PITTSBURGH (Newsradio 1020 KDKA) - Mail-in ballots are being sent to registered voters across Allegheny County for the June 2 Pennsylvania Primary.
“Last month it became clear that we would not be able to conduct a typical election,” said County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. “I asked the County Manager to begin exploring what it would take to be able to send mail-in ballot applications to every voter, including what supplies would be necessary for such a large undertaking. Although giving the okay to move forward with those options, I also called for an expansion of the state’s emergency declaration to allow us to send ballots. Without that authority, we’re moving forward with our plans to mail the mail-in ballot applications.”
Mail-in ballots will be sent to those who have not yet applied for an absentee or mail-in ballot already.
The package will include the mail-in ballot application and a letter pre-stamped and addressed to return.
Voters are also encouraged to apply online to receive email updates on the status of their application and ballot.
There are 1,323 polling places that require 6,615 poll workers with additional staff need for other operations.
The majority of those workers are senior citizens who have been canceling due to concerns over their health if they work a poll on Election Day.
“We hope that voters will continue to seek mail-in ballots as it is the safest option for them, and for all of our residents, during this pandemic,” said Fitzgerald.
As of Friday, over 71,000 absentee and mail-in applications have been received from the county.
Over 20,000 of those have been processed and the first mailing of ballots is being finalized and will begin to be sent out on Friday, April 17.
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