Pennsylvania election day 2022: Hours, polling places, voter intimidation, ballot status and more

Election Day is here and there is a lot to keep track of.

Instead of googling all your questions, we may have already answered them for you. Here are answers to reader’s frequently asked election questions, including links to our voter guide and previous Inquirer coverage.

In Pennsylvania, election day is Tuesday, Nov. 8. Polls will open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. If you’re in line by 8 p.m., you will be allowed to cast your vote.

If you’re voting in person, you’ll vote at your designated polling place based on the address you gave when you registered to vote. You can find your polling place on the Department of State’s website.

You can check your voter registration status on the Department of State’s website by entering your name, license number, or PennDOT ID.

You can check the status of your mail-in ballot on the Department of State’s website. The “Ballot Received” column tells you the date that your county received your ballot, and the “Status” column tells you if your vote was recorded. Here’s where to learn more about ballot tracking.

You can also call 1-877-VOTESPA or your county’s election officials.

Key races in Pennsylvania include John Fetterman vs. Mehmet Oz for U.S. Senate, and Josh Shapiro vs. Doug Mastriano for governor. In Philadelphia, there are two special elections to fill at-large City Council positions that were left vacant by former Councilmembers Allan Domb and Derek Green who both resigned to run for mayor.

A full list of races can be found in The Inquirer’s voter guide with links to articles to learn more about candidates. There’s also a guide to ballot questions.

If you voted at your polling place before, then you don’t need to bring ID. If you’re a first-time voter or have moved and it’s your first time at the new polling place, then you’ll need to show ID.

Accepted forms of ID include:

If you don’t have ID, then you can use an official document with your full name and address on it, like confirmation issued by the local voter registration office, current utility bill, bank statement or paycheck.

There are a few scenarios where you might run into issues on election day, like if your polling location has changed, if you requested a mail ballot but now want to vote in person or you’ve been told you have to remove political attire in order to vote. Here’s the Inquirer’s guide on what you should do if you run into problems voting at the polls.

In Pennsylvania, it’s illegal for anyone to intimidate or coerce you to vote for or against a particular candidate or political issue. If you feel intimidated or threatened at the polls, notify a poll worker immediately. Many have been trained on de-escalation tactics, and all poll workers serve to help you move through the polling process smoothly.

If the situation feels life threatening, call 911. You can also call these election protection hotlines:

There is mail delivery on Election Day and banks will be open. Michelle Myers breaks down where you can see what will be open and closed on election day, including grocery stores, liquor stores and other businesses.

The official results of the election will not be ready the night of the election. While media and news outlets unofficially announce winners of elections using available election data from official sources, like the Associated Press and others, it doesn’t mean the results are certified yet. Jonathan Lai explains what to expect.

Most votes will be reported within hours of polls closing at 8 p.m. on Tuesday night, and the vast majority should be counted by the next day. However, Pennsylvania’s votes will still take days or weeks — to fully count.