Election 2023 guide: What to know for Pennsylvania, New Jersey general elections
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The countdown to Election Day is on. Polls open Tuesday, and election officials in Philadelphia are making a final push to ensure all eligible residents have equal access to voting and critical voting information.
If you have an emergency -- such as an unexpected trip or illness -- after the deadline for absentee ballot applications, officials said you may submit an emergency absentee ballot application to the city's Board of Elections.
To receive an emergency absentee ballot, you must provide a valid emergency reason on your application no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Here is what voters need to know before the Nov. 7, 2023, elections in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
When do polls open?
In Pennsylvania, polls will open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Any voters in line by 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote after polls close.
In New Jersey, polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.
The early voting period in New Jersey opened on Oct. 28 and ends on Nov. 5.
Deadlines to know
Here are the deadlines to know if you're voting in Pennsylvania.
- Voters needing to vote by mail or absentee ballot must apply by 5 p.m. on Oct. 31
- The deadline to return a mail-in or absentee ballot is 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 7
Here are the deadlines to know if you're voting in New Jersey.
- The last day to apply for a mail-in ballot by mail in New Jersey is Oct. 31
- Nov. 6 is the deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot in person
- Election Day, Nov. 7, is the deadline for post office receipt of mail-in ballots
- Nov. 13 is the deadline for receipt of timely mailed postmarked ballots
Can I still register to vote?
No. The deadline to register to vote in Pennsylvania passed on Oct. 23. In New Jersey, the deadline passed on Oct. 17.
If you want to make sure you're registered to vote, you can do so on the Pennsylvania Department of State website or the New Jersey Divisions of Elections website.
Where is my polling place?
Pennsylvania: You can locate your polling place by typing your county of residence, city, street name, house number and zip code here.
New Jersey: Your polling location information can be found using the NJ.gov online search tool here.
What to know about mail-in voting
Pennsylvania:
- County boards of elections must receive mail ballots by 8 p.m. on Election Day. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will not accept a ballot postmarked before that time and date if it arrives to the elections office late.
- Voters should drop their ballots off in person at their county elections office or drop boxes if there isn't enough time to mail in.
- If voters who have a mail ballot change their mind, they can still vote in person on Election Day; they just need to bring in their ballots and pre-addressed outer return envelopes with them to be voided.
- If you have already voted by mail but want to change your vote in person, you will need to vote by provisional ballot at your polling place.
- Philadelphia has a list of 24 official mail-in ballot drop boxes online
- Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Northampton and Montgomery counties all have drop box locations available online as well - here's where you can drop off your mail-in ballot in Lehigh County.
New Jersey:
- Mail ballots must be postmarked on or before 8 p.m. Election Day and received on or before 6 days after Election Day by your county's board of elections
- Each county in New Jersey has ballot drop boxes; New Jersey voters can find an official list here. Ballots must be placed in the drop boxes by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
- Ballots can also be delivered to your county's board of elections office - locations can be found online
How do I correct a mail-in ballot mistake?
Philadelphia election officials said more than 1,000 mail-in ballots that have already been returned in the city have mistakes. The mistakes include not signing the envelope, forgetting to write the date on the envelope, writing the wrong date or not putting the ballot into the secrecy envelope.
Here is a list of Philadelphians who returned their ballots in PDF and Excel formats, per the city.
No signature: (pdf) or (xlsx)
No date: (pdf) or (xlsx)
Potentially incorrect date: (pdf) or (xlsx)
Not enclosed in a Secrecy Envelope (a.k.a. Naked Ballots): (pdf) or (xlsx)
If you're on the list, election officials said you can get a replacement ballot at the county board of elections in City Hall until 7:30 p.m. on Election Night.
READ MORE: Messed up your mail-in ballot? So did Philly's mayor. Here's how to fix it.
What's on the ballot this year?
Here's what's being decided this November.
Philadelphia
Mayor: Democratic nominee Cherelle Parker and Republican nominee David Oh, both former Philadelphia City Council members, are looking to become the city's 100th mayor.
City Council: There are five Democrats, two Republicans and two members of the Working Families Party on the ballot this year for at-large city council seats. Voters can pick no more than five.
Here is who's running.
Democrats: Nina Ahmad, Katherine Gilmore Richardson, Jim Harrity, Rue Landau and Isaiah Thomas
Republicans: Jim Hasher and Drew Murray
Working Families Party: Kendra Brooks and Nicolas O'Rourke
City Council District seats: Philadelphia voters will also get to vote for a candidate to represent their council district. There are 10 of these districts in the city. When you find your polling place the city website will tell you which council district you are in (scroll down to the voting tab look for "district council member."
Most of the incumbent district councilmembers are running unopposed, save for two.
