I applied for and received a mail-in ballot as a backup to voting in person, and was comforted by the instruction language: “Surrender your absentee or mail-in ballot and envelope to the judge of elections to be voided to vote by regular ballot.”
On Election Day, I took the mail-in vote material to my polling place to surrender it and vote in person. I was initially instructed that I would have to go to the courthouse to resolve the matter. When I objected, the judge of elections said I must complete and vote by a provisional ballot. I pointed out the language in the instructions, and offered my mail-in ballot for surrender. The end result was to vote with the provisional ballot or not at all.
As of Dec. 18, according to information provided by calling 1-877-VOTES-PA, my provisional ballot from Nov. 3 had not been processed.
Ken Mowl
Derry