Your Questions Answered: Who’s Permitted to Vote in Federal Elections in Pa.?

There are strict laws and safeguards in place to ensure only U.S. citizens vote in federal elections in Pennsylvania. Before an individual can vote here, they must first fill out a voter registration application. Federal and state law requires all applicants registering to vote to affirm or verify their citizenship status under penalty of perjury – which carries potential criminal punishments and the risk of deportation.

Every voter must meet requirements for eligibility and identity regardless of how they cast their ballot. To be eligible to register to vote in Pennsylvania, applicants must be: 

• a U.S. citizen for at least 30 days,
• a resident of Pennsylvania for at least 30 days, and
• at least 18 years old on or before the date of the next election. ​

Pennsylvania takes additional steps to ensure only U.S. citizens can vote. For example, individuals without proof of U.S. citizenship are denied access to the commonwealth’s automatic voter registration (AVR) process at Department of Transportation photo license centers. Each AVR application is sent to the local county election office for review to confirm voter eligibility.

Beyond Pennsylvania’s requirements, several federal laws explicitly mandate that only eligible American citizens can register to vote and cast ballots in federal elections. Providing false information on voter registration forms carries severe penalties, including fines, imprisonment and even deportation.

Because of these strict laws and safeguards, Pennsylvanians can be assured that only U.S. citizens vote on Election Day.