BETHLEHEM

BALLOT DROP BOX: The Northampton County Elections Office has begun sending out mail-in ballots to voters who applied for them. Ballots may be returned via U.S. Mail, or by placing in any of the four different drop-off boxes located around Northampton County. The drop-off box in the City of Bethlehem will be located at City Hall, 10 East Church St., and can be dropped off Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

SPANISH: La Oficina Electoral del Condado de Northampton ha comenzado a enviar papeletas de votación por correo a los votantes que las solicitaron. Las papeletas pueden devolverse por correo de EE.UU., o colocándolo en cualquiera de los cuatro buzones ubicados alrededor del condado de Northampton. El buzón de entrega en la Ciudad de Bethlehem estará ubicado en 10 East Church St. Su papeleta de votación puede ser dejada a partir del 1 de Octubre, de Lunes a Viernes, de 8 a.m. a 4 p.m.

LEHIGH COUNTY

OVER-THE-COUNTER BALLOTS: Voters who have not applied for a mail-in ballot can now pick up an over-the-counter ballot at the Lehigh County Voter Registration Office, 17 S. Seventh St., Allentown.

The ballots are available in conference room 40, where voters can fill out an application, have it processed and be counted on site starting Nov. 3. Additionally, voting booths will be available in the hallway for voters.

Mail-in ballots are now being sent out through the mail to those who previously applied. Over 65,000 ballots are set to be mailed out to voters in Lehigh County.

For additional information, contact the office at 610-782-3194.

PENNSYLVANIA

VOTING OPTIONS FOR OLDER ADULTS: The Pennsylvania Department of Aging encourages older adults to be informed about their options for voting in the general election Nov. 3 if they are concerned about being able to vote safely amid COVID-19.

“The Department of Aging urges older Pennsylvanians to keep their health and well-being in mind however they choose to cast their ballot in November,” Secretary of Aging Robert Torres said.

“The older adult population consistently votes more often than any other age group, and the turnout for the upcoming election may likely be no different. Therefore, it is important that they are able to vote without putting themselves at risk.”

Torres noted if older adults are opting to vote by mail-in ballot, they should apply for a ballot as soon as possible at votesPA.com.

Here are some guidelines for voting by mail-in ballot:

•Read the ballot and instructions carefully.

•Pay attention to where you place your pen. Don’t rest it on the ballot as it could potentially make an unintended mark somewhere and the tabulator will not read it correctly, or the pen could accidentally mark a candidate for whom you didn’t want to vote.

• Return the ballot by mail or in person to your county Board of Elections or officially designated drop-off site as soon as possible.

• Be sure to place your ballot in the inner secrecy envelope and then put the secrecy envelope into the outer return envelope, which you must sign.

County election officials will not count your ballot if it is returned without both envelopes. Be sure to sign the declaration on the outer envelope so the ballot will be counted.

In addition, Pennsylvania voters now have the option of voting in person at their county election office before Election Day. Just go to your county election office, request a ballot, fill it out and submit it – all in the same visit.

For older Pennsylvanians who are looking to vote at their polling place Nov. 3, the polls will be open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Wear a mask, bring your own pen and follow social distancing guidelines.

The Pennsylvania Department of State is supplying counties with masks, face shields, hand sanitizer, floor marking tape and other supplies for polling places so Pennsylvanians can safely exercise their right to vote during this COVID-19 emergency.

Older adults can check the status of their voter registration by visiting votespa.com or by calling 877-VOTESPA (868-3772).

Pennsylvania law now allows residents to register to vote up to 15 days before Election Day.

The deadline to register to vote in the November election was Oct. 19.

Absentee and mail-in ballots must be returned by 8 p.m. Nov. 3.