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of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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    Your Voting Rights and the Law

    Whether voting at a polling place or by mail ballot, your election rights are protected by U.S. and Pennsylvania law.

    Know the law against voter intimidation
    Learn about the rules at the polling place

    Your Voting Rights

    You have rights as a voter protected by both federal and Pennsylvania law. 

    A state or local government cannot deny you the right to vote because of your:

    • race,
    • ethnicity,
    • national origin, or
    • membership in a language minority.

    Your right to vote can be challenged only if a poll worker, poll watcher, or another voter says you do not live in the precinct or are not who you say you are.

    It is illegal for any person or corporation to intimidate or coerce you to vote for or against a particular candidate or political issue.

    Rules at the polling place are in place to protect your right to vote without interference or intimidation.

    There are also laws that:

    • protect people in language minority groups from discrimination,
    • ensure that people with a disability or the elderly can vote independently and privately, and
    • establish rights for people who are in jail or who have been convicted of a crime.

    You can report any problems with voter fraud or if elections are not conducted properly using an online form, or by contacting your location's election officials. A complaint filed with an online form will not change the results of an election.

    Your rights at the polls

    Language rights

    Federal law requires some counties to provide election information in other languages. This depends on how many voters in the county speak that language. If you need help with English, you may choose someone to go into the voting booth with you and help you vote. Pennsylvania provides voter registration forms in Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Vietnamese on the voter registration page. 

     

    Rights for voters with a disability

    Federal and Pennsylvania law require each polling place to have an accessible voting system. If you need help because of a disability, you may choose someone to help you in the voting booth.

     

    Rights for people in jail or with a felony or misdemeanor conviction

    If you are a person with a felony or misdemeanor conviction, or are in jail, on probation or under house arrest, there is special information about registering and voting.

     

    What are the voting rights laws?

    Throughout history, the federal government has strengthened our voting rights and increased protections against unfair voting practices.

    The Voting Rights Act of 1965

    This Act says that no state or local government may deny someone the right to vote based on their race or ethnicity. This law also protects against the discrimination of people in language minority groups. The federal government extended the Voting Rights Act in 1970, 1975, and 1982.

    Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA)

    Congress passed the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) in 2002. The law addressed problems that occurred during the 2000 presidential election. HAVA applies to all federal elections and requires states to:

    • Make voting systems accessible to people with disabilities.
    • Provide certain language-access options.
    • Offer provisional ballots.
    • Check identification for some first-time voters who registered by mail.
    • Keep a statewide voter registration database.
    • Set rules for deciding whether a ballot counts as a vote.
    • Provide education for voters and election officials.

    Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act of 1984

    This law requires United States polling places to be physically accessible to people with disabilities for all federal elections.

    If an accessible polling place is not available, the county must provide another way to vote on Election Day.