Drop in mail-in ballots for primary to be expected, York County official says York Dispatch Ahead of next week's primary election featuring local and state races and ballot questions alike, the number of York County voters requesting mail-in ballots has dropped significantly. Approximately 23,000 mail-in ballots had been sent out as of Monday, according to York County President Commissioner Julie Wheeler. That's a sharp drop from last year's election, which saw more than 70,000 mail-in ballots distributed in the primary. Thanks to changes in election law made two years ago, voters are able to request a mail-in ballot without giving a reason. Before that legislation, mail-in ballots were limited to "absentee" voters who fit strictly defined qualifications.