Voting in Pennsylvania, 2026
Every date and deadline for the November 3 general election, from registering to the final certificate, and who signs off on the result.
Every date, in order
- Mon, Oct 19 · passedRegistration deadlineRegistrations must be received by Monday October 19, 2026, 15 days before Election Day.1
- Tue, Oct 27 · todayLast day for mail ballot applicationsMail-in and absentee applications must be received by 5 p.m. on Tuesday October 27, 2026.1
- Tue, Nov 3 · 7 daysElection Day; Mail ballots must arriveMail-in and absentee ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day.1
- Sun, Nov 15 · 19 daysCounty/Local canvassUnofficial county returns are due by 5 p.m. on November 10 and become final five days later, November 15, if no recount is sought.2
- Mon, Nov 23 · 27 daysCounty/Local certification; Deadline to contest the result
Questions people ask about voting in Pennsylvania
Q. Can I vote early in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has no early voting, though voters can apply for, mark and return a mail ballot in one visit at the county office.
Q. When is the deadline to register to vote in Pennsylvania?
Registrations must be received by Monday October 19, 2026, 15 days before Election Day.
Q. What is the last day to request a mail ballot in Pennsylvania?
Mail-in and absentee applications must be received by 5 p.m. on Tuesday October 27, 2026.
Q. When does my mail ballot have to arrive in Pennsylvania?
Mail-in and absentee ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Q. Who certifies the election in Pennsylvania, and by when?
The county board of elections canvasses its returns, sends unofficial results to the Secretary of the Commonwealth by the Tuesday after the election, and then files its certified results. County/Local results must be certified by Monday, November 23, 2026. This statutory duty to certify by the third Monday after the election applies even after a recount or court-ordered revision. The Secretary of the Commonwealth canvasses and certifies the state and federal results once the certified county results arrive, and issues certificates for state offices while the Governor issues them for federal offices. The Secretary of the Commonwealth tabulates and certifies the results once the counties report, and no completion deadline is set. The Secretary receives the county returns, “forthwith” tabulates the votes for Representative in Congress, certifies and files the tabulation, and lays it before the Governor. 25 P.S. § 2621(f); EC §§ 1408, 1409, 1413.
Q. What happens after the count in Pennsylvania, and when is there a recount?
Any three qualified electors who file a petition alleging reliable information showing fraud or error may force a recount. Automatic recounts provisions also apply when a candidate on the statewide ballot loses by one half of one percent or less, and it must be completed by the Tuesday after the third Wednesday after the election, which is November 24, 2026.
Q. How long is there to contest an election in Pennsylvania?
A contest petition must be filed within 20 days after the election, by November 23, 2026.
Sources
- Vote.org, Pennsylvania Election Center, https://www.vote.org/state/pennsylvania/
- NCSL, Canvass Deadlines, https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/canvass-deadlines
- NCSL, Contested Election Deadlines, https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/contested-election-deadlines
- NASS, State Election Canvassing Timeframes and Recount Thresholds, https://www.nass.org/node/2455
- NCSL, Election Certification Deadlines, https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/election-certification-deadlines
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