Today is National Voter Registration Day

TODAY, WE CELEBRATE National Voter Registration Day — the massive cross-country effort to register voters ahead of the midterm elections.

Thousands of national, state and local organizations and volunteers are the driving force behind National Voter Registration Day 2024.

Founded in 2012, National Voter Registration Day is designed to create an annual moment when the entire nation focuses on registering Americans to exercise their most basic right — the right to vote. Nearly three million Americans have registered to vote on the holiday since the inaugural National Voter Registration Day.

We decided to do our part by sharing the ways you can register to vote.

To vote in Pennsylvania, you must first register at least 15 days before the election. The last day to register before the Nov. 5 general election is Oct. 21.

The general election is an opportunity for Pennsylvania voters to elect multiple state and federal positions for several different term lengths.

At the top of the ballot, of course, is who will become the next president of the United States, followed by elections for U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, Pennsylvania State Senate, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, as well as Pennsylvania attorney general and treasurer.

It’s part of our mission to keep you informed — not only about the issues in our communities, but also about how you can ensure you are able to vote.

That’s because we’re in favor of civic engagement, whatever your political views are.

You can submit your application via the state-owned website at www.pa.gov/guides/voting-and-elections/ or call 1-877-VOTESPA (1-877-868-3772) for more information.

Oct. 29 is the last day to apply for a mail-in or civilian absentee ballot. County election offices must receive completed mail-in and civilian absentee ballots by 8 p.m. Nov. 5.

If you are on active duty in the military, or you are a hospitalized or bedridden veteran, you can register at any time through the Federal Voting Assistance Program. Call 1-800-438-VOTE (8683) or visit www.fvap. gov for more information.

The deadline to register is right around the corner, so don’t leave it for the last minute.

Send your registration in as quickly as possible, so if there’s a problem with your address or your signature, there’s time to get it straightened out.

In other words, leave your options open. Of course, you can always choose not to vote.

But if you don’t register, the choice is made for you. If you’re already registered, plan to get out and vote Nov. 5. But don’t worry — we’ll remind you again before then.