§ 1302Applications for Official Absentee Ballots

(a) Any qualified elector defined in preceding
section 1301, subsections (a) to (h), inclusive, may apply at
any time before any primary or election for any official
absentee ballot in person, on any form supplied by the Federal
Government, or on any official county board of election form
addressed to the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
or the county board of election of the county in which his
voting residence is located.
   (b) An application for a qualified elector under subsection
(a) shall contain the following information: Home residence at
the time of entrance into actual military service or Federal
employment, length of time a citizen, length of residence in
Pennsylvania, date of birth, length of time a resident of voting
district, voting district if known, party choice in case of
primary, name and, for a military elector, his stateside
military address, FPO or APO number and serial number. Any
elector other than a military elector shall in addition specify

the nature of his employment, the address to which ballot is
to be sent, relationship where necessary, and such other
information as may be determined and prescribed by the Secretary
of the Commonwealth. When such application is received by the
Secretary of the Commonwealth it shall be forwarded to the
proper county board of election. ((b) amended Oct. 31, 2019,
P.L.552, No.77)
   (b.1) An application for a qualified elector other than
under subsection (a) shall contain the following information:
Date of birth, length of time a resident of voting district,
voting district if known, party choice in case of primary and
name. The elector shall in addition specify the nature of his
or her employment, the address to which ballot is to be sent,
relationship where necessary, and other information as may be
determined and prescribed by the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
When the application is received by the Secretary of the
Commonwealth it shall be forwarded to the proper county board
of election. ((b.1) added Oct. 31, 2019, P.L.552, No.77)
   (c) A qualified absentee military or overseas elector, as
defined by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting
Act (Public Law 99-410, 100 Stat. 924), may submit his
application for an official absentee ballot by electronic
transmission method. The electronic transmission method shall
not be acceptable for the official absentee ballot. As used in
this subsection, "electronic transmission method" means any
technology that can transmit a document or an image of a
document via electronic or electromechanical means, including,
but not limited to, facsimile method. An elector entitled to
submit an application for an official absentee ballot under a
method authorized under 25 Pa.C.S. Ch. 35 (relating to uniform
military and overseas voters) may submit an application using
a method authorized under 25 Pa.C.S. Ch. 35, in addition to the
methods authorized in this article. ((c) amended Oct. 31, 2019,
P.L.552, No.77)
   (d) The application of any qualified elector, as defined
in preceding section 1301, subsections (a) to (h), inclusive,
for an official absentee ballot in any primary or election shall
be signed by the applicant, except that for electors under
section 1301(a), an adult member of the applicant's immediate
family may sign the application on the elector's behalf. ((d)
amended Oct. 31, 2019, P.L.552, No.77)
   (e) Any qualified bedridden or hospitalized veteran absent
from the municipality of his residence and unable to attend his
polling place because of such illness or physical disability,
regardless of whether he is registered or enrolled, may apply
at any time before any primary or election for an official
absentee ballot on any official county board of election form
addressed to the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
or the county board of elections of the county in which his
voting residence is located.
   The application shall contain the following information:
Residence at the time of becoming bedridden or hospitalized,
length of time a citizen, length of residence in Pennsylvania,
date of birth, length of time a resident in voting district,
voting district if known, party choice in case of primary, name
and address of present residence or hospital at which
hospitalized. When such application is received by the Secretary
of the Commonwealth, it shall be forwarded to the proper county
board of elections.
   The application for an official absentee ballot for any
primary or election shall be made on information supplied over
the signature of the bedridden or hospitalized veteran as

