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Don’t Vote Naked! Delaware County Launches New Campaign to Educate Voters about Mail-in Ballots

October 17, 2020 in Community

Delco Votes

Delaware Country has launched a new voter awareness campaign called Don’t Vote Naked!

The campaign is aimed at reducing the number of ballots that will be disqualified if a voter doesn’t properly place their voted mail-in or absentee ballot in both envelopes that are included with their official ballot materials.

All Pennsylvania mail-in and absentee ballots that are returned without being enclosed in the “secrecy” envelope will be disqualified, per State law. Such ballots are called “Naked Ballots,” and will not be counted.

Voters who want to make sure their vote is counted are reminded to carefully follow the vote-by-mail instructions enclosed with their ballot. Their completed ballot should first be placed in the smaller secrecy envelope marked “OFFICIAL ELECTION BALLOT”, which should then be sealed. The secrecy envelope containing their completed ballot is then placed in the larger return envelope marked “VOTER’S DECLARATION” and then signed, dated and sealed.

Voters can return* their completed ballot via the US Post Office (the return envelope is postage-paid); at a Delaware County Voter Service Center in Media, Upper Darby, or Chester; or at any one of the official ballot drop boxes located around the county. Locations and hours of the Ballot Boxes will be released soon.

Election Resources:

  • The Delaware County Election Hotline (610-891-VOTE) is now available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. – noon. Hotline staff can answer calls related to the upcoming election, provide information about voter registration, mail-in ballots, vote-by-mail applications, polling place locations, ballot boxes, deadlines, and more.
  • Delaware County’s New Election Website – Delco Votes! – is also now available. Users will find up-to-date forms and applications, deadlines, and the latest news regarding the 2020 General Election. Delco Votes! can be found here: delcopa.gov/vote

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*Voters should be aware that, per Pennsylvania state law, the third-party return of ballots is prohibited unless the person returning the ballot is rendering assistance to a disabled voter or an emergency absentee voter. Such assistance requires a declaration signed by the voter and the person rendering assistance. Copies of this form can be found at delcopa.gov/vote