About
Ballots for Patients is a nonpartisan program that enables registered voters to cast their ballots while hospitalized. With support from UPMC, Ballots for Patients volunteers help hospitalized voters access Emergency Absentee Ballots.
How it Works
Emergency Absentee Ballots allow registered voters who are experiencing emergencies (such as unexpected illness, disability, or last-minute absence from their municipalities) to vote—even if the deadline to submit regular Absentee Ballots has already passed.
During Presidential and General Elections, our volunteers serve as Authorized Representatives to hospitalizex voters by:
- Submitting Emergency Absentee Ballot Applications to the County Elections Office
- Delivering Emergency Absentee Ballots to the hospital
- Returning completed Emergency Absentee Ballots to the County Elections Office
Get Involved
If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out our volunteer survey. If you have any further questions, please email ballotsforpatients@gmail.com.
To make a donation to Ballots for Patients, please go to our donations page and be sure to write “Ballots for Patients” in the “payment” text box so we can direct money to the appropriate fund.
History
Ballots for Patients was a volunteer-led initiative, first organized in 2016 by Paul O’Hanlon. After many years of collaboration, and the loss of Paul O’Hanlon in 2025, Access Mob Pittsburgh has assumed responsibility for organizing Ballots for Patients. For more information about Paul O’Hanlon’s legacy and to leave a tribute for others to read, please visit the Pittsburghers for Public Transit website.
