Category: News || By Submitted Report

People who want to vote in the Nov. 6 election, and who are not registered to vote or have moved since the last election, have until tomorrow to file their applications, county officials said.

The Allegheny County Elections Division will remain open until 5 p.m. Tuesday to accept hand-delivered voter registration forms. Tomorrow is also the deadline for voters who have moved since the last election to change their address to their new residence.

In order to vote in Pennsylvania, new voters must be both a U.S. citizen and a Pennsylvania resident at least one month before the election, and 18 years old on or before Election Day.

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Meanwhile, Allegheny County has suspended its program to issue photo voter I.D. cards through Kane Regional Hospitals and the community college system.

Last week's decision by a Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court judge to block implementation of the state's new photo voter I.D. law makes the program unnecessary, Allegheny County Executive Rich FItzgerald.

The county's program was running for only one day before the court decision was announced. Officials said 33 cards were issued.

People registering to vote, or changing their address, should supply the physical address of their permanent residence as well as a Social Security number and/or Pennsylvania driver's license number.

Individuals needing to register or change their registration may apply in person Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the Office of the Registration Commission, Room 609, County Office Building, 542 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh.

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People voting for the first time at a particular polling place should be prepared to prove their identity at the polls on election day with a Pennsylvania or U.S. Government I.D., a student or employee ID, a voter registration card, or a current paycheck, government-issued check, utility bill or bank statement mailed to the permanent residence where they are registered to vote.

Registration-by-mail forms may also be used to register or to change name, address or party affiliation. These forms are available at Armed Services Recruitment Centers, Area Agencies on Aging, many post offices and at state, county and municipal offices. Registration-by-mail forms must be postmarked by Tuesday.

Once the form is completed and returned to the Elections Division, approved applicants will receive a Certificate of Voter Registration.

Voter registration forms may also be obtained by visiting the state's website at www.votespa.com and following the link to "Register to Vote."

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Last month, Fitzgerald and CCAC officials announced that photo identification would be issued to eligible voters at sites throughout the county, provided that the voter was able to show another form of identification. The acceptable forms were those that were allowable under prior state law as proof of identification for first-time voters.

"As I've said before, I believe that anyone who wants to participate in our democracy through elections should have every opportunity to do so," Fitzgerald said. "We should be doing everything within our power to encourage voting and make it easier for those who are eligible to vote."

Editor's Note: Written from Allegheny County press releases.

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