On Election Day, 45K Montco Mail-In Ballots Still Unreturned

NORRISTOWN, PA — Heading into Election Day, the vast majority of mail-in ballots have been returned in Montgomery County. Several thousand still remain unreturned, including ballots that may still be in the mail and ballots that can be returned via drop-box locations until 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Of the 268,895 ballots which Montgomery County has mailed out, 223,093 were returned by Monday night, according to the county's voter services office.

That leaves just about 45,000 ballots unaccounted for heading into Tuesday.

>>Election Day In Montgomery County: When, Where To Vote

"If you have been holding onto your mail in ballot for sentimental reasons, it’s time to let it go," Montgomery County Commissioner Ken Lawrence Jr. shared on Monday night.

The county has 11 drop-boxes in numerous municipalities for mail-in ballots to be dropped off Tuesday, between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Potential delays in the mail were accounted for in Pennsylvania. Ballots received as late as Friday, Nov. 6, Election Day can be counted in the state. That's a change to the existing law, and it was challenged by state Republicans but upheld in the U.S. Supreme Court last month.

>>Montco To Process Ballots Early, But Don't Expect Results Tuesday

The county has already said that final results will not be available Tuesday night. Results of in-person voting will be available on a rolling basis starting at 8:30 p.m. in Montgomery County, and should be completed by around 1 a.m. Wednesday morning. Mail-in ballots can legally start to be processed at 7 a.m., and can start to be counted at 8 p.m.

"Once we begin counting, we’re not going to stop counting until we’re done," Lawrence said.

The county's Voter Services Office has tripled its staff and purchased numerous new counting machines to help handle the historic number of mail-in ballots.

Locations of drop-boxes are as follows:

• Wall Park, 1 Wall Park Drive, Elkins Park
• 225 Washington Street, Conshohocken
• Church Road Parking Lot, 226 Station Square Blvd, Lansdale
• Ludington Library, 5 S Bryn Mawr Ave, Bryn Mawr
• Montgomery County Airy St Parking Lot, Corner of DeKalb & Airy Streets, Norristown
• Montgomery County Community College - West Campus (Hanover St Building), 95 S Hanover St, Pottstown
• Royersford Borough Parking Lot #1A, 300 Main St, Royersford
• Skippack Municipal Building, 4089 Heckler Rd, Skippack
• Upper Dublin Municipal Building, 801 Loch Alsh Ave, Fort Washington
• Green Lane Park, 2144 Snyder Rd, Green Lane
• Willow Grove YMCA, 3300 Davisville Rd, Hatboro

The drop boxes close at the same time as the polls on Tuesday evening: 8 p.m. Lawrence notes that being in line for a drop box "does not count." Ballots must be in the box at 8 p.m.

If you have a mail-in ballot but for some reason wish to vote in person, you can still do so; bring your mail-in ballot to your polling place and the Judge of Elections will "spoil it" and your in-person vote will be authorized.

If your ballot was lost, you can still vote in person Tuesday via provisional ballot; your ballot will be certified by county elections officials once they cancel your mail-in ballot.