Frequently Asked Questions

A Municipal Election is an election where voters elect local and state officials rather than the U.S. President. These elections typically include races for mayor, city council, school board, judges, and other local offices.

Municipal Election years have both primary and general elections, just like presidential election years.

• Primary elections for Municipal Elections in Pennsylvania are usually held on the third Tuesday in May.

• In a primary election, registered Democrats and Republicans vote for candidates within their respective parties to determine who will appear on the ballot in the November general election for all registered voters.

• Pennsylvania has a closed primary system, meaning only registered Democrats can vote for Democratic candidates, and only registered Republicans can vote for Republican candidates. Unfortunately, this means that voters registered as Independents or with a third party cannot vote in partisan primary races unless the law changes.

• If you want to vote in a primary election in Pennsylvania, you must be registered with the party whose candidates you wish to support. You can update your party affiliation through the Pennsylvania voter registration system before the deadline.

• The candidates who receive the most votes in the primary move on to the general election in November, where all registered voters, regardless of party, can participate.

First, make sure you meet the requirements - to vote in Pennsylvania, you must:

• Be a citizen of the U.S. for at least one month before the election.

• Be a resident of PA and the election district in which you want to register and vote for at least 30 days before the next election.

• Be at least 18 years of age one or before the day of the next election.

Registering to vote is easy:

• Online Voter Registration

• Voter Registration Form for Printing & Mailing (you can also use this form for a change of address within Erie County, a name change, or a party change.)

• Contact our Erie County Elections and Voter Registration office if you need assistance.

Primaries: In Pennsylvania, you can only vote in a political party’s primary if you are a registered voter of that party. You can check your current voter registration here.

Registered Democrats can only vote in the Democratic primary, and registered Republicans can only vote in the Republican primary.

If you are registered as an independent (or any other party), you cannot vote in the primary of either major political party.

Third Party Registrants can vote in primary elections only if the ballot includes a constitutional amendment question, a ballot question, or a special election – just not for party nominees. 

General elections: In elections that are not party primaries, like the general election in November, voters can vote for candidates in any political party. For example, in the general election, if you are registered as an independent, you can vote for candidates from any party. 

This means that if you are voting in the primary as a registered Republican, you won’t see a Democratic Party candidate on your ballot. You can choose to write in a name or change your party for this election cycle. See how in the next FAQ!

Mail-in Ballot: Any registered voter may submit an application to vote by mail-in ballot.

Absentee Ballot: Voters who will be out of town on Election Day or have a disability or illness that makes voting in-person difficult, can apply for an absentee ballot.

Visit the Erie County Elections and Voter Registration Office for more information on how to request your ballots.

Track your ballot: if you request and mail in a ballot, you can track it here.

If you meet the PA voting requirements, you can vote in any election!

To vote in Pennsylvania, you must meet the below requirements:

• Be a citizen of the United States for at least one month before the election.

• Be a resident of Pennsylvania and the election district in which you want to register and vote for at least 30 days before the next election.

• Be at least 18 years of age one or before the day of the next election.

Of course! We recommend you go right to the source and contact the Erie County office of Elections and Voter Registration.

Stop by:

Erie County Courthouse
140 West Sixth Street
Room 112
Erie, PA 16501

Call: 814-451-6275

Email: voterreg@eriecountypa.gov