Monday is deadline to register for primary

The final day to register to vote in the June 2 primary election is quickly approaching.

Monday is the registration deadline, and voters have to be registered in one of the major parties to be able to help pick nominees.

Voters who are registered as Republican or Democrat will choose their party’s nominees for president, several state row offices, representative in Congress, half of all state Senate seats, all seats in the state House and presidential delegates.

Pennsylvania operates a closed primary — meaning only voters registered as Democrats or Republicans will select nominees to represent their party in the Nov. 3 general election.

The deadline to apply for a primary mail-in ballot also is approaching.

Berks County election officials have been encouraging voters to take advantage of this option, saying that way they’ll avoid crowds at polling places. The deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot is May 26.

Allowing voters to submit their ballots by mail is new this spring. It was one of several changes included in a historic election reform bill signed into law last fall designed by state lawmakers to increase access to the ballot box.

Voters can submit mailin and absentee ballots until 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Here’s everything else you need to know if you plan to head to the polls:

Check first: If you aren’t sure if you’re registered to vote, find out. And if you haven’t voted in a while, check to make sure you’re still registered and that your address is up to date. Voters can check their registration status by calling the county elections office. For Berks, that number is 610-478-6490. Voters can also call the state at 877868-3772 or check their status online at votesPA.com.

Choose a registration option: Voters can register online at votesPA.com. That’s the easiest and quickest option. But voters can still mail in applications. Those are available online at votesPA. com or can be picked up at government offices, libraries and post offices. You can also register in person at the county elections office.

Follow directions: Make sure to have your driver’s license, PennDOT ID or Social Security number handy when registering. If you check on the registration form that you don’t have any of those identifications, it can result in your application being delayed. Make sure all the questions on the form are answered and filled out. Missing information can result in delays.