In District 3 in West and Southwest Philadelphia, Democratic incumbent Jamie Gauthier is running against challenger Jabari Jones on the "West is Best" ticket. In District 10, Republican incumbent Brian O'Neill faces Democratic challenger Gary Masino.
There's also the new Jeffery Jay Young Jr. running unopposed in District 5, a seat formerly held by Council President Darrell Clarke. Clarke is not seeking re-election.
Judges: Voters will decide on several judges in this general election. Here's a roundup of what judicial offices are up for election.
- Partisan elections for Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, all Democrats:
Jessica Brown, Damaris Garcia, Chesley Lightsey, Brian McLaughlin, John Padova Jr., Natasha Taylor-Smith, Caroline Turner, Tamika Washington, Samantha William and Kay Yu
- Retention elections for the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas:
Anne Marie B. Coyle, Giovanni O. Campbell, Holly J. Ford, J. Scott O'Keefe, Jacqueline F. Allen, Joe Fernandes, Joel S. Johnson, Nina N. Wright Padilla, Paula A. Patrick, Ramy I. Djerassi, Rayford A. Means, Sierra Thomas Street and Timika Lane
Philadelphia Municipal Court: Voters will choose two from Democrats McIntyre Osborne and Barbara Thompson and Republican Rania Major. Judges Brad Moss, David Shuter, Karen Simmons, Marissa Brumbach, Marvin L. Williams, Matt Wolf and William Meehan Jr. are all running in Municipal Court retention elections.
Sheriff: Democrat Rochelle Bilal seeks reelection against Republican Mark Lavelle.
City Controller: Democrat Christy Brady will face Republican Aaron Bashir in a special general election
City Commissioners: Incumbents Lisa Deeley (D), Omar Sabir (D) and Seth Bluestein (R) are all on the ballot for three seats
Ballot questions: Philadelphia has one ballot question this election:
"Should the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter be amended to create an Office for People with Disabilities to coordinate the City's compliance with requirements to provide access for people with disabilities to City services and programs and to otherwise provide for incorporation of the Office into the City government?" - source: Philadelphia City Council
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Supreme Court: Democrat Daniel McCaffery goes up against Republican Carolyn Carluccio for an open seat on an open seat. The seat opened after Chief Justice Max Baer died in September 2022.
Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court: Democrat Matt Wolf will face Republican Megan Martin for an open seat after Republican Judge Kevin Brobson was elected to the state Supreme Court in 2021.
Pennsylvania Superior Court: Two seats are open on the ballot for the Superior Court -- one to fill the seat vacated by Jacqueline Shogan after her 2022 retirement and another to replace Judge John T. Bender, who will reach the mandatory retirement age of 75 in November. Democrats Jill Beck and Timika Lane and Republicans Maria Battista and Harry Smail are on the ballot.
Judges Vic Stabile (R) and Jack Panella (D) are seeking a second and third term, respectfully, in a nonpartisan retention election.
Chester County
There are four ballot questions on the ballot in Chester County. Ballotpedia has an in-depth explainer of the measures online.
New Jersey
In the Garden State, seats in the State Senate and General Assembly, as well as school boards and municipal government, are on the ballot this year.
State Senate
District 1: Democrat Charles Laspata vs. Republican Mike Testa Jr.
District 2: Caren Fitzpatrick (D) vs. Vincent Polistina (R) vs. Shawn Peck (LP)
District 3: John Burzichelli (D) vs. Edward Durr (R)
District 4: Paul Moriarty (D) vs. Christopher Del Borrello (R) vs. Giuseppe Costanzo (Conservatives South Jersey Party)
District 5: Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D) vs. Clyde Cook (R) vs. Mohammad Kabir (Rights Tranquility Peace Party)
District 6: James Beach (D) vs. Mark Doogan (R)
District 7: Troy Singleton (D) vs. James Fazzone (R)
District 8: Gaye Burton (D) vs. Latham Tiver (R)
District 9: Gabriel Franco (D) vs. Carmen Amato Jr. (R)
District 10: Jeff Horn (D) vs. James Holzapfel (R)
District 11: Vin Gopal (D) vs. Stephen Dnistrian vs. Karen Zaletel (NJ Patriot Party)
District 12: Brandon Rose (D) vs. Owen Henry (R) vs. Nina Jochnowitz (Results Not Politics Party)
District 13: Lucille Lo Sapio (D) vs. Declan O'Scanlon Jr. (R)
District 14: Linda Greenstein (D) vs. Patricia Johnson (R)
District 15: Shirley Turner (D) vs. Roger R. Locandro (R
District 16: Andrew Zwicker (D) vs. Mike Pappas (R) vs. Richard Byrne (LP)
District 30: Stephen Dobbins (D) vs. Robert Singer (R)