‘Over the counter’ voting starts in Allegheny County

ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. — Even in the rain, voters were showing up to the County Office Building.

“I usually vote in person,” said Lena Henderson — who usually votes on Election Day.

But “over the counter” voting has changed Henderson’s thoughts.

“I am always, of course, in this building and always see the window open. I never knew it could be so easy. One of my colleagues said I could vote today. I leaned over the counter. I did it,” Henderson said.

Monday was the first day Allegheny County voters could cast their ballots and the operation at the County Office Building is open for business.

“Pennsylvania doesn’t really have early voting, what we have is mail-in voting. Depending on where you live, every county has rules and procedures on how accessible they make it,” said Abigail Gardner, Allegheny County Communications Director.

That’s where this concept comes from. Voters can not only register in the building but then request a mail-in ballot, fill it out and turn it in.

“It took five minutes if that much. Filled out the top of the form, [it] basically asked for the name, address, email. You get your ballot they give instructions on how to put it in a secret envelope then a larger envelope,” Henderson said.

You don’t have to make the decision that day, you can take it home — and as long as it is dropped off by Election Day the vote counts.

The process is even expanding further in October to reach more people.

You will see a satellite location on Oct. 15, 16, and 17 at Soldiers and Sailors in Oakland, on the weekends of Oct. 19-20 and 26-27 in North Park, South Park and CCAC Homewood.

“For the week before the election leading up to the day before election day, we will have ten ballot return sites around the county, North Park, South Park, libraries, the food bank in Duquesne,” Gardner said.

At any of these sites, you can’t request a ballot for anyone but yourself and you can’t turn in anyone else’s ballot.

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