The Pocono vote: What you need to know before heading to the polls this November

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8, and there's a few things you can do now to make your voting experience even smoother at polls in the Poconos. Read on for a few tips on how to make a voting plan.

Check your voter registration status

Acting Secretary of State Leigh M. Chapman reminded Pennsylvanians that they have until Monday, Oct. 24 to register to vote in the November general election.

"All eligible Pennsylvanians who are not yet registered to vote can still register to make sure their voice is heard in the Nov. 8 general election, but they should act fast," Chapman said. "They can register to vote, check the status of their registration and apply for a mail ballot online at vote.pa.gov.”

Barbara Keiser, president of the Monroe County League of Women Voters, also recommends the vote.pa.gov site.

In addition to registering to vote through the state's online voter registration (OVR) site, Pennsylvanians can also use the OVR system to update their existing voter record with new information, such as a change of name or address.

Pennsylvanians wishing to register to vote in the Nov. 8 election must be:

• A U.S. citizen for at least one month before the election.

• A resident of Pennsylvania and the election district in which the person wants to register and vote for at least 30 days before the election.

• At least 18 years of age on or before the date of the election.

You can confirm your registration status using the online system prior to the Oct. 24 deadline.

Choose your election adventure

When making your voting plan, the "first thing to do is to decide whether to vote in person or mail-in," Keiser said.

Voters have a few options as to how they can cast ballots this year, including voting by mail, voting in person by mail ballot (through Nov. 1) or voting in person at the polls on Election Day.

"Having a plan is important, to make sure you get the details correct so that your vote is counted," Keiser continued. "Follow the directions for the mail-in ballots to the letter. "

Not following directions could get your ballot tossed.

"There were a lot of ballots in the primary that were not counted in Monroe County because the outside envelopes were unsigned or not dated," Keiser advised. "It's important to follow the directions and cover the steps in order to make sure your mail-in ballot is counted."

Mail-in ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Of interest:Pocono candidates discuss abortion, state legislative priorities at political forum

Find your polling place or ballot box

According to Keiser, it isn't unheard of at the polls to have a voter walk into a polling place and ask if they can vote there. Voters need to know where their polling places are located ahead of Election Day.

There are dozens of polling places in Monroe, Pike, Wayne and Lackawanna counties.

To find yours, you can head to the state's online polling place locator, or call your local county elections office. You can find county election office contact info on your county website, or on this state site: bit.ly/3Tr9Jyy.

Keiser noted that while polling places can change for a variety of reasons, there are rules and regulations about notifying voters of the change in a timely manner, and sometimes voters don't receive the update.

Monroe and Wayne have announced a few location changes this year:

In Wayne County, those used to voting at Berlin Township voting precinct 2 will join their fellow voters in precinct 1 to cast votes from the Beach Lake Fire Hall (1033 Beach Lake Highway, Beach Lake, Pa. 18405). The fire hall is three miles down the road, roughly a five-minute drive, from precinct 2's current location.

The two voting precincts are not merging, just co-locating. This means voters from Berlin 1 and Berlin 2 will each have their own judges of elections and staff on site. Voters from each precinct will report to separate areas within the fire hall to cast their votes.

Monroe County voters in Price Township are reminded that the township's polling place has relocated from the Price Township Municipal Building to the Marshalls Creek Volunteer Fire Company building (8 Barren Road, East Stroudsburg). The change went into effect in September 2021.

Ballot box locations are available on each county website.

Keiser noted that many ballot box locations are in public libraries with set hours, and cameras. Such measures can ensure that voters are only dropping off their own ballots. It's illegal to drop off someone else's ballot, even if you're doing so on behalf of a relative or spouse. The only exception is a situation in which a voter has a disability and has designated someone else to deliver their ballot for them. That designation must be done in writing.

Sometimes, unexpected things turn up in the boxes, Keiser said.

"At a recent election board meeting, (Monroe County Commissioner John) Christy said that we got a New York ballot in one of them," she said.

