making to expand voting access ahead of this year’s elections.

The April 28^th primaries will be the first election in which Pennsylvanians can mail in their ballots. County election offices have to receive applications by 5 p.m. on April 21^st. Then, voters have until 8 p.m. on election day to return the completed ballots.

That’s a significantly looser time frame than what the state’s old absentee ballot law allowed.

Some county officials have said the change will mean more work for counties and could delay results on Election Day.

In an address last month, Department of State Secretary Kathy Boockvar said she’s monitoring counties’ prep work.

“There’s so many changes that I think we really have to work very closely on,” she said. “That’s why the Department of State has been spending a lot of our focus on assisting the counties.”

In order to apply online to mail in a ballot, voters must be registered.

Before receiving it, they have to enter their name, birth date, driver’s license or state ID number and address.

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