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All you need to know about mail-in ballots

This will mark the very first Presidential election where all Pennsylvanians can cast their votes if they choose by mail.

MIDDLEBURG, Pa. — If you're registered to vote, and you request a mail-in ballot, you should have received it or should be receiving it soon. 

Once you receive it and open it, you'll find your return mail-in ballot envelope. This is what you're going to send your ballot back in once you completed it. 

Next, you're going to find your "Official Absentee Ballot" envelope.  This is where you're going to put your ballot once it's done. This envelope secures your ballot and makes sure that the elections office knows they cannot open it until Election Day. 

RELATED: Voter Guide: Everything you need to know about registering and voting in Pennsylvania

Next is you'll find your ballot, the most important part. 

Included in the election ballot, you're going to receive information about how to fill out the ballot. 

You'll want to read through this to make sure you understand everything before completing the form.

Once you've read through it, you want to make sure you either use a black pen or a blue pen and then start to fill out your ballot.

Once you're done filling out your mail-in ballot, you're going to want to refold it in the same direction it got sent to you in.  Then you will take your security envelope and put your ballot in the envelope and safely secure it. 

Once you have secured your ballot, you're going to fill out the voter declaration on the back of the return envelope that gets sent to the elections office. 

Signing the voter declaration ensures you know that your ballot is secret, and you haven't voted already in the election. It also ensures you know that your ballot is a secret, and you haven't voted already in the election. 

Once you fill out your voter declaration, you're going to take your ballot in its official safety envelope and put it inside the return envelope.

Make sure it's sealed. Also, don't forget to put your return address on the front of the return address. 

One other important thing to note is if you request a mail-in ballot, but decide you want to vote in person, you need to make sure that you bring your entire unvoted ballot. This includes both the return envelope and the security envelope. 

The chairman of elections in Snyder County says while it's going to look a lot different this year, that shouldn't intimidate voters from either voting in person or with their mail-in ballot.

"We've heard a lot in this election cycle about who's the American, who's the best, proudest American, you know, that's running. I don't care. I care that voters are proud Americans and want to get out and vote and be a part of the process," said Snyder County Commissioner Joseph Kantz.

There are some important voter dates to note: 

October 19 is the deadline to register to vote.  

October 27 is the deadline to request an absentee or mail-in ballot. 

All mail-in and absentee ballots need to be postmarked or returned to your county election office by 8 p.m. on Nov 3. 

 

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