Where do I vote in Philadelphia? Where to drop off your mail-in ballot, find your polling place location
Are you a Philadelphia resident and registered voter looking to make your voice heard on Election Day?
Tuesday, November 5 is your last day to do it – whether you're voting in person at your polling place or dropping off a mail-in ballot.
Polling places are now open in Pennsylvania. Here's more about how to find your polling place within the city of Philadelphia and where to drop off a mail-in ballot.
Where do I vote? How to find your polling place in Philadelphia
If you want to vote in person on a voting machine, you can do so at your assigned polling place on Election Day. This link on vote.phila.gov lets you find your polling place by typing in your address and pressing enter or clicking the search icon.
Once your property comes up on the map, scroll down the list (past "property assessments" and "deeds") to reach the "Voting" – section. Press the plus next to "voting" to expand the section and reveal your ward and division as well as the address of your polling place.
Make sure you write down or remember your ward and division, as some polling places cater to multiple ones and you will want to make sure you interact with the poll worker who has the poll book with your name in it.
Another option to find your polling place is to enter your address on the Pennsylvania Department of State webpage linked here.
- Select Philadelphia for City and County
- Enter your street address and ZIP code.
- Click the search button.
- The site will then list your polling place with ward and division.
Do I need an ID to vote? What do I need to bring to vote in PA?
In Pennsylvania, you only need to show an ID to vote when you vote for the first time in your division since registering.
Several things qualify as identification: a Pennsylvania driver's license or PennDOT ID card, a U.S. government ID, an ID Card issued by any state agency, a U.S. passport, a student ID, or an employee ID.
If you don't have any of those, you can use other forms of ID if they include your name and the address where you are registered to vote. Those could be a voter registration card, a non-photo ID from the state, a non-photo U.S. government ID, a current bank statement, a utility bill or paycheck, a government check, a firearm permit or a U.S. Armed Forces ID.
What do I do at the polling place?
Once you arrive, head to the poll workers responsible for the poll books for your ward/division. Electronic poll books were implemented starting with the 2023 primary. Poll books contain signature records of everyone who is voting so that no one votes more than once.
The state has electronic voting machines that vote on a paper ballot. The poll worker will give you a long, thin piece of paper that will be inserted into the voting machine. Ensure you're placing this piece of paper with the cut corner on the top, right side. You can then close the curtains in the voting booth, select your preferred language on the machine, and cast your ballot in private.
When you're done, you'll have a chance to review the voted paper ballot, which will now appear in a clear preview window to the right of the machine. It will have your selections printed on it. If anything is wrong, you can press a button to "spoil" that ballot, meaning destroy or invalidate it. A poll worker will be notified and help you start over. Otherwise, press the OK button and your ballot will be placed safely in storage in the machine.
You can watch a video here on phila.gov that explains how to use the ExpressVote XL machine.
Voters having issues at polling places in Philadelphia should call (215) 686-VOTE (8683) to get help from the City Commissioners office.
Can I drop off a mail-in ballot on Election Day?
If you opt to vote via mail-in ballot, you can drop it off on Election Day as long as it is before polls close at 8 p.m. Ballots won't be accepted after 8 p.m. on Election Day no matter how they are postmarked.
For about a week now, officials have been recommending that mail-in ballots be dropped off at drop boxes to guarantee they arrive in time to be counted.
Mail-in ballot drop boxes will be locked at 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Where can I drop off my mail-in ballot in Philadelphia?
Does your polling place change automatically if you move?
If you move, you need to update your voter registration, though the registration deadline for this election was Oct. 21.
If you moved and did not re-register, you will need to cast your ballot at your old polling place.
Address changes made more than 15 days before an election will take effect for that election. If there are 15 days or less remaining until the election, the address change will take effect for the next election.
