Can You Drop Off a Pa. Mail-In Ballot? It Depends Where You Live

Pennsylvania's primary is Tuesday June 2, and the deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot has passed.

With an unprecedented surge in mail-in-ballot applications, and some voters not receiving their ballots until late this week, at least one county is urging voters to drop off ballots in person before the polls close at 8 p.m. Tuesday. However, not every county has those drop-off boxes available.

State officials estimated the running total at 1.8 million applications, according to the Associated Press. Some counties have already received more mail-in ballot applications than the entire vote total they expected in the primary election, Secretary of the Commonwealth Kathy Boockvar said.

She called that number "off the charts" compared to a normal year.

According to the state site VotesPA, the deadlines are firm - the county elections offices will not accept ballots received after 8 p.m. June 2.

“I’m still waiting on mine in the mail,” Philadelphia City Council President Darrell Clarke said at the end of a recent budget hearing with the City Commissioners’ office. “But we understand this is a lengthy process.”

The state was distributing extra funds to counties to handle a surge, and to cover personal protective equipment for the polling places that will remain open. There are far fewer locations open for in-person voting in this election.

Here is an updated list of ballot drop-off locations, by county:

Montgomery

• Norristown - One Montgomery Plaza – Walk-up drop-off 425 Swede Street, Norristown, PA 19401
  The drop-off box is in the lobby. Free parking is available at the Airy Street parking lot on the corner of Airy and DeKalb Streets. The drop-off box is accessible daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. through Election Day, June 2.
• Green Lane - Green Lane Park – Drive-up drop-off 2144 Snyder Road, Green Lane, PA 18054
  The drop-off box is available from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Election Day, June 2.
• Lansdale - Montgomery County Community Connections Office – Drive-up drop-off 421 West Main Street, Lansdale, PA 19446
  The drop-off box is available from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Election Day, June 2.
• Pottstown - Montgomery County Community College Pottstown Campus – Drive-up drop-off 101 College Drive-South Hall, Pottstown, PA 19464
  The drop-off box is available from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Election Day, June 2.
• Willow Grove - Eastern Courthouse Annex – Drive-up drop-off 102 North York Road, Willow Grove, PA 19090
  The drop-off box is available from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Election Day, June 2.

The Following locations are OPEN ELECTION DAY ONLY- from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, June 2:

• Lower Merion – Lower Merion Township Building – Drive-up drop-off 75 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, PA 19003
• Lower Providence – Lower Providence Township Building – Drive-up drop-off 100 Parklane Drive, Eagleville, PA 19403
• Whitemarsh Township – Spring Mill Fire Company – Drive-up drop-off 1210 East Hector Street, Conshohocken, PA 19428
• Upper Dublin Township – Upper Dublin Township Building – Drive-up drop-off 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington, PA 19034
• Cheltenham Township – Wall Park – Drive-up drop-off 600 Church Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027

In Montgomery County, completed mail-in and absentee ballots must be returned by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 2. Postmarks do not count. Any voter who has requested a mail-in or absentee ballot, and is concerned they cannot return it by the deadline may also go to their polling place and vote using a provisional ballot.

Bucks

The county added three drop-off boxes after seeing reports that there could be too little time to return ballots thorough the mail.

• The Lower Bucks Government Services Center, 7321 New Falls Road, Levittown
• The Bucks County Administration Building, 55 E. Court St., Doylestown
• The Upper Bucks Government Services Center, 261 California Road, Quakertown

Chester

• Chester County Government Services Center, 601 Westtown Road, West Chester, PA - Located in the lobby. Open all hours until 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 2nd.
• Chester County Public Safety Training Campus, 137 Modena Road, Coatesville, PA - Located at the test site greeter station. Open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• Longwood Gardens South Parking Lot, 1010 East Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, PA - Located at the test site greeter station.  Open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• Kimberton Fair Grounds, 762 Pike Springs Road, Phoenixville, PA - Located in the parking lot.  Open from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• Warwick County Park, 191 County Park Road, Pottstown, PA - Located in the park office.  Open from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• Battle of the Clouds Park, 125 North Phoenixville Pike, Malvern, PA - Located in the parking lot.  Open from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Delaware

The county will have drop-off boxes outside at polling locations, so voters won't have to go inside. There will also be a mobile collection at retirement homes.

Philadelphia

Some wards in the city posted flyers saying to complete and return your ballot the day you receive it, to minimize a backlog.

In Philly, ballots cannot be dropped off at polling locations. There is one 24/7 drop box in the city, on the south side of City Hall. The box is blue and is painted with USA flags, according to the flyer.

According to the Committee of Seventy and the City Commissioners, there are 10 mobile dropoff sites that will spend a few hours each in a neighborhood this weekend.

Location	Address	Date	Time
Boys Latin of Philadelphia Charter High School	5501 Cedar Ave Philadelphia, PA 19143	Saturday, May 30, 2020	9:00 AM-11:00 AM
John Bartram High School	2401 S 67th St Philadelphia, PA 19142	Saturday, May 30, 2020	12:00 PM-2:00 PM
South Philadelphia High School	2101 S Broad St Philadelphia, PA 19148	Saturday, May 30, 2020	3:00 PM-5:00 PM
George Washington High School	10175 Bustleton Ave Philadelphia, PA 19116	Sunday, May 31, 2020	8:00 AM-10:00 AM
Rising Sun Plaza Shopping Center	Rising Sun & Adams Aves Philadelphia, PA 19120	Sunday, May 31, 2020	11:00 AM-1:00 PM
25th District PAL Center	3199 D Street Philadelphia, PA 19134	Sunday, May 31, 2020	2:00 PM-4:00 PM
Fishtown Crossing Shopping Center	2401 Aramingo Ave Philadelphia, PA 19125	Sunday, May 31, 2020	5:00 PM-7:00 PM
Shawmont Elementary School	535 Shawmont Ave Philadelphia, PA 19128	Monday, June 1, 2020	9:00 AM-11:00 AM
Central High School	1700 W Olney Ave Philadelphia, PA 19141	Monday, June 1, 2020	12:00 PM-2:00 PM
Tanner Duckrey Public School	1501 W Diamond St Philadelphia, PA 19121	Monday, June 1, 2020	3:00 PM-5:00 PM

This article contains information from The Associated Press and Digital Content Producer Brian McCrone.