Online Voter Registration Coming to Pennsylvania

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Pennsylvanians can now register to vote online by going to register.votespa.com.

Gov. Tom Wolf announced the policy change at a press conference today. He said online voter registration did not need legislative approval.

The National Conference of State Legislatures told the AP Pennsylvania will be the 23rd state to implement such a measure.

“Online registration… improves accuracy, increases the integrity of voter rolls,” Wolf said. “This online voter registration is also going to help our democracy. Judged by our voter turnout rates, we’re not as good as we used to be.”

County election directors will still be processing voter applications; potential voters will just be able to submit their applications online. Already registered voters will be able to change their address or party registration online.

Those without drivers licenses will still have to mail in a signature. First-time voters will still have to provide a photo ID.

“The public likes it because it’s efficient, the county likes it… so I believe online voter registration is here to stay,” said Pedro Cortés, Pennsylvania’s secretary of state.

The online voter registration site is already up. There’s also a FAQ for those with specific questions.

“Online Voter Registration is about making the voting experience more convenient and more accessible,” Wolf said in a statement. “It is about giving citizens an easier way to exercise their right to vote and establishing a clearer connection between the political system and the citizens. Online voter registration is secure, it improves accuracy and will reduce costs for counties by cutting down on time-consuming data entry.”

The last day to register to vote for the November 3rd election this year is October 5th.