required in the preceding subsection. Any qualified registered
elector, including a spouse or dependent referred to in
subsection (l) of section 1301, who expects to be or is absent
from the municipality of his residence because his duties,
occupation or business require him to be elsewhere on the day
of any primary or election and any qualified registered elector
who is unable to attend his polling place on the day of any
primary or election because of illness or physical disability
and any qualified registered bedridden or hospitalized veteran
in the county of residence, or in the case of a county employe
who cannot vote due to duties on election day relating to the
conduct of the election, or in the case of a person who will
not attend a polling place because of the observance of a
religious holiday, may apply to the county board of elections
of the county in which his voting residence is located for an
Official Absentee Ballot. Such application shall be made upon
an official application form supplied by the county board of
elections. Such official application form shall be determined
and prescribed by the Secretary of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania.
   (1) The application of any qualified registered elector,
including spouse or dependent referred to in subsection (l) of
section 1301, who expects to be or is absent from the
municipality of his residence because his duties, occupation
or business require him to be elsewhere on the day of any
primary or election, or in the case of a county employe who
cannot vote due to duties on election day relating to the
conduct of the election, or in the case of a person who will
not attend a polling place because of the observance of a
religious holiday, shall be signed by the applicant and shall
include the surname and given name or names of the applicant,
proof of identification, his occupation, date of birth, length
of time a resident in voting district, voting district if known,
place of residence, post office address to which ballot is to
be mailed, the reason for his absence, and such other
information as shall make clear to the county board of elections
the applicant's right to an official absentee ballot.
   (2) The application of any qualified registered elector who
is unable to attend his polling place on the day of any primary
or election because of illness or physical disability and the
application of any qualified registered bedridden or
hospitalized veteran in the county of residence shall be signed
by the applicant and shall include surname and given name or
names of the applicant, proof of identification, his occupation,
date of birth, residence at the time of becoming bedridden or
hospitalized, length of time a resident in voting district,
voting district if known, place of residence, post office
address to which ballot is to be mailed, and such other
information as shall make clear to the county board of elections
the applicant's right to an official ballot. In addition, the
application of such electors shall include a declaration stating
the nature of their disability or illness, and the name, office
address and office telephone number of their attending
physician: Provided, however, That in the event any elector
entitled to an absentee ballot under this subsection be unable
to sign his application because of illness or physical
disability, he shall be excused from signing upon making a
statement which shall be witnessed by one adult person in
substantially the following form: I hereby state that I am
unable to sign my application for an absentee ballot without
assistance because I am unable to write by reason of my illness

or physical disability. I have made or have received assistance
in making my mark in lieu of my signature.
...............................    ......................(Mark)
             (Date)
...............................    .............................
 (Complete Address of Witness)        (Signature of Witness)
   ((e) amended Mar. 14, 2012, P.L.195, No.18)
   (e.1) Any qualified registered elector who is unable because
of illness or physical disability to attend his polling place
on the day of any primary or election or operate a voting
machine and state distinctly and audibly that he is unable to
do so as required by section 1218 of this act may at any time
request, with the certification by his attending physician that
he is permanently disabled and physically unable to attend the
polls or operate a voting machine and make the distinct and
audible statement required by section 1218 appended to the
application hereinbefore required, to be placed on a permanently
disabled absentee ballot list file. An absentee ballot
application shall be mailed to every such person otherwise
eligible to receive one, by the first Monday in February each
year, or within forty-eight hours of receipt of the request,
whichever is later, so long as he does not lose his voting
rights by failure to vote as otherwise required by this act.
Such person shall not be required to file a physician's
certificate of disability with each application as required in
subsection (e) of this section. Should any such person lose his
disability he shall inform the county board of elections of the
county of his residence. An absentee ballot application mailed
to an elector under this section, which is completed and timely
returned by the elector, shall serve as an application for any
and all primary, general or special elections to be held in the
remainder of that calendar year and for all special elections
to be held before the third Monday in February of the succeeding
year. The transfer of a qualified registered elector on a
permanently disabled absentee ballot list from one county to
another county shall only be permitted upon the request of the
qualified registered elector. ((e.1) amended Mar. 27, 2020,
P.L.41, No.12)
   (e.2) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this act any
qualified elector who expects to be or is absent from the
municipality of his residence because his duties, occupation
or business require him to be elsewhere on the day of any
election or a county employe who cannot vote due to duties on
election day relating to the conduct of the election or a person
who will not attend a polling place because of the observance
of a religious holiday may make an application for an absentee
ballot by mail by sending a letter to the county board of
elections in the county in which his voting residence is
located. The letter shall be signed by the applicant and contain
his name, place of residence and proof of identification. ((e.2)
amended Mar. 14, 2012, P.L.195, No.18)
   (f) The county chairman of each political party or the head
of each political body shall designate one representative from
his respective political party or body for each public
institution. The representatives so appointed shall, at the
same time on a date fixed by the county board of election visit
every public institution situate in the county for the purpose
of obtaining the names and addresses of public institution
residents who desire to receive applications for absentee
ballots and to act as an election board as provided in
subsection (g) of this section. The list of names and addresses
thus obtained shall then be submitted by said representatives

