Persons who anticipate that they will not be able to go to their polling place on Election Day because of disability or because they will be away from their municipality for the entire time that the polls are open may be permitted to vote by absentee ballot. A voter who desires to vote by absentee ballot must complete an absentee ballot application and submit it to his/her county board of elections. Absentee Ballot Applications are available by clicking the link located at the bottom of this page. Return your application to Monroe County Admin Building, One Quaker Plaza Room 105, Stroudsburg Pa 18360.

Absentee electors in military service may obtain an absentee ballot application by applying on any form supplied by the Federal government or by using the State official absentee ballot application. An application may be submitted by the elector in military service or an adult member of his/her immediate family.

Note: A military elector who is home on Election Day and who has not voted an absentee ballot may, if registered, appear at his/her election district polling place and vote. In the event that a military elector is not registered to vote, he/she may apply in person and vote at the office of the county board of elections.

In completing an absentee ballot and related absentee balloting materials and returning the voted absentee ballot to the county board of elections, please be sure to follow all instructions received form the county board of elections. Improper completion of the absentee ballot or related material or improper delivery of the absentee ballot to the county board of elections can result in your absentee ballot being challenged and set aside by the county board of elections or a court of law.

An absentee ballot application must be completed, signed by the elector, and received by the county board of elections no later then 4:30 p.m. on the Tuesday before Election Day.

If you are voting in the election district for the first time by absentee ballot, you will be asked to present an approved form of identification when returning your application.

Absentee ballots must be received by the county board of elections by 5:00 p.m. on the Friday before the election.

Unless a voter is disabled and needs assistance to deliver an absentee ballot to the county board of elections, it is illegal under Pennsylvania law for anyone other than the voter to hand-deliver an absentee ballot to the county board of elections. Delivery of absentee ballots cast by voters who are not disabled may be delivered only by the U.S. mail or by the voter in person.

 If an emergency arises after the deadline to apply for the absentee ballot (5:00 p.m. Tuesday, before the election), an emergency absentee ballot application may be obtained from the county board of elections, either in person, by mail, or by messenger. An emergency would include such things as becoming sick or disabled or an unforeseen business trip. The deadline to apply by emergency application is 5:00 p.m. on the Friday before the primary or election. The voted absentee ballot must be voted and received by the county board of elections by the Friday before the election.

Ordinarily an absentee voter will vote on an official absentee ballot printed by the county board of elections that appears substantially the same as the ballots or ballot labels that will be used on Election Day at the polling places. However, absentee military electors and civilian absentee voters who are outside the United States on Election Day might receive a special write-in absentee ballot. Election officials use special write-in ballots when they are required by law to deliver absentee ballots to certain absentee voters, but official absentee ballots have not yet been printed. The special write-in ballot includes all of the offices and questions that will appear on the official ballot for the elector's election district, but not the names of the candidates for the offices. Instead, elections officials will provide to the voter a separate list that will include the names of all the candidates who have filed nomination petitions, or nomination papers seeking to appear on the official ballot and who have not withdrawn or had their names removed from the ballot by court.

A special write-in absentee ballot returned to the county board of elections will be handled and counted in the same manner as an absentee ballot cast on an official absentee ballot.

The following persons who (unless otherwise indicated) are registered to vote are eligible to vote for any office in any election by absentee ballot:
  
A person who, because of his/her duties, occupation or business (including leaves of absence for teaching, vacations, and sabbatical leaves), expects to be absent from his/her municipality of residence during the entire period the polls are open for voting, and his/her spouse and dependents of such electors who are residing with or accompanying them and for that reason also expect to be absent form his/her municipality during the time the polls  are open.  
  
 A person who, because of illness or physical disability, is unable to attend his/her polling place or to operate a voting machine and obtain assistance by distinct and audible statements. (Note: A disabled elector may be placed on a permanently disabled absentee ballot list file).
  
A county employee who expects his/her Election Day duties relating to the conduct of the election will prevent them from voting.
  
A person who will not attend a polling place on Election Day because of the observance of a religious holiday.
  
Members of the armed forces, regardless of whether at the time of voting they are in the election district of residence or in the Commonwealth and regardless of whether they are registered to vote.
  
A spouse or dependent residing with or accompanying a member of the armed forces who expects to be absent from his/her municipality of residence during the entire period in which the polling places are open for voting may register to vote at the time of voting the absentee ballot. 
  
 A member of the Merchant Marine, and his/her spouse and dependents residing with him/her who expect to be absent from the municipality of residency during the entire period in which the polling places are open for voting may register to vote at the time of voting the absentee ballot. 
  
A member of a religious or welfare group attached to and serving with the armed forces, and his/her spouse and dependents residing with or accompanying him/her, who expect to be absent from the municipality if residence during the entire period in which the polling places are open for voting may register to vote at the time of voting the absentee ballot. 
  
A qualified war veteran elector who is bedridden or hospitalized due to illness or physical disability regardless of whether he/she is registered to vote if absent from the municipality of residence and unable to attend his/her polling place because of such illness or disability, regardless of whether the elector is registered to vote. 
  
A spouse or dependent accompanying a person employed by the Commonwealth or the Federal government, in the event that the employee's duties, occupation or business on Election Day require him/her to be absent from the municipality of residence during the entire period the polls are open for voting may register to vote at the time of voting the absentee ballot.