After the polls close: Philadelphia's official count starts Friday, and some mail voters have until Nov. 9 to fix ID problems

Polls in Philadelphia are open until 8 p.m. today, and anyone in line by then can vote. The numbers that appear tonight are unofficial, though. Philadelphia's results become official through a canvass and a series of deadlines that run into next week. Here is that schedule, from the City Commissioners' own notices. We are not reporting or predicting results.

For voting today, see our Election Day guide. For how the mail ballot count works tonight, see our explainer.

Where things stood this morning

• The Board of Elections had received 100,721 mail-in and absentee ballots as of 8 p.m. Monday, an unofficial count (status update). That is up from about 86,000 the week before, when the city said it had mailed more than 129,000, the Philadelphia Tribune reported.
• Mail ballots must arrive by 8 p.m. today. Postmarks don't count. The city has 38 drop boxes, the Tribune reported.

The dates after today

• Friday, Nov. 6, 9 a.m.: The commissioners begin the official computation of votes at their office at 11311 Roosevelt Blvd., continuing until it is done. Challenges to absentee, mail-in or provisional ballots will be heard there if needed (canvass notice).
• Monday, Nov. 9: Deadline for voters whose mail ballot was flagged because their ID couldn't be verified. Without the information, "the Board cannot count your ballot," the commissioners say (notice).
• Tuesday, Nov. 10: Last day for military and overseas absentee ballots to arrive, if they were sent by 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 2 (2026 voter calendar).

Provisional ballots are reviewed after Election Day, so a close race can take longer to settle. Commissioner Seth Bluestein said voting machines passed logic and accuracy testing and that ballots will go through multiple audits after the election, the Tribune reported.

If your mail ballot was flagged

The commissioners post a deficiency list of mail ballots with unverifiable ID, ballots returned by the Postal Service as undeliverable, and ballots flagged as possibly flawed, such as a missing signature on the declaration envelope or no secrecy envelope. It was last updated Nov. 1. To fix an ID problem, the commissioners say you can:

• fill out the ID verification form;
• email a photo or copy of an acceptable ID to phillyelection@phila.gov; or
• call (215) 686-3398 or (215) 686-3469.

If your ballot was flagged as flawed, the commissioners say it may not be counted and advise voting by provisional ballot at your polling place today. Find your polling place at atlas.phila.gov/voting.

If something goes wrong at the polls

City Commissioners Chairman Omar Sabir said federal election monitors will get no special access and must stay 10 feet from the polling place, like anyone else, the Tribune reported. He urged voters not to confront anyone claiming to be a monitor or law enforcement officer. Problems can be reported to the City Commissioners, the District Attorney's Election Task Force or the Election Protection hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE, the Tribune reported. Our earlier story covers the monitors.

What our records add

Two of the questions on every Philadelphia ballot today came from City Council. Council passed the ordinance putting the Creative Philadelphia charter question before voters, Bill 260264-A, from Isaiah Thomas, 17-0 on June 11. Our stories explain the Creative Philadelphia question and the city contracting question. A charter change takes effect only if voters approve it.

What's next

We will report the certified outcome of both charter questions once the canvass is done. Council's first session after the election is Nov. 12 (what's eligible for a vote). The commissioners post results at vote.phila.gov/results.