to the board which shall furnish applications individually to
those appearing in the written request. If the chairman or head
of a political party or body fails to appoint a representative
within fifteen days from written notice from the county board
of election, the county board of election shall appoint a
representative from the political party or body.
   (g) The county board of election shall appoint teams of
three members for each public institution that shall go to the
public institutions and hold the election on the first Friday
prior to election day. Each member of the board shall appoint
one member on every team. After the votes are cast, the teams
shall collect the ballots and return them to the county board
of election where they shall be placed unopened in a secure,
safe and sealed container in the custody of the board until
they shall be distributed to the respective absentee voters'
election district as provided in section 1308 of this act where
they shall be counted with the other absentee ballots, if any.
   (h) The county board of election shall number, in
chronological order, the applications for an official absentee
ballot, which number shall likewise appear on the official
absentee ballot for the qualified elector. The numbers shall
appear legibly and in a conspicuous place but before the ballots
are distributed the number on the ballot shall be torn off by
the county board of election. This number information shall be
appropriately inserted and become a part of the Registered
Absentee Voters File and the Military, Veterans and Emergency
Civilian Absentee Voters File provided in section 1302.3 of
this act.
   (i) (1) Application for official absentee ballots shall
be on physical and electronic forms prescribed by the Secretary
of the Commonwealth. The application shall state that an elector
who applies for an absentee ballot pursuant to section 1301
shall not be eligible to vote at a polling place on election
day unless the elector brings the elector's absentee ballot to
the elector's polling place, remits the ballot and the envelope
containing the declaration of the elector to the judge of
elections to be spoiled and signs a statement subject to the
penalties of 18 Pa.C.S. § 4904 (relating to unsworn
falsification to authorities) to the same effect. Such physical
application forms shall be made freely available to the public
at county board of elections, municipal buildings and at such
other locations designated by the secretary. Such electronic
application forms shall be made freely available to the public
through publicly accessible means. No written application or
personal request shall be necessary to receive or access the
application forms. Copies and records of all completed physical
and electronic applications for official absentee ballots shall
be retained by the county board of elections. ((1) amended Mar.
27, 2020, P.L.41, No.12)
   (2) Nothing in this act shall prohibit a private
organization or individual from printing blank voter
applications for absentee ballots or shall prohibit the use of
such applications by another individual, provided the form,
content and paper quality have been approved by the Secretary
of the Commonwealth.
   ((i) amended Oct. 31, 2019, P.L.552, No.77)
   (j) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section requiring
proof of identification, a qualified absentee elector shall not
be required to provide proof of identification if the elector
is entitled to vote by absentee ballot under the Uniformed and
Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (Public Law 99-410, 100
Stat. 924) or by an alternative ballot under the Voting

Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act (Public Law
98-435, 98 Stat. 1678). ((j) added Mar. 14, 2012, P.L.195,
No.18)
   (k) The Secretary of the Commonwealth may develop an
electronic system through which all qualified electors may apply
for an absentee ballot and request permanent absentee voter
status under subsection (e.1), provided the system is able to
capture a digitized or electronic signature of the applicant.
A county board of elections shall treat any application or
request received through the electronic system as if the
application or request had been submitted on a paper form or
any other format used by the county. ((k) added Oct. 31, 2019,
P.L.552, No.77)
   (1302 amended Feb. 13, 1998, P.L.72, No.18)
  Compiler's Note: See sections 10 and 11 of Act 18 of 2012
      in the appendix to this act for special provisions
      relating to application of law.