LibGuides: Election 2020: Vote!

Take part in our virtual poll, but get educated and go vote on 11/3/2020!

Presidential Virtual Poll

Democrats: Biden & Harris: 263 votes (44.5%)

Republicans: Trump & Pence: 240 votes (40.61%)

Green: Hawkins & Walker: 82 votes (13.87%)

Libertarian: Jorgensen & Cohen: 6 votes (1.02%)

Total Votes: 591

Registration & Election Information

PA Online Voter Registration
Register to vote in PA. Deadline Alert: 10/19/2020 is the last day to register before the 11/03/2020 election.
VOTE411
From the League of Women Voters Education Fund, this site provides personalized voting information. See what's on the ballot, check your registration status, find your polling place.
Votes PA
On this official site from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, you can register, find a polling place, find all information about upcoming elections, and even volunteer to become a poll worker.
Voting in Pennsylviania
From Ballotpedia, this provides detailed information on voting policies and all races in PA.
Voter Resources
From the League of Women Voters, this Voter Resources page provides "nonpartisan and reliable information for the 2020 General Election process, resources for youth empowerment, voter registration, mail-in voting, and more."
League of Women Voters of Greater Pittsburgh
"The League of Women Voters of Greater Pittsburgh, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy."

WQED: Campaign U Voter Deadlines

FAQs

What is the deadline to register?

Deadline for the 2020 General Election:
October 19, 2020, 5:00 PM

Postmarks no longer apply
Applications to register to must be RECEIVED by 5 PM in the Elections Division:
Room 609, County Office Building
542 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15219

How can I check to see if I’m registered to vote?

Check your voter registration status on the PA Department of State site.

Can I vote by mail & is it safe?

Yes! You can complete the PA Ballot Request Application for an absentee or mail-in ballot for the upcoming election.

For information on precautions being taken to keep the election secure, The Bipartisan Policy Center provides highlights of a conversation with state and local election officials in which they discuss how mail-in ballots reduce voter fraud, enforcement of signature verifications, reviews of potentially tampered ballots, and efforts to increase voter confidence in the process.

Where can I drop off my ballot?

Mail-in and absentee ballots can be dropped off at the Elections Office, 542 Forbes Avenue, 6th Floor, downtown Pittsburgh. The division is planning to have drop off in the lobby of the building on Election Day. Parking spaces will be marked on Forbes Avenue directly in front of the building for voters to just pull up outside and go into the lobby to drop off their ballot. Please note: Voters may only drop off their own ballots.

Secure Ballot Return at Allegheny County Satellite Offices - this League of Women Voter's schedule provides full details of locations.

Saturday, October 10, 9AM - 5PM
Sunday, October 11, 11AM - 7PM
County office building (Downtown Pittsburgh), North and South Park ice rinks, Community College of Allegheny County’s Homewood campus and the Department of Public Works Garage No. 2 in Carnegie

Saturday, October 17, 9AM - 5PM
Sunday, October 18, 11AM - 7PM
County office building, South Park ice rink, Boyce Park ski lodge, Shop ’n Save in Pittsburgh’s Hill District and CCAC’s South campus in West Mifflin

Saturday, October 24, 9AM - 5PM
Sunday, October 25, 11AM - 7PM
County office building, North Park ice rink, Boyce Park ski lodge, CCAC’s South campus in West Mifflin and CCAC’s main campus in Pittsburgh’s North Side

Can I track my ballot?

Yes! You can check the status of your application or ballot on the PA Department of State's site.

Where can I vote if I want to go in person?

Due to COVID, some poll locations may be closed and relocated. You can Find Your Polling Place by completing the form on the PA Department of State's site. Just enter your address to find the most updated information.

Can I vote if I have a criminal record?

Yes, as long as you are no longer incarcerated. Exercise your right!

Can I vote if I'm homeless?

Yes! Your voice counts! You need to list the address of a shelter or an address where you sleep most often.

What safety precautions will be in place to protect voters and poll workers from COVID on election day?

From the Allegheny County Election site: "Poll workers will be provided masks, gloves, face shields and hand sanitizer. Additionally, there will be plexi-glass at the sign-in tables. There will also be cleaning materials at the polling place, tape to mark off 6’ distances for voters waiting in line and extra staff to help enforce the provisions. Voters will be asked to wear a face covering in compliance with the state order. Those who arrive without a face covering will be offered one."

I have a question that isn't answered here; what can I do?

It's great to have questions! Here are some resources that might help:

Learn the Issues

ISideWith
This interactive site provides questions that match your political beliefs with political parties and candidates.
AllSides: 2020 Election
The AllSides election page provides balanced news coverage and perspective blogs on the 2020 race.
VoteSmart: Political Galaxy
Search by politician or zip code; select an issue and instantly arrive at every fact related to that person on that issue.
VoteSmart: Vote Easy
Click on a candidate’s sign to see their positions on key issues OR compare your issue positions to those of all the candidates.
Britannica's ProCon.org: 2020 Presidential Electiom
From reputable Britannica, this comprehensive site tracks the views of presidential candidates. It provides a matching quiz that matches responses with the candidates and also provides a concise Candidate Comparison Chart.
PolitiFact
PolitiFact seeks to present the true facts, unaffected by agenda or biases. Their journalists read transcripts, speeches, news stories, press releases, and campaign brochures and watch TV and scan social media.
How to Consume Information about Ballot Errors
This short article provides five tips on understand reports of ballot errors.

Know your Media!

Ad Fontes rates the news for bias and reliability using a rigorous methodology and a politically balanced team of analysts. They focus on analyzing the news content of articles and shows and have developed a graph of media bias and reliability. They offer both an image and an Interactive Chart.

UofL Research Assistance & Instruction: Informed Voting

Students, Vote!

The All In Campus Democracy Challenge believes higher education should play a role in developing an active and informed citizenry by educating students, motivating them to engage in American democracy, and instilling the value of lifelong participation.

Campus Vote Project works with universities, community colleges, faculty, students and election officials to reduce barriers to student voting. Their goal is to help campuses institutionalize reforms that empower students with the information they need to register and vote. PA Info.