As mail ballots begin to go out, Pa.’s top election official says midterms will be business as usual

Following the defeat of the Trump administration’s push to implement new United States Postal Service rules that could have limited mail voting, Pennsylvania’s top election official Al Schmidt wants to assure voters that this election will work like any other.

“Having been a county election commissioner for 10 years, I know first hand how much preparation goes into every election, no matter what cycle or what’s going on in the political world outside of election administration,” he said. “I’m confident that eligible voters in Pa. can and should approach this election like they always do, which means voting by whichever method works best for them.”

The update was provided in a press conference  six weeks before election day.

As it stands, Schmidt said roughly 986,000 mail ballot applications have been approved in Pennsylvania — or about 95% of those received. And 20 counties have already begun to send mail ballots to voters who requested them.

Schmidt also urged voters seeking to cast mail ballots in person to check the Department of State’s website which lists what counties currently have the service available.

On-demand mail ballot voting is the closest thing Pennsylvania has to more traditional early voting, yet it’s been marked by challenges. Voters can go to a county election office or designated satellite office, request a mail ballot, fill it out on the spot and then return it to an election worker. But the system — and voter expectations that it function like an in-person polling place — caused some issues in the 2024 election cycle.

But Schmidt says the Department of State has made some administrative changes intended to ease the process. He said they follow the success of a redesigned mail ballot envelope, and a year-long education push, he credited with reducing rejections due to errors by nearly 60%. 

The department has also issued a new toolkit counties can use to serve voters who seek to cast mail ballots in person, including a streamlined mail ballot application. It includes a declaration that voters wish to receive a mail ballot at their county election office.

“This application will make it easier for counties to assist voters who choose to apply for, receive, mark and return their mail ballot all in one visit,” he said.

Schmidt said at this point in the election, his office is working with county election staff. 

“We continue to be focused on ensuring that all county election staff, including the many new directors preparing for their first general election, are given training and the support they need,” he said. “In Pennsylvania, it’s at the county level where elections are run, closest to home.”

Pennsylvanians interested in becoming poll workers can apply at vote.pa.gov.