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Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, has mailed nearly 14,800 requested mail-in and absentee ballots for the 2026 primary election. According to the Dauphin County Board of Elections, only registered Republicans and Democrats can participate in the primary, voting exclusively for candidates within their party.
Voters must be aware of key deadlines. The last day to register to vote or make changes to party affiliation and address is May 4. Requests for mail-in or absentee ballots must be submitted by May 12 at 5 p.m. Completed ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on May 19. Voters may return their ballots in person to the county board of elections office, located at 1251 South 28th Street, by the same deadline.
To accommodate voters, the elections office will extend its hours until 6 p.m. from May 4 to May 18 and remain open until 8 p.m. on Election Day, May 19. Secure drop boxes are also available throughout the county, including at the Dauphin County Admin Building and the Northern Dauphin Human Services Center in Elizabethville. Voters can find a full list of drop box locations online.
Under Pennsylvania election law, voters may only return their own ballots. For those voting in person, some polling locations have changed. For example, voters in Middletown Borough 2nd Ward will now vote at Evangelical United Methodist Church, while those in Derry Township 6th Precinct will vote at Hershey Volunteer Fire Department.
For more details on the election process and locations, visit the official Dauphin County website.