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Without a presidential race on the ballot, some voters will sit out next month's election. We hope you won't be among them.
The governor and legislators elected this fall will help decide how much state money reaches our school districts, which transportation needs get funded and how Pennsylvania taxes and spends. Our representative in Congress will vote on federal policy affecting agriculture, health care and programs people here depend on. Those responsibilities deserve our attention every election year.
Pennsylvania's general election is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Voters will choose a governor and lieutenant governor, a member of Congress and representatives in the state Legislature.
In Mifflin and Juniata counties, the ballot includes the 13th Congressional District and the 30th state Senate District. State House districts divide the counties differently, so the race a neighbor discusses at work may not be the one on your ballot.
Burnham Borough and Decatur and Derry townships are in the 85th House District, along with Fayette and Monroe townships in Juniata County. The remainder of Mifflin County is in the 171st District. The remainder of Juniata County is in the 86th.
Read what the candidates propose and consider their records. If they promise lower taxes or more spending, ask how their plans would work. Their answers should help you judge whether they understand the needs of communities like Lewistown, Belleville, Mifflintown and Port Royal.
There is still time to prepare, but the first deadline is approaching.
Monday, Oct. 19, is the last day to register to vote before the election. It is also the deadline to update your registration. If you have moved or changed your name, check your information at vote.pa.gov rather than waiting until you arrive at the polls.
Applications for mail-in or civilian absentee ballots must reach your county elections office by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27. Completed ballots must be received by 8 p.m. Nov. 3. A ballot postmarked by Election Day but received afterward cannot be counted. Read the instructions carefully, including those for the secrecy envelope and signing and dating the outer return envelope.
Juniata County voters whose schedules make Election Day difficult can request, complete and return a mail ballot in one visit to the courthouse voter registration office. This option, called on-demand voting, is available through Oct. 27. Regular office hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with hours extended to 5 p.m. Oct. 27.
For those voting on Election Day, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Check your polling location ahead of time. Questions can be directed to the Mifflin County elections office at (717) 248-6571 or the Juniata County elections office at (717) 436-7706.
We regularly hear opinions about how government should spend money and what elected officials ought to do. This election gives each registered voter an opportunity to help choose the people responsible for those decisions.
Check your registration before the Oct. 19 deadline, make arrangements to cast your ballot and vote in the Nov. 3 election.