Election Day 2020 nuts and bolts: What you need to know

A record number of Pennsylvanians are expected to vote in today’s General Election — with a record number having already cast ballots early. Here are a few reminders about the election, including that results from the Keystone State and other parts of the country likely will not be known for days.

What’s at stake

All eyes might be on the race for the White House between President Trump and Democratic challenger and former Vice President Joe Biden, as both campaigns have focused on Western Pennsylvania relentlessly for months — including over the weekend and again Monday.

But voters also will decide plenty of other races.

Statewide, there are elections for attorney general, auditor general and treasurer.

Also on the ballot in the Tribune-Review’s coverage area are five races for Congress, another five for state Senate and 22 for state House.

For more information on the races, visit the Election HQ section on TribLIVE.com.

Voting hours

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and voters are asked to wear a mask and practice social distancing inside polling places because of the coronavirus pandemic.

All polling places in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties will be open. Both counties hired extra poll workers to help with expected turnout.

Voters who applied for and received a mail-in ballot but want to vote in person at the polls must bring their ballot and larger declaration envelope to the precinct. Once that ballot is voided, they can then cast a ballot using their county’s voting system.

Anyone who applied for a mail-in ballot but no longer has it or the envelopes can vote by provisional ballot at the polls.

For more information on polling places, go to the official election pages for your county:

Allegheny County election page | Westmoreland County election page

Turnout expected

Speaking of turnout, a record number of people are expected to vote in this election.

More than 96 million people had voted early as of Monday, according to the U.S. Elections Project. That accounted for more than 70% of the total ballots cast in the 2016 General Election.

Of the early ballots cast nationally, more than 61 million were by mail-in ballots with another 35 million cast in person. More than 30 million mail-in ballots across the country remained outstanding as of Monday.

In Pennsylvania, a record 9 million people are registered to vote this year.

About 44% of the roughly 942,000 registered voters in Allegheny County requested mail-in ballots. County elections officials expect another 30% to 35% of registered voters, or 300,000 people, to vote in person.

Westmoreland County officials declined to make a formal prediction for turnout on Tuesday. Commissioner Doug Chew said he wouldn’t be surprised if the number of voters who cast ballots in person and by mail could reach as high as 80%. There are 252,800 registered voters in the county.

Voter turnout for the 2016 presidential election in Westmoreland was 75%, with more than 184,000 ballots cast.

Mail-in ballots

More than 3 million mail-in ballots were requested across Pennsylvania, with more than 2.4 million received as of Monday, Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar said.

In Allegheny County, 413,000 mail-in ballots were requested. Westmoreland County voters requested 76,228 mail-in ballots, of which the election bureau has already received more than 57,000 — or 75%.

Mail-in or absentee ballots must be returned by Nov. 3, either dropped off in person at the county election office or another designated location by 8 p.m. Elections offices will accept ballots in the mail through Friday, but they must be postmarked by 8 p.m. Nov. 3.

Counties cannot begin counting mail-in ballots until polls open at 7 a.m. Tuesday. No results can be reported until after polls close at 8 p.m.

County and state officials say it could be days before all mail-in ballots will be counted, with at least seven counties in Pennsylvania not planning to begin counting until Wednesday.

Pennsylvania law gives counties until Nov. 10 to post unofficial returns and until Nov. 23 to certify election results.

More information

To find out your polling place, go to Pennsylvania’s official election website at votespa.com. Click on “Voting at a Polling Place” and then go to “Look up Your Polling Place Location.” You also can call 877-VOTESPA (877-868-3772).

The Allegheny County Elections Office is located in Downtown Pittsburgh in the County Office Building, 542 Forbes Ave., Room 601. On Election Day, it will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Phone number is 412-350-4500.

The Westmoreland County Election Bureau is located in downtown Greensburg in the County Courthouse, 2 North Main St., Suite 109. The office will be open from 8:30 a.m. 8 p.m. on Election Day. Phone number is 724-830-3150.