Allegheny County sends out 1st batch of mail-in, absentee ballots

Allegheny County officials on Thursday announced that they have begun sending mail-in and absentee ballots for the Nov. 3 election.

The first batch of ballots — approximately 20,000 of them — were delivered to the post office on Wednesday, officials said. On Thursday, an additional 50,000 ballots were delivered to the post office to be mailed.

Over 314,000 ballot applications have already been approved, officials said.

Over-the-counter voting is also available for Allegheny County voters. Voters can visit the Elections Division office at the County Office Building, 542 Forbes Ave. in Downtown Pittsburgh, to apply for an absentee or mail-in ballot in person. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The application can be found online and completed before arriving at the office.

Voters can get their ballots and vote in the office. There will be privacy screens to allow voters to complete their ballots in secret.

Once voters have completed their ballots, they can return them to elections staff in person.

At the same location, voters may also submit the ballots that they received in the mail and completed.

The same services will be available at additional locations throughout Allegheny County on the three weekends before the election:

• Oct. 10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: North Park Ice Rink; South Park Ice Rink; DPW Garage #2 in Carnegie; CCAC Homewood
• Oct. 11 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.: North Park Ice Rink; South Park Ice Rink; DPW Garage #2 in Carnegie; CCAC Homewood
• Oct. 17 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: South Park Ice Rink; CCAC South; Boyce Park Ski Lodge; Shop ‘n Save Hill District
• Oct. 18 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.: South Park Ice Rink; CCAC South; Boyce Park Ski Lodge; Shop ‘n Save Hill District
• Oct. 24 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Boyce Park Ski Lodge; CCAC South; CCAC Allegheny; North Park Ice Rink
• Oct. 25 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.: Boyce Park Ski Lodge; CCAC South; CCAC Allegheny; North Park Ice Rink

During all of the above times, the Elections Division office at the County Office Building will also be open those services: over-the-counter voting, and dropping off completed ballots received in the mail.

The Elections Division will continue processing applications on the same day they are received, officials said. Applications for mail-in and absentee ballots must be received by the Elections Division by Oct. 27 at 5 p.m.

Voters can apply for an absentee or mail-in ballot online.

The elections website will provide daily updates on the number of applications processed. These numbers are updated by 10 a.m. every day Monday through Friday.

The number of ballots delivered to the post office will be available starting Friday.

Beginning Sept. 30, the site will also tally the number of ballots returned.