Pre-18 voter registration in
Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania 131,893
18-year-olds are not yet registered.
Pennsylvanians can 
pre-register before turning 18.
To register to vote in Pennsylvania, you must be: 18 by May 19th, 2026. That means most eligible seniors and some juniors in your high school can register to vote today and vote at 18.
Learn more about the voter registration gap in Pennsylvania.
High school students can help one another get ready to vote. 
Next Steps!
How to Register to Vote in Pennsylvania
Upcoming Elections:
- May 19th, 2026 - Pennsylvania Primary Election (Register by May 4th, 2026)
- Nov 3rd, 2026 - Pennsylvania General Election (Register by Oct 19th, 2026)
Useful Links:
- Registration Form - Download the paper registration form for Pennsylvania.
- Registration Status - Check if you are already registered, your polling place, and more from your state’s voter registration website.
- Fair Elections Center - Learn about conducting a registration drive in Pennsylvania.
- Vote 411 - A nonpartisan resource to help you register, preview your ballot, and find key election information from the League of Women Voters.
- VoteRiders - Find out what forms of ID you can use to register and vote, and get help getting a valid form of ID.
Full Registration Details
By Mail: ID Requirements
When submitting your application by mail in Pennsylvania, you are required to provide your Pennsylvania driver’s license number or PennDOT ID number if you have one. If you have not been issued a Pennsylvania ID, you must provide the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you have not been issued any of these numbers, indicate that you do not have an ID number.
By Mail: Eligibility Requirements
To register in Pennsylvania you must:
be a United States citizen for at least one month before the next election
be a resident of Pennsylvania and your election district for at least 30 days before the election
be at least 18 years of age on the day of the next election
By Mail: New Voter Instructions
If you are registering to vote for the first time in your jurisdiction and are mailing this registration application, federal law requires you to show proof of identification the first time you vote. Proof of identification includes current and valid photo identification OR current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or government document that shows your name and address. More information here.
Online Instructions
To register online in Pennsylvania, you need to provide your Pennsylvania driver’s license number or PennDOT ID card number. If you do not have a Pennsylvania-issued ID, you need to provide the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you have not been issued any of these numbers, indicate you do not have an ID number. To complete the online voter registration application without a PennDOT ID number, you must upload a digital image of your signature. You can also request and sign a signature form from the Department of State or print and sign a voter registration application. Both the signature form and the printed registration application must be returned to your county elections office by mail or in person. If you don’t have an ID number and do not upload an image of your signature, you can still submit a voter registration application by mail.
More information here.
Pennsylvania High School Educators!!!
Support your students’ voter registration effort with our free toolkit.
Pennsylvania Requirements for High School Voter Registration
School boards must provide space in public school buildings when county voter-registration commissions request it for registration activities.
About this information
This page presents a curated compilation of voting and election information, specifically geared toward high school students, their families, and educators.
Information about deadlines and voting laws is retrieved via the Democracy Works Elections API and was last retrieved on Apr 1st, 2026; the API compiles election guidance from official government sources and other vetted data providers, and details may change over time. Information concerning requirements for high schools is based on The Civics Center’s analysis of State Requirements for High School Voter Registration and was last updated on Mar 27th, 2026.
See More
Information about youth turning 18 each year is from the U.S. Census, and information on the number of 18-year-olds who have not yet registered is based on applying TCC’s analysis of Census data and state voter files. We also provide links to trusted resources, including VoteRiders (for voter ID information) and Fair Elections Center (for information about laws governing voter registration drives).
These pages are offered for guidance only and are not intended as legal advice. Please consult state election officials or an attorney if you have questions about any particular situation. We hope you find this useful. To cite our resources and original research, please provide links and/or cite The Civics Center.
© 2026 The Civics Center
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