Bucks County voters now have until Friday to complete the on-demand voting process following a lawsuit filed by the Trump campaign this week. The original deadline was Tuesday at 5 p.m.
But before you head to a county building, here's what you need to know.
Trump lawsuit against Bucks:Bucks County ordered to extend on-demand voting until Friday after Trump lawsuit
Is on-demand voting in PA the same as early voting?
No, Pennsylvania does not have early voting, and there is no funding for it. Don't expect to go to a county building Thursday or Friday and vote the way you do at the polls in November. It's a process, and it will take time. An on-demand ballot is a mail-in ballot.
What is on-demand voting in PA?
It is the same as receiving a mail ballot, but the process of applying, receiving and returning that ballot is done in one process at the same time at the county building.
On-demand voting is essentially voting by mail, but requesting, filling out and returning the mail ballot in one stop instead of mailing the ballot back or returning it to one of 11 drop boxes currently available in Bucks County. You must apply for an on-demand ballot at the county building in Doylestown. The court order extending the deadline appears to allow the county to only offer the process in Doylestown, closing its operations out of Levittown and Quakertown. The county is seeking clarifiction from the courts on location and time.
Currently the county is allowing on-demand voting at all three offices as of Thursday and are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday.
Here's a video of what to expect.
Where can I on-demand vote in Bucks County?
How long will it take to vote on-demand and why?
It will likely take hours in line.
“In-person, on-demand, mail-in voting is a multi-step process that requires the assistance of a full-time trained (Board of Elections) staff member before the ballot is accepted. We estimate each on-demand vote takes about 12 minutes to process,” said county Commissioner Bob Harvie, who is also chair of the board of elections. “Political campaigns — past and present — have sent out numerous mailers and run countless ads telling people to 'vote early,' but in Pennsylvania there is no such thing.”
It has been taking hours to process all the voters in line each day and the speed of the process is limited by the need to use a specialized printer and equipment and by staff resources as only specially trained employees can process the applications, according to court documents. Several Bucks County residents have reported waits of three to five hours.
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What do I need to bring with me to vote on-demand in PA?
"You will need your PennDOT ID number or the last 4 digits of your Social Security number. Please refer to the list of ID requirements for mail-in or absentee ballots for more information," according to the state.
Can I bypass the line and get my ballot by mail?
No, it's too late. The last day to register for a mail-in ballot was Tuesday, Oct. 29. Those mail ballots must be returned to the Bucks County Board of Elections by 8 p.m. on Nov. 5.
Whether it's your first time voting by mail or you've used mail ballots before, the website for the Pennsylvania Department of State and the Bucks County Board of Elections are the best sources for voting information.
You can check the status of your mail ballot application and whether it’s been sent out online at www.pavoterservices.pa.gov.
Where can I drop off my mail ballot in Bucks County
As of Tuesday, Oct. 15, drop boxes are available at the at the following Bucks County government buildings:
The drop boxes are to be open for voters to return their ballots between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Doylestown location and from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Levittown and Quakertown buildings. The drop boxes are to also remain open until 8 p.m. Nov. 5.
In addition, the county buildings are to have drop boxes available between noon and 5 p.m. Oct. 26 and Nov. 2 only. The county’s website includes a list of currently eight other drop box locations at libraries throughout the county and the hours they are available.
Can I still vote on Election Day?
Absolutely. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5. As long as you are in line by 8 p.m., you will be allowed to vote.