2009 VOTER GUIDE
PRIMARY ELECTION - Tuesday, May 19th
You’ve come to the right place to get information about the candidates
on the Pittsburgh ballot before heading into the polls.
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The PA League of Young Voters collaborated with The Sierra Club Allegheny Group and Planned Parenthood of Western PA to come up with questions for a joint voter guide, presented here.
Many voters consider “off year” elections to be less important than presidential-year elections. That’s just not true.
As elections get closer to home (congressional to state to local), the voting districts get smaller. This means that there are fewer people casting a ballot, meaning the candidates have fewer votes to compete for. This makes each vote weigh even more.
Not only that, but decisions made at the local or state level often lead to more immediate change in your community…the further up you get, the slower improvements or changes to policy can come. But this also means that damage can be done more quickly.
So whether you’re a student, a young professional, a homeowner, a retiree, a single mother, or a urban-bicycling enthusiast (you catch my drift), it’s important to know who’s running things locally and remember to vote in every election.
TIPS FOR VOTING:
Register to Vote: You can change your party affiliation, address, or register for the first time until APRIL 20th, 2009. Download the voter registration form here.
Absentee Voting: Obtain an “Application for Absentee Ballot” form and submit it to the County Division of Elections before MAY 12th. Then once you’ve received your actual paper absentee ballot, return it to the Division of Elections by MAY 15th. Include a copy of your ID in the envelope with your voted ballot.
First-Time Voters: Bring a copy of your ID with you to the polls on election day. Click here for a complete list of acceptable IDs.
Bring Your Notes: You may bring any notes or literature with you into the polls for your personal use, so make a list ahead of time of who you want to vote for and bring it with you.
Finalize Your Vote: On the Allegheny County voting machines, your vote isn’t officially cast until you press the red blinking “VOTE” button at the top of the machine. If you don’t press this button to finish voting before you walk away, your vote will be canceled.
Report Any Problems: If you feel you were given information in error, if a machine breaks down, or you see or experience any harrassment, report the incident to the Division of Elections (412) 350-4500 and to 1-866-OUR-VOTE (a nationwide election protection hotline). You can also report it to the PA Dept of State Bureau of Elections (717) 787-5280