What to Know About Polling Place Changes, Mail Ballot Returns in Centre County

Some Centre County voters casting their ballots in-person for the Nov. 3 election will find that their polling place has changed since the primary.

The changes come amid an ongoing audit of compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of voting locations, in accordance with Justice Department mandates for all counties. The Board of Commissioners said the compliance review is not unique to Centre County.

As a result of the audits, the Board of Elections approved the following changes for polling places:

• Precinct 1 (Bellefonte North) moves to Living Hope Alliance, 321 E. Howard St., Bellefonte
• Precinct 5 (Bellefonte West) moves from Bellefonte Presbyterian Church to Lambert Hall, 303 Forge Road, Bellefonte
• Precinct 20 (State College South 2) moves from State College Assembly of God to Foxdale Village Retirement Community 500 E. Marylyn Ave., State College
• Precinct 66 (Patton South 1) moves from Park Forest Village United Methodist Church to Oakwood Presbyterian Church 1865 Waddle Road, State College
• Precinct 80 (Spring West) moves from Election House to Centre County Bar Association, 192 Match Factory Place, Bellefonte
• Precinct 88 (Ferguson North 3) from Blue Course Community Church to Cedar Heights Church, Children’s Building, 870 Stratford Drive, State College
• Precinct 89 (Ferguson West Central) moves from Video Labs to Penn State Technology Support Building, 300 Science Park Road, State College
• Precinct 91(Ferguson North Central) moves from Steppingstones Community Church to Centre Region Council of Governments, 2643 Gateway Drive, State College

County officials determined that polling places should be moved to ensure compliance without adding more pressure to previous locations to meet stricter federal standards.

“For instance, a small local church who hosts voters on election day is built to state ADA regulations, but polling places are audited according to the stricter federal ADA regulations,” the county wrote in a news release. “The small church may not meet federal regulations, and being outfitted to do so can be costly and time intensive.”

Notices were sent to affected voters and signs will be placed at former location directing residents to their new polling place.

To check your voting location

MAIL BALLOTS

The last day to apply for a civilian or absentee mail ballot is Tuesday, Oct. 27. Applications must be received by the county elections office by 5 p.m. You can apply online at pavoterservices.pa.gov/OnlineAbsenteeApplication. Mail ballots can also be requested in person until 5 p.m. Tuesday at the elections office in suite 91 of the Community Services Building, 502 E. Howard St., Bellefonte.

Completed mail and civilian absentee ballots must be returned to the elections office by 8 p.m. on Nov. 3.

In addition to following the instructions to return by mail, ballots can be returned at the following secure drop-box locations until 9 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 2:

• Community Services Building, 502 E. Howard St., Bellefonte (outside the main doors).

• Willowbank Office Building, 420 Holmes Street, Bellefonte (outside the main doors)

• Magisterial District Justice Office, 2795 Earlystown Road, Centre Hall

• Ferguson Township Building, 3147 Research Drive, State College (in front of doors to police department)

• Patton Township Building, 100 Patton Plaza, State College

• Magisterial District Justice Office, 118 Enterprise Drive, Philipsburg

• Spring Township Building, 1309 Blanchard Street, Bellefonte

• State College Borough Building, 243 S. Allen St., State College (outside of rear doors)

• HUB-Robeson Center, 100 Pollock Road, University Park (in front of building on Pollock Road)

Each drop-box location is accessible 24 hours a day until 9 a.m. Nov. 2 and is monitored by security video surveillance.

On Election Day, mail ballots will be accepted for in-person return at the elections office in the Community Services Buiilding until 8 p.m.

You can track the status of your returned mail ballot at pavoterservices.pa.gov/Pages/BallotTracking.aspx.

If you receive a mail-in ballot but decide to vote in-person on Election Day, you can surrender your ballot and return envelope with barcode to poll workers at your polling location and fill out a form to void it. You will then be given a regular ballot that will be voted at your polling location.

If you are unable to bring your mail-in ballot to your polling location on Election Day, you will be given a provisional ballot at your polling location when you come to vote. The provisional ballot will be verified in the days following the election.