What you need to know about voting by mail

First batch of ballots should be sent to voters this week

Voting in the general election is about to begin in the Philadelphia area.

Berks County Elections Director Ronald Rutkowski said Monday that the first batch of ballots is expected to be sent out early this week. He said the office has so far received applications for about 17,000 ballots.

Voters can decide to cast their ballot by mail or they can go to the polls on Election Day on Nov. 2. They will help decide who will win seats on the state appellate courts, local judicial positions, municipal boards and councils, school boards and some county row offices.

Here’s what you need to know about voting by mail.

How can I request a mailed ballot?

Voters can apply online by visiting VotesPA.com, apply in person at the county elections office or contact the county elections office directly to request a paper application.

You will need to apply with a valid Pennsylvania identification card or supply the last four digits of your Social Security number.

What is the deadline to apply for a mailed ballot?

The current deadline is Oct. 26 — seven days before the Nov. 2 election. But election officials are asking that voters request a ballot as soon as possible.

How do I vote with a mailed ballot?

1. Carefully open the ballot package when you receive it in the mail.

2. Make sure there is a secrecy envelope included because a mailed ballot not in a secrecy envelope, also known as a naked ballot, will not be counted.

3. Fill out the ballot immediately.

4. Place your ballot in the secrecy envelope, then put the secrecy envelope into the official envelope. Be sure to sign the declaration or your ballot may not count.

5. Drop your ballot off at the Berks County Services Center or Berks County Agricultural Center or mail your ballot so it arrives at the county elections office by Election Day.

Will there be drop boxes for ballots?

Two drop boxes are available in Berks.

One box is in the lobby of the Berks County Services Center, and the other is at the Berks County Agricultural Center in Bern Township.

The drop boxes will be open starting Oct. 18 during the following days and hours:

Monday through Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 30: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 1: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Election Day, Nov. 2: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Officials said both drop boxes are secured by deputies from the sheriff’s department. Workers in the election services department collect the ballots at the end of each day and seal them when the centers are closed to ensure the ballots remain secure.

Voters who choose to drop off their ballots are not allowed to drop off ballots belonging to anyone else — a practice Democrats call community collection and Republicans deem ballot harvesting. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has ruled that the practice is illegal.

What if I don’t get my mailed ballot?

No problem. You can go to your assigned polling place and vote in-person by filling out a provisional ballot if you have not received your mailed ballot.

What if I signed up for a mailed ballot but want to vote at the polls?

If you misplaced your mailed ballot or have decided to cast your ballot at the polls, you still have an opportunity to vote.

Go to your assigned polling place. If you have the mailed ballot, you will need to surrender the ballot and its envelopes to the judge of elections to be voided in order to vote on the voting machines. If you misplaced the mailed ballot, you will need to tell the judge of elections and they will give you a provisional ballot to fill out.