Election Day FAQs
Election Day FAQs
When’s the next Election?
May 20, 2025
Can I vote before Election Day?
Yes! You can apply to vote by mail today or get a ballot at the County Board of Elections Office in City Hall, Room 140 once ballots are available .
What’s on the Ballot?
Offices up for nomination and a list of candidates are available on the Candidates for Office page. Sample ballots are available on that page, or you can enter your address in the Polling Place Finder app and select Preview Ballot.
Can Independents vote in this Primary?
Yes! Non-partisan voters citywide can vote on Ballot Questions.
Where do I vote?
Enter your address in the Polling Place Finder App! Having trouble entering your address? Call (215) 686-1590.
Do I have to show ID to vote?
Voters in Philadelphia are only required to show ID the first time they’re voting in a new division. If this isn’t your first time, no ID is required. If this is your first time, there are many options. Click here for the full list of acceptable forms of ID .
What kind of voting machine do we use in Philadelphia?
Philadelphia voters use the ExpressVote XL when they vote at the polls on the election day. The ExpressVote XL makes the voting process simple and reliable!
After inserting your paper ballot, you simply use your finger to select your language and candidates, touching the middle of the candidate’s name. When you’ve made all your selections, press the Print Ballot button in the bottom-right-hand corner of the screen. Touch Print again on the pop-up message and your ballot will print. Review your choices in the window to confirm that your selections are all printed correctly, and then touch Vote.
A complete walkthrough of the voting process can be found on the New Voting System page.
What if my name’s not in the book?
If your name isn’t in the pollbook, or if you requested to Vote by Mail but never returned a ballot, you may need to vote by Provisional Ballot. A Provisional Ballot is used just like any Vote by Mail ballot – simply fill in the ovals next to your candidates, put the completed ballot in your secrecy envelope, and put that inside the Envelope with your Voter’s Affirmation. Be sure to follow all instructions from the Election Board Workers when filling out your voter’s affirmation on the outer envelopes.
Voters may also be required to use a Provisional Ballot if they believe their party registration in the pollbook is wrong or if it’s their first time voting in a new division and they can’t show ID. There might be other rarer reasons for a voter to use a Provisional Ballot. Whatever the case may be, all valid Provisional Ballots are counted in every election, no matter how close the contests are. A few weeks after the election, you can check on the status of your Provisional Ballot using the receipt provided to you by the Election Board Workers after you finish voting your ballot.
What do I do if someone’s trying to prevent me from voting? What if someone’s telling me how to vote inside the Polling Place?
Voters can call the election hotline at (215) 686-1590 or the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office at (215) 686–9641 for assistance on election day. Any voter whose name is not in the pollbook is entitled to receive a Provisional Ballot. Electioneering is not allowed inside the polling place, or within 10 feet of the entrance to the room where voting is occurring. Nobody is allowed to influence or intimidate you inside the polling place.