Elections
In Pennsylvania, primary elections are held on the third Tuesday of May except in years with a presidential election when they are held on the fourth Tuesday in April. Municipal/general elections are held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
County, township and borough elections are held in odd numbered years. National, state and party elections are held in even numbered years.
Pennsylvania has a closed primary, which means voters cannot vote unless they are a member of one of the major political parties. Exception: All registered voters may vote for a referendum question during a spring primary election if a referendum appears on the ballot.
The Pennsylvania Department of State offers information on voting in Pennsylvania, including information for first-time voters, voting by provisional ballot, and voting by mail-in or absentee ballots, on its website, www.vote.pa.gov/Voting-in-PA.
Election Officers
All elections shall be conducted in each of Franklin County’s 73 election districts by an election board consisting of a judge of elections, a majority inspector of elections, a minority inspector of elections and at least one or two clerks.
All election officers shall be qualified registered electors in Franklin County. All election officers receive compensation for their duties based on voter turnout and if they worked a half or a full day.
If you or someone you know is interested in serving as a poll worker complete this form or contact the Franklin County Commissioners’ Office at 717-261-3812 or commissioners@franklincountypa.gov.
Voting Ward Maps
Sample Ballots
Select a municipality below to view the corresponding sample ballot. If you are unsure of your polling location, click here to find your precinct.
Information For Candidates
Candidate Packets
Candidates participating in the 2025 election cycle may pick up their candidate packets beginning February 3, 2025 in the Franklin County Commissioners’ Office, 272 North Second Street, Chambersburg.
Petitions must be printed/copied as duplex – double-sided, front & back, head-to-head) on plain white legal-size paper (8 ½” x 14”). Petitions for Municipal Offices will be provided in the Municipal Candidate Packets.
Street Lists and Mailing Labels
Each candidate running for office will be allowed two street lists for the political district in which he or she is running at no charge. Additional copies may be purchased for $0.08 per page for a street list of the entire county (all 73 precincts) or $0.10 per page for street lists of individual precincts.
Mailing labels by voter or household may also be purchased for $50.00 per thousand labels. Payment must be made to the County of Franklin prior to obtaining the labels.
Both street lists and mailing labels can be obtained at the Franklin County Voter Registration Office. Labels and custom voter lists can be sorted in several ways. It is very important that you are specific when you submit your request to the Franklin County Board of Elections. Possible selections for sorting a file from the voting master database include: district, precinct, Congressional district, senatorial district, legislative district, party affiliation, voting history, registration dates. The selected file can be sorted by name, address and household.
Campaign Finance
Campaign Finance FAQ
Campaign Finance Reporting Law
Campaign Finance Reporting Schedule
Campaign Finance Report (DSEB 502)
Campaign Finance Statement (DSEB 503)
Political Committee Registration Statement (DSEB 500)
Authorization for a Political Committee (DSEB 501)
Independent Expenditure Reporting Form (DSEB 505)
24 Hour Reporting
Election FAQs
Am I allowed to display or wear any type of attire with a candidate’s name on it in the polls?
The Franklin County Election Board reminds all voters that NO electioneering is allowed within a polling place. This includes the display of candidate names on buttons, signs or clothing within the polling place as well as items advocating a political party, etc. Voters will be asked to remove the item or to cover it up before receiving a ballot.
How do I know what will be on my ballot ahead of time?
Sample ballots are available on the Franklin County website and at the Franklin County Commissioners Office on the Thursday prior to each primary or election.
The entire ballot with all offices and candidates listed as well as a list of polling places will appear in the classified section of both the Chambersburg Public Opinion and the Waynesboro Record-Herald the Thursday prior to each primary or election.
How do I run for political office?
You must call the Franklin County Election Board in January of each year to see if the office you are interested in is up for election. Judicial, county, township, borough and school district offices are always in odd numbered years. Federal, state and party offices are in even numbered years.
How do I vote if I am visually impaired?
A visually impaired voter has several options for voting:
- Vote by absentee ballot
- Vote a paper ballot at his or her polling place with assistance
- Vote independently using the ExpressVote ADA unit. Voters using the ExpressVote ADA unit should be prepared to spend approximately 20 minutes voting their ballot as all instructions, candidates and summary are read to them with the use of headsets.
How do I vote?
Voters can vote in person at their polling place on election day. All voters will receive an official paper ballot. After marking the ballot with an ink pen in the voting booth, the voter will place the ballot into a precinct counter to be counted.
Voters may also request to vote by absentee ballot or mail-in ballot. Visit the Franklin County Voter Registration page to learn more.
How do you avoid an overvote?
Be sure to read the voting instructions on the ballot before voting. If a voter inadvertently votes for more than the allowed number of candidates for a particular office, ask for a new ballot.
How far from a polling place should campaign literature, signs and candidates be on election day?
Campaigning and/or campaign signs are not allowed within 10 feet from any entrance to any voting location on election day.