Know who is on your ballot

"Whichever voting option you choose — by mail ballot or at the polls on Election Day — the important thing is to vote," Chapman said. "The officials you elect in this midterm election will make decisions that affect voters' daily lives for years to come."

Pennsylvania voters will elect a new governor, lieutenant governor and U.S. senator.

Voters will choose a new governor from the following candidates: Current Attorney General Josh Shapiro (a Democrat), state Sen. Doug Mastriano (a Republican), Matt Hackenburg (a Libertarian), Christina DiGiulio (Green Party) and Joe Soloski (Keystone Party). Voters will choose between several candidates for lieutenant governor: Austin Davis (a Democrat), Carrie DelRosso (a Republican), Michael Badges-Canning (of the Green Party), Nicole Shultz (Keystone Party) and Timothy McMaster (a Libertarian).

The battle for U.S. Senate pits outgoing Lt. Gov. John Fetterman ( a Democrat), against Dr. Mehmet Oz (a Republican), Erik Gerhardt (a Libertarian), Richard L. Weiss (Green Party) and Daniel Wassmer (Keystone Party).

Northeast Pa. voters are subject to a few district changes this year, which will impact your ballot.

Wayne County is now split between two state senatorial districts: Voters in southwestern Wayne now join Monroe and Lackawanna counties as part of the 40th District. The rest of Wayne County remains within the 20th District alongside all of Pike, Wyoming and Susquehanna counties and part of Luzerne County.

Three Wayne County boroughs and nine municipalities are affected by the change: Bethany, Honesdale and Waymart boroughs, as well as Canaan, South Canaan, Texas, Cherry Ridge, Lake Salem, Sterling, Dreher and Lehigh townships.

Another big change can be seen in the 139th House District boundaries, which were also redrawn after the 2020 Census. The district no longer includes the areas of Siko and Damascus, and instead now incorporates areas further west of Hawley to incorporate Avoy and the areas bordering eastern Carbondale. The district still includes the Blooming Grove area of Pike County.

The new 111th House District boundaries incorporate Damascus, and now exclude the areas south of Carbondale and east of Dickson City in Lackawanna County.

Of interest:Trump calls FBI 'vicious monsters' at his Wilkes-Barre rally endorsing Mastriano, Oz, Bognet

Barbara Keiser recommends checking out the League of Women Voters' Vote411.org site. There you will find lists of candidates as well as where they stand on key issues.

The league sends out questionnaires to each candidate for the online guide.

"Unfortunately not all of the candidates answered, and that says something in and of itself," Keiser said.

Northeast Pa. and Pocono races

Pa. 40th Senate District: Rosemary Brown (a Republican) and Jennifer Shukaitis (a Democrat) are vying to replace retiring GOP Sen. Mario Scavello. Brown currently serves as the representative for the 189th House District, while Shukaitis serves as a Stroud Township supervisor.

Pa. 20th Senate District: Republican incumbent Sen. Lisa Baker looks to retain her seat against challenging Democrat, Jackie Baker.

U.S. Congressional District 8: Democrat Matt Cartwright looks to defend his seat against Republican challenger Jim Bognet again this election.

U.S. Congressional District 7: Democrat Susan Wild also gears up for a rematch this election against Republican Lisa Scheller.

Pa. 189th House District: Stroudsburg Mayor Tarah Probst will vie against Monroe County businessman Steve Ertle for the open 189th District seat.

Pa. 139th House District: Democrat Megan Rosenfeld and Republican Joseph Adams will duke it out to see who will take the open seat in the redrawn 139th District.

Pa. 176th House District: Incumbent Jack Rader (a Republican) will face off with two challengers: Democrat Hope Christman and Libertarian Autumn Pangia.

Pa. 115th House District: Democratic incumbent Rep. Maureen Madden will go head-to-head with Republican Krista Paolucci.

Pa. 111th House District: Republican incumbent Jonathan Fritz is running unopposed to retain his seat.

Ashley Catherine Fontones is the managing editor at the Tri-County Independent and Pocono Record. Contact her by emailing afontones@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Pocono Record: Casting your ballot in the Poconos this year? Make a voting plan