Berks County Election Board Set to Move 2 Polling Places
The Berks County Election Board is scheduled to vote Oct. 8 on moving polling places in Reading's Ward 12-3 and Shoemakersville for the general election.
Voters in two Berks County precincts would cast their ballots at a new location on Nov. 3 under changes the county Election Board is scheduled to approve Thursday. The agenda calls both moves permanent, starting with the 2026 general election.
The two moves
Reading, Ward 12, Precinct 3, would move from Grace Bible Fellowship Church, 1128 Hampden Blvd., to the Olivet Boys and Girls Club, 722 Mulberry St.
Shoemakersville, Precinct 1, would move from Perry Elementary School, 201 4th St., to the Shoemakersville Borough Office, 846 Main St.
The agenda does not give a reason for either change. If you are registered in one of these precincts and are not sure, check your assigned location with the state's polling place tool before you go, or call the Office of Election Services at 610-478-6490. Our guide to finding your polling place in Berks County covers poll hours and what to bring.
Mail ballot dates
The board is also set to approve Sept. 28 through Nov. 3, 2026 as the permissible range for the date voters write on the outer envelope of an absentee or mail-in ballot. The agenda says the range is used to segregate, or sort, the returned ballots. It does not say what happens to ballots dated outside the range, and the county has not posted an explanation. Our guide to fixing a problem with your mail ballot covers the most common mistakes.
Drop boxes open Oct. 19
The county has posted its drop-box plan on the Election Services page. Three boxes will take mail-in and absentee ballots starting Monday, Oct. 19:
- Berks County Services Center, Reed Street entrance, 633 Court St., Reading
- Berks County South Campus, 400 E. Wyomissing Ave., Mohnton
- Reading Regional Airport, 24 Liberator Way, Reading
The boxes are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays from Oct. 19 to Oct. 30, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31, noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 2, and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. Voters must return only their own ballot, with an exception for voters with a disability who have designated another person in writing to deliver it. That person must return a completed designated agent form with the ballot.
The county lists Oct. 19 as the deadline to update voter registration and Oct. 27 as the deadline to apply for a mail ballot.
When and how to weigh in
The Election Board meets Thursday, Oct. 8, at 11 a.m. in the 13th-floor Commissioners' Boardroom of the Berks County Services Center, 633 Court St., Reading, and online through a link on the meeting notice. Anyone who wants to comment on an agenda item before the vote must tell the chair. Comments are taken in person first, then through the online Q&A, one per person, and the comment period is limited to 30 minutes in total unless the county extends it. Comments without a first and last name and municipality will not be considered.
The agenda lists the three county commissioners as the board: Chair Michael S. Rivera, Vice Chair Christian Y. Leinbach, and Dante Santoni Jr. Anne Norton is chief clerk. The meeting also includes the elections director's report.
Sources and contact
- Berks County Board of Elections agenda, Oct. 8, 2026
- Election Board meeting notice, Oct. 8, 2026
- Office of Election Services
- PA Voter Services polling place lookup
Office of Election Services, Berks County Services Center, 1st floor, 633 Court St., Reading, PA 19601; 610-478-6490; Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For every date voters need this fall, see our 2026 Berks County election guide and our guide to voting by mail in Berks County.
Sources
The public records this story is reported from.
