More than 3M in Pennsylvania apply for mail-in ballots

HARRISBURG, Pa. — A week ahead of the Nov. 3 election, applications in the presidential battleground state of Pennsylvania for mail-in or absentee ballots have exceeded 3 million, with Tuesday the last day to request one and legal wrangling creating uncertainty over the deadline to receive them.

State data shows that, of those applications, more than 57 percent have been returned to counties.

More than 9 million Pennsylvanians have registered to vote, a record high.

If turnout is 70 percent, which was the rate in the 2016 presidential election in Pennsylvania, that means 6.3 million people will vote.

The majority of people, 1.9 million, applying for mail-in or absentee ballots are Democrats, according to state data. About 760,000 are Republicans and 350,000 are registered independents or third-party voters. Abby Leafe, who lives in suburban Philadelphia, was still checking her mailbox Tuesday in search of her mail-in ballot.

“I am desperately, desperately waiting for my ballot to arrive,” said Leafe, a 46-year-old market researcher from Newtown, one of the millions of suburban moms that both parties hope to reach.

Leafe hopes to vote by mail, but will go to the polls if need be. “Making sure we have free and fair elections is worth getting COVID for,” she said.

The crush of mail-in votes is a record, more than 10 times the amount received by counties in 2016’s presidential election.