I requested a mail-in ballot, but now I want to vote in person at my poll. What do I need to do?
Voters are not permitted to turn in their completed mail-in or absentee ballots at their polling locations. Voters who receive absentee or mail-in ballots and want to vote at their polling locations on election day must surrender their ballots and purple and white declaration envelopes to the judge of elections to be voided. Voters will then fill out a declaration form and will be given regular ballots to vote. Voters who do not surrender their ballots and purple and white declaration envelopes will be allowed to vote on provisional ballots.
I’m in the military. How do I vote?
Military and overseas civilians must submit a federal postcard application by visiting www.fvap.gov.
Is my polling place handicap accessible?
All Franklin County polling places are considered handicapped accessible.
May I receive assistance in voting?
No person is allowed to receive assistance in voting unless his or her registration record indicates the need for assistance or the voter completes and signs a Declaration of the Need for Assistance at the polling place prior to entering the voting booth. A voter may select anyone to assist them except the following individuals: the judge of elections; the voter’s employer or agent of that employer; or an officer or agent of the voter’s union. Each polling place will have a magnifying glass with bifocal lens available to assist those voters who may have trouble reading their ballot. A voter may also use the ExpressVote ADA Unit to mark his or her ballot.
What is an overvote?
An overvote occurs when an individual indicates a vote for more candidates on the ballot than the number of candidates for which a voter is permitted to vote for in a particular office.
What is the deadline to apply for an absentee ballot or a mail-in ballot?
All applicants must be completed, signed and received by the Franklin County Voter Registration Office no later than 5 p.m. on the Tuesday before each election. There are provisions made for individuals who need an emergency ballot after that deadline. Contact the Franklin County Voter Registration Office for more information.
What is the deadline to return an absentee ballot or mail-in ballot?
Voted ballots must be received by the Franklin County Voter Registration Office no later than 8 p.m. on election day. When returning a ballot by mail, please allow at least three days for local delivery and four to five days for longer distances. Postmarks Do Not Count.
What is the result of an overvoted ballot that is “accepted” by the precinct counter?
When a voter overvotes for a particular office, all of the votes cast by that voter for the overvoted office are canceled. All other votes on the ballot are counted.
Example: The office of County Commissioner on a municipal election ballot states “Vote for Not More Than Two” although there are three candidates elected. If a voter marks the ballot for all three candidates, the voter has overvoted and none of the candidates will receive a vote. However, this will not cause your entire ballot to be canceled, just the votes for County Commissioner.
What is the result of an overvoted ballot that is “returned” by the precinct counter?
When the voter selects RETURN on the precinct counter’s screen, the ballot will be returned to the voter without any votes having been counted. The voter will then need to present the overvoted ballot to the judge of elections to be spoiled and given a new ballot.
What is undervoting a ballot?
A voter undervotes when he or she casts fewer votes for a particular office than is permitted on the ballot. No ballot or vote will be canceled as a result of an undervote. Also precinct counters are not programmed to detect and notify voters when it encounters a ballot that is undervoted.
What should I take with me to the polling place?
Voters who are voting in an election district for the first time or who have changed their name or address since the last election will need an approved form of identification, either photo or non-photo. No other voter will be asked to present an ID.
What type of voting system do we use in Franklin County?
For information on voting in Franklin County, watch an online demo and/or instructional video on voting a digital scan ballot using a DS200 Precinct Counter at www.votespa.com. Franklin County also uses an assistive marking device for the blind or visually impaired in each polling place that is called an ExpressVote. To watch a demo of this machine, click here.
When are election days?
In Pennsylvania, primary elections are held on the third Tuesday of May except in years with a presidential election when they are held on the fourth Tuesday in April. Municipal/general elections are held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
When are the polls open?
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. If you are in line at a poll at 8 p.m., you are still permitted to vote.
Where do I find information about the candidates?
Listen to or read what the news media has to report. Go to candidate debates or talk to the candidates personally. Another good source of information may be the party headquarters and candidates’ websites. Finally, Franklin Votes is a good resource.
Where do I go to vote?
There are 73 polling places in Franklin County. Voters need to vote at the polling place assigned to them based on their home address. Polling place locations are listed on voters’ registration cards. Polling place locations can also be verified at www.pavoterservices.pa.gov. This website also provides directions from a voter’s home to his or her polling place.
Why should I vote?
Your vote is Very Important. There have been candidates in Franklin County that have won the election by only one or two votes.
Will a precinct counter catch an overvoted ballot?
The Help America Vote Act requires that a voter be notified if he or she has overvoted prior to casting the ballot so the voter has the opportunity to correct the overvote. When a voter places the ballot with an overvote into the precinct counter, the counter will produce an audio alert and indicate on the screen that an overvote has occurred. The voter then has the choice to cast the ballot as is or push RETURN to retrieve the ballot for collection.
Official Election Results
For election results, visit the Official Election Results section on the Elections & Voter Registration page or contact the Franklin County Board of Elections at 717-261-3812.
