LWVCC: Democracy is not a spectator sport. Choose to vote!
Pennsylvania is a closed primary state: you must be registered as a Democrat or Republican to vote for candidates in a primary election. And you must be registered in Centre County in order to vote in Centre County in any election.
This is a municipal election year. The people we elect to local positions have a direct impact on our lives through policies: zoning, land use and building construction; snow and trash removal; drug and alcohol rehab programs; parks and recreation; school curriculums; judicial and criminal justice administration, just to name a few. No one at the federal or state level is responsible for performing these local functions. Please prepare to vote and learn about the candidate’s positions at Vote411.org. Then make your voice heard by casting your vote!
Monday, May 1, is the deadline to register or make changes to your voter registration. Your submission must be received by the Elections Office by 5 p.m. that day. Check your registration status, register or change your registration at CentreCountyVotes.gov.
Tuesday, May 9, is the last day to apply to vote by mail. Your application must be received by the Elections Office by 5 p.m. that day.
Tuesday, May 16, is the primary election. Mailed ballots must be received by the Elections Office by 8 p.m. (The date/time of the postmark does not count.) Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. for in-person voting. If you are voting in person, please take a minute to thank your poll workers. They are truly “democracy’s essential workers.”
Where to find ballot and nonpartisan candidate information: There has never been a time when nonpartisan voting information was so readily available. Centre County residents can find a personalized sample ballot, as well as up-to-date election information at CentreCountyVotes.gov. You can view nonpartisan candidate information at VOTE411.org or LWVCentreCounty.org. The League of Women Voters of Centre County (LWVCC) Voters Guide will be published in print, as it has been since 1953, and online through the civic generosity of our local newspapers: in the Centre Daily Times on April 30 and subsequently in the Centre County Gazette and the Lock Haven Express. The guide provides answers, in the candidate’s own words, to questions of importance to voters. It is an invaluable tool to learn about a candidate’s position in comparison to the other candidates in that contest. All candidates appearing on the ballot have been invited to participate in the Voters Guide. Those who decline to participate will be noted. The LWVCC sincerely thanks the CDT, the Gazette and The Express for their civic generosity on behalf of all Centre County residents.
On April 25 at 6:30 p.m. the LWVCC will host Candidates’ Night. All candidates, in contested races that have met our service area population threshold, have been invited. This is another invaluable opportunity to see and hear candidates in the same race answer questions about their positions. It will be aired live on C-NET channel 7 and online at cnet1.org and rebroadcast multiple times prior to the election. The public is invited to attend that evening to submit questions or they may submit email questions for candidates at LWVCentreCounty.org now until April 18. The LWVCC site will also provide a link to the C-NET individual candidate interviews. The LWVCC sincerely thanks C-NET for their civic generosity on behalf of all Centre County residents.
When our country was founded and our Constitution was established, our forefathers counted on all eligible voters to eagerly elect those who would represent their views in government. Elections provide voters the ability to hold officials accountable and to promote the passage of legislation that benefits the country, states, counties and communities. Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy. It is how we voters decide, when our ballots are cast, who represents our views and protects our country and its people. LWVCC encourages voters to peacefully engage with their government by voting in every election for which they are eligible. Voter turnout is definitely noticed by elected officials and because of that, it improves official’s responsiveness to their constituents. We urge you to check your registration, research candidates and make your voices heard by voting for the candidates of your